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What's the longest you had to wait for a contract after being offered?

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    What's the longest you had to wait for a contract after being offered?

    Got offered a gig on Friday. Around 3pm I got the call. I have had two days of self contradicting excuses from the pimp. None of which stack up. It is now Wednesday (to all intents and purposes) and still nothing. They want me to start on Monday, and I need some time to get the PCG to give the contract the once over.

    In my experience when this happens something is badly wrong and this will go pop. Do I get straight back on jobserve at 8am or what? Normally pimps rush the paperwork out the door in case you might wriggle off the hook.

    I'm thinking, they might still be interviewing, or they are waiting for budget signoff, or worse.

    Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

    #2
    Yup this happened to me just before the Xmas break. Was told by pimp I was the only person being put forward for the role, then I got told it was on hold until after the Xmas break.. come Jan 5th I chased it up and got nothing back. It was only when they called me about a completely different gig that I quizzed them and discovered someone else had been sent.

    You could always play the "I've got another offer on the table, I need an answer today" card.. if you genuinely have the gig they will come back and give you a fast answer. I used this last week and it worked (for confirmation of an interview after getting null replies from agent).
    The cycle of life: born > learn > work > learn > dead.

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      #3
      Got a call this morning from the pimp. Needed to know my company reg no. I guided him to the scanned image of my certificate of incorporation that he asked me to email him last week.



      Then he sent me the same questionaire again to fill out.



      He sounds young. Then he muttered under his breath - I never did one of these limited company ones before.

      In a peverse way, I am reassured because it means I am kept waiting not because of the nefarious underhand dealings of the client, but because of the pimps general incompetency.

      On the other hand, this incompetent is making money out of me, and is probably only just old enough to shave.

      Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

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        #4
        I waited three months once. But that was because it was the security clearance taking time.
        Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

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          #5
          Originally posted by chris79 View Post
          Yup this happened to me just before the Xmas break. Was told by pimp I was the only person being put forward for the role, then I got told it was on hold until after the Xmas break.. come Jan 5th I chased it up and got nothing back. It was only when they called me about a completely different gig that I quizzed them and discovered someone else had been sent.

          You could always play the "I've got another offer on the table, I need an answer today" card.. if you genuinely have the gig they will come back and give you a fast answer. I used this last week and it worked (for confirmation of an interview after getting null replies from agent).
          Never mind playing the card, go and actually get another offer. You don't have the contract till you have the contract.

          If anybody asks you to wait, with nothing but the word of an agent to go on, ask yourself both of these questions, not just the first:
          1. Do I want to wait for this one?
          2. How much do I want to wait? I.e. how much of my money will I bet on it?

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            #6
            Originally posted by suityou01 View Post
            ...
            On the other hand, this incompetent is making money out of me, and is probably only just old enough to shave.

            That is probably what will eventually cause me to give up contracting. I have just had enough of it.

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              #7
              Longest I ever waited was about 3 years, well arguably 13 years since they still haven't sent me one and I left 10 years ago after 3 years

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                #8
                Originally posted by expat View Post
                That is probably what will eventually cause me to give up contracting. I have just had enough of it.
                You're not fed up with contracting, you're fed up with agents. Start developing your contacts and start cutting them out of the loop.

                And for the OP, my last four contracts have been thus;

                Current: 0 minutes - hiring manager is my mate (direct)
                -1: 0 minutes - was recommended by the PM (direct)
                -2: 0 minutes - was recommended by the PM (direct)
                -3: <1 day - new agent involved who didn't know me or the product very well but was Pref at the bank.
                -4: 0 minutes - was offered the job in the interview, agent phoned to ask how interview went and was surprised to hear the good news.
                ‎"See, you think I give a tulip. Wrong. In fact, while you talk, I'm thinking; How can I give less of a tulip? That's why I look interested."

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Moscow Mule View Post
                  You're not fed up with contracting, you're fed up with agents. Start developing your contacts and start cutting them out of the loop.
                  I have done: my current contract is direct. If this ends soon, as it might, my next 2 possibilities are also with direct contacts but the clients' HR will not work directly with contractors, I would have to find an agency and work through them.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by expat View Post
                    I have done: my current contract is direct. If this ends soon, as it might, my next 2 possibilities are also with direct contacts but the clients' HR will not work directly with contractors, I would have to find an agency and work through them.
                    Fortunately, current clientco are big enough to have a commercial ops team who deal with the contractors - HR are not involved at all. Which, I guess, is a good thing as they are generally a pile of festering uselessness.

                    I've had one previous good experience with an agency who would do good rates for direct (<5%) I've no idea if they still do it, but PM if you want the details.
                    ‎"See, you think I give a tulip. Wrong. In fact, while you talk, I'm thinking; How can I give less of a tulip? That's why I look interested."

                    Comment

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