A month on the bench

[dack]

I know someone has poked a bit of fun at you and I appreciate you have a situation at home that is very difficult to manage but looking at your history you really shouldn't be worrying about a month and even much longer on the bench. I do genuinely think you need to think hard about your warchest. It's not inconceivable going forward you are going to spend a month on the bench every three months and if things are as tight as they seem you are going to have an extremely difficult time with little options.

Hope you don't mind me saying.

You are are completely right mate and appreciate you saying so. I've been reckless with cash over the last 2 decades of contracting (threw a lot of cash at family & friends for the first few years) and now I'm paying the price. I tend to take very little time off when in contract and most contracts have lasted years so being off this long is alien to me.

It's taken to my early 40's to really appreciate the importance of financial management (wish they taught this at school instead of French!).

On a brighter side, just had a call for a telephone interview next week for a decent contract in Bath.

[Troll]

You are are completely right mate and appreciate you saying so. I've been wreckless with cash over the last 2 decades of contracting (threw a lot of cash at family & friends for the first few years) and now I'm paying the price. I tend to take very little time off when in contract and most contracts have lasted years so being off this long is alien to me.

It's taken to my early 40's to really appreciate the importance of financial management (wish they taught this at school instead of French!).

On a brighter side, just had a call for a telephone interview next week for a decent contract in Bath.

reckless

[bracken]

Reaping Dividends

The typical contractor mentality is to seek opportunities mainly by checking and reacting to adverts posted on job boards. However, with 12 years of contracting experience you should have a list of several clients you've done work for in the past. Why don't you try networking your way in to a contract by getting in touch with previous clients and asking if they've got anything suitable in their pipeline.

Admittedly, my 'golden nugget' of advice doesn't help the OP but I find working a 'small preferred network' of around five people whilst I'm in contract, occasional coffee, beer, telephone call etc 'just to catch up' helps immensely when I have to work my network harder when I'm out of contract...that way, it doesn't feel like I'm only engaging them because I want something. A side benefit is that they often ask when I'm next available, make a mental note and just sometimes contact me to see if I'm going to be available.

It takes effort but this approach (literally) reaps 'dividends' for me.

B

[dack]

Admittedly, my 'golden nugget' of advice doesn't help the OP but I find working a 'small preferred network' of around five people whilst I'm in contract, occasional coffee, beer, telephone call etc 'just to catch up' helps immensely when I have to work my network harder when I'm out of contract...that way, it doesn't feel like I'm only engaging them because I want something. A side benefit is that they often ask when I'm next available, make a mental note and just sometimes contact me to see if I'm going to be available.

It takes effort but this approach (literally) reaps 'dividends' for me.

B

Sound piece of advice for the future though...

[turbowoowoo]

Interestingly I am getting lots of calls (3 + plus daily) for PM roles. Just after I started a new role.

what I find is that it takes about 4 weeks to get your CV circulating to the agents (dropping in from Jobserve etc and being searchable) from when you start looking so that you are on their radar.

I also have seen a distinct drop in Agent morals and education over the last few years.

I am sure one of the agents was chewing gum whilst discussing an Infrastructure PM role with me yesterday!!

[oliverson]

I've seen a flurry of activity since the holiday season has ended and I have a face-to-face next week back at Barclays. The role sounds OK and I'm happy where I am really thought it's a bit slow. Question is, do I really want to go back to Barclays? What would be in store? Enforced leave at Xmas followed by their Q1 rate cuts. Think I'll call it off.

[Montyuk]

I've seen a flurry of activity since the holiday season has ended and I have a face-to-face next week back at Barclays. The role sounds OK and I'm happy where I am really thought it's a bit slow. Question is, do I really want to go back to Barclays? What would be in store? Enforced leave at Xmas followed by their Q1 rate cuts. Think I'll call it off.

Barclays didn't rate cut everyone when they tried and they even gave increases, and yes the rate on is not on the low end.

Yes the 10 day rule over a three month period close to Christmas isn't great but the. It's not the end of the world as Christmas is a great time to spend with family etc

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

You are are completely right mate and appreciate you saying so. I've been reckless with cash over the last 2 decades of contracting (threw a lot of cash at family & friends for the first few years) and now I'm paying the price. I tend to take very little time off when in contract and most contracts have lasted years so being off this long is alien to me.

It's taken to my early 40's to really appreciate the importance of financial management (wish they taught this at school instead of French!).

On a brighter side, just had a call for a telephone interview next week for a decent contract in Bath.

I started contracting nearly 5 years ago and am happy that NLUK has been around to (virtually) slap me every so often. If I hadn't been on this forum then I don't think I'd have been sensible as I have been. I am aged 30 now and with a 1 year warchest so things are looking up. Problem is I never seem content! I always said if I got 6 months warchest I'd be happy, then if I got 9 months etc. Now I am on 12 months I am thinking I should have 2 years in the event of a down turn.....

Perhaps I need to just spend more and relax.

[kaiser78]

Interestingly I am getting lots of calls (3 + plus daily) for PM roles. Just after I started a new role.

what I find is that it takes about 4 weeks to get your CV circulating to the agents (dropping in from Jobserve etc and being searchable) from when you start looking so that you are on their radar.

I also have seen a distinct drop in Agent morals and education over the last few years.

I am sure one of the agents was chewing gum whilst discussing an Infrastructure PM role with me yesterday!!

What - you are saying they have ever had morals ? Not in my lifetime...

[Avalonia]

Agents are born amoral