Contract start date dilemna

[psychocandy]

Moving back into contracting after a while away from it. Had a phone interview today for a decent contract close to home. Good money.

Its looking good at the moment. Only thing is their being really funny about start date.

I'm on a course next week paid for by the Welsh Assembly government. If I dont turn up, not only will I miss out on the course but I'll be obliged to shell out for the cost - in all I'll be about £2500 out of pocket.

But you guessed it, the client is adamant the start date must be next monday latest. I know for a fact that the client has been looking for someone for a good couple of months and hasn't found someone with the skills and SC clearance so I dont know why its so last minute. I dont think they've got anyone else in mind.

What would you do?

A) Refuse to be bullied and call their bluff. A decent client would understand and wait a week.

B) Bite the bullet, cancel the course, start the contract.

I'm tending towards (A) to be honest, because I dont think they've got anyone else, and I'm not sure I'd be happy working for someone who'd let their first choice go over a weeks different start date. It all seems a bit too rushed and frantic.

Opinions wanted though....

[amcdonald]

Or take the contract and spin out the legal stuff for a week, like ID checks, IR35 reviews

Do anything to stall them so you end up turning up a week later, with the games agencys play its not hard to do

It all depends how easy you think you can get something else in case they walk ?

[realityhack]

I'd be tempted to say A - as you say, a client who's that fussed over a week, after you've explained the situation, seems a bit antsy.
But it depends what the day rate is - and if you can defer the training... I'd be more inclined to take it on the chin if your contract more than recoups the cost inside a week - and would put pressure on the training co to slot you in at a later date if possible.

Don't bluff and bluster - explain things clearly to the hiring manager/PM in question if you can. Most reasonable PMs would make do if it's been hell finding resources. Some PMs here may disagree - but I've worked in quite laid-back environments. No experience of SC/DV cleared work though.

[Pondlife]

As others have said, explain you have a previous commitment and will be on site bright and early a week later. You don't have to tell them it's training, you're just not available for business reasons.

More importantly... how did you get that rable to fund training.

[MarillionFan]

Are you sure it's the client pushing? Agents are tossers in these situations and in most cases it's agency who is being insistent all for the sake of a weeks commission.

I'd have a chat with the interviewer/client directly to clarify.

[EternalOptimist]

If you are to be a contractor, that means 100% commitment , which means taking option B. I mean, what is the course ? Welsh language ? or the cultural and social impact of speaking in a sing-song voice with spittle flying everywhere ? And £2,500 ? surely if they have gone to all the effort to find you a place, it behoves you to make an equal effort and take the course, its probably an agents deadline and not the clients anyway, so its option A all the way

[Scrag Meister]

If you are to be a contractor, that means 100% commitment , which means taking option B. I mean, what is the course ? Welsh language ? or the cultural and social impact of speaking in a sing-song voice with spittle flying everywhere ? And £2,500 ? surely if they have gone to all the effort to find you a place, it behoves you to make an equal effort and take the course, its probably an agents deadline and not the clients anyway, so its option A all the way

Should have been a poll.

I vote A.

If they are that up their @rse they should be grateful to get you at all.

[norrahe]

A for me as well.

[doodab]

A for me.

[TheFaQQer]

A.

But to show willing, ask them to send some documentation etc. over so that you can really hit the ground running a week later. You'll do the background stuff that usually takes a day of their time on your own back for free.