Psychology of long contracts

[psychocandy]

I don't agree with this at all. For a start it is very rare for a client to increase the rate. Why should they? They have a rate card and you are still carrying out the role. Being there for a longer duration is not a reason for a rate rise. That is permie mentality.
It does however make it easy to get a rise from the agent if you play it right. He's made his money so many are willing to forgo some of their commission. I've managed to increase the rate on both my long gigs. It's up to the contractor to manage that, not an assumption it will happen anyway.



Your history of posts doesn't really back this up.



Erm, yes and no. Of course the client will rely on you, you are a valuable resource. He'd be stupid if he didn't but I don't agree it makes you part of the furniture. Again it is up to the contractor to manage that. Granted it gets harder and harder the longer the gig but it's still possible. It's partly the fault of the contractor to let this happen.

A decent contractor that knows what he is doing can easily avoid all these points. I'd say most of this is down to the mentality of the contractor not purely down to long gigs.

Last 5 years or so gig history.

Client A - over 2 years. Numerous extensions until they didn't renew when budget ran out. Got £10/day rate rise in this time...

Client B - 2 months. But it was only ever going to be a short term gig from the beginning to cover a specific period.

Client C - 3 months. Turned down extension. Crap rate but I'd been on the bench for a while. Client manager cool - knew he couldnt keep people on the rate.

Client D - 8 months. Two extensions in here. Turned last one down because it wasn't interesting any more. Got £20 rise during this time when I found out the agents massive cut.

Client E - Just accepted 3rd extension to take me up to a year.

[uk contractor]

IME most contracts are like this eventually that's why you get paid more

Companies are starting to take contractors for granted as they know the market is oversaturated with candidates. One contract I turned down a few weeks ago for a well known IB wanted free hours from me to cover for perm holidays over the next few months as well as 11-12 hour days mon-fri....all for a below average rate. I would rather sit on the bench that take such a role which is trying to exploit market conditions

[northernladuk]

Last 5 years or so gig history.

Client A - over 2 years. Numerous extensions until they didn't renew when budget ran out. Got £10/day rate rise in this time...

Client B - 2 months. But it was only ever going to be a short term gig from the beginning to cover a specific period.

Client C - 3 months. Turned down extension. Crap rate but I'd been on the bench for a while. Client manager cool - knew he couldnt keep people on the rate.

Client D - 8 months. Two extensions in here. Turned last one down because it wasn't interesting any more. Got £20 rise during this time when I found out the agents massive cut.

Client E - Just accepted 3rd extension to take me up to a year.

You are very bad at leaving as you can't make a decision. You moan like stink and talk about it every time you get an extension...

If I had 24 months then I'd be happy to leave any gig to be honest.

2-3 weeks before end. Two months is too long.

I start to look even if it looks like extension is likely because A) Nice to have options and B) Its not sorted until its sorted.

Ideal time I reckon for client to sort renewals is one week before. Gives you a week or two to look around but not cutting it so close you're panicking....

Current client renews 3/4 weeks before end so I don't get time to look around. So its good in one way and bad in others.

Always wonder why a lot don't do this - it locks in the contractor then. No good leaving it until the day before and then whining that contractor has now got something else lined up instead.

Surprisingly, 4 months extension. Last time it was 2 months and they said thats it.
To be fair, I was all ready to leave in a few weeks and was expecting a month extension at most (which I was going to be knock back).
Offering me 4 months has shaken my resolve to leave a bit.

[SlipTheJab]

Is this thread turning into a PC and NLUK love in once again?

[psychocandy]

IME most contracts are like this eventually that's why you get paid more

Companies are starting to take contractors for granted as they know the market is oversaturated with candidates. One contract I turned down a few weeks ago for a well known IB wanted free hours from me to cover for perm holidays over the next few months as well as 11-12 hour days mon-fri....all for a below average rate. I would rather sit on the bench that take such a role which is trying to exploit market conditions

Dont blame you. Had this once in interview - told they "expected" minimum 10 hour days. Sod that.

[psychocandy]

You are very bad at leaving as you can't make a decision. You moan like stink and talk about it every time you get an extension...

Ah. I will admit I am very bad at making decisions like this. And yes I do like a bit of moaning :-)

[uk contractor]

Dont blame you. Had this once in interview - told they "expected" minimum 10 hour days. Sod that.

+1 no decent contractor will allow themself to be exploited unless it suits them (they have been on the bench for a long time for example!).

I am finding recently more clients telling me in interviews I am expected to work 10-11 hour days for the "daily" rate. One even told me in early July I must do 11.5 hour days with 30 mins for lunch....I cannot lie & say it was a hard contract to decline

It seems to me agencies are not telling candidates this in advance anymore as it will be hard to attract anyone willing to work a few hours a day for nothing just because their perms do it for free well let them hire more inexperienced perms then!! You have to be flexible & work extra hours when its busy obviously but do not hire someone & tell them to work beyond the signed contract hours from day 1 for the entire contract that's dishonest business practice & probably inside IR35 to knowingly hire a non perm staff member to bypass EU labour laws

[psychocandy]

+1 no decent contractor will allow themself to be exploited unless it suits them (they have been on the bench for a long time for example!).

I am finding recently more clients telling me in interviews I am expected to work 10-11 hour days for the "daily" rate. One even told me in early July I must do 11.5 hour days with 30 mins for lunch....I cannot lie & say it was a hard contract to decline

It seems to me agencies are not telling candidates this in advance anymore as it will be hard to attract anyone willing to work a few hours a day for nothing just because their perms do it for free well let them hire more inexperienced perms then!! You have to be flexible & work extra hours when its busy obviously but do not hire someone & tell them to work beyond the signed contract hours from day 1 for the entire contract that's dishonest business practice & probably inside IR35 to knowingly hire a non perm staff member to bypass EU labour laws

12 hour days. No chance in a million years for me.

Like you - if it all kicks off then fair enough you've got to stay until whenever. Even then its nice if client plays fair and doesnt moan if you do a short day to compensate.

That's always the problem with PWD though - in most cases there are no contracted hours so its how long is a piece of string. Coupled with the fact that there's always some mug who will agree to it unfortunately.

These days, even if they don't mention it, I always try to ask at interview. Better to find out early than rock up on site to find they moan if you do 8 hours not 12.

Always thought though that if this ever happened to me, I'd probably still work 8 and think, oh well, not long till they can me and its time to move on.

[Danglekt]

a year felt long enough in my last gig. I was actually looking forward to a couple of months of bench time.

Got offered a direct gig that wanted me to start the day after ending with the other client - it was hard to be cross about it really, but would have loved some time!

I find working as a contractor is more demanding than any permie role, both because I want to deliver and because expectations are higher. So I feel myself needing holidays more - thankfully I can afford them now

[northernladuk]

a year felt long enough in my last gig. I was actually looking forward to a couple of months of bench time.

Got offered a direct gig that wanted me to start the day after ending with the other client - it was hard to be cross about it really, but would have loved some time!

I find working as a contractor is more demanding than any permie role, both because I want to deliver and because expectations are higher. So I feel myself needing holidays more - thankfully I can afford them now

+1 to all this. Took me a couple of years before I got this mindset. It was work every minute, worry about being on the bench, holidays cost me money but my long gig was like an epiphany. Had some bench time after it and it wasn't an issue, I didn't go broke, I found work after it and felt thoroughly refreshed. I have the same outlook as the above now.