Newbie - do contracts ever fall through?

[Midlanders]

I’m new to contracting and just got my first 6 month contract, starting in a few weeks.

I have been in a permanent position but my department closed (due to Covid) so was made redundant. Now my current company have offered me another role and are putting pressure on me to stay.

The permanent role sounds great but I think I’m still going to take the contact as it’s an exciting project and I get a big redundancy pay out. I would also feel terrible going back on a contract (if that’s even possible?).

My question is is there any chance that the contract falls through? I would hate to turn down an excellent permanent position for the contract to just fall through.
Is it unreasonable to ask the people I’m contracting for (civil service) this? Will I look like I’m playing games/ I’m a nutter?!

[malvolio]

I've had at least three contracts fall through at a fairly late date (twice on the Friday before a Monday start), and I've also binned a couple without starting when the agency contract turned out to be a pile of horsefeathers.

So yes, they do, regularly.

And contracting is not just another job, it's a whole change of life - and you will be out of work in six months. Make sure yo understand that. If you want certainty, stay permanent.

[edison]

I've heard of people arriving at the client site on day one and being told they had been canned.

Don't think that just because you are in a contract that you can't be terminated at will almost at any time.

[Midlanders]

Thanks for the input.
I guess I’m seeing contracting slightly differently and perhaps I’m making a mistake here? I see it as a way to change path in my career. It’s giving me experience in an area that I hope will help me get a permanent role in the future. I have all commercial experience and this role gives me experience and a foot in the door in the public sector. It’s also a way for me to see if I actually like the civil service.
That said I don’t mind contracting for longer than 6 months if need be or if I find I love it.
And I realise I may be unemployed in 6 months. Financially I can handle that.

The lack of stability makes me a bit nervous but it’s mainly to do with turning down a great role for potentially nothing.

[malvolio]

It's not a career improvement thing, or only very rarely is*. You are hired because either you can offer something they don't already have in house or because they need a cheap(-ish) and immediately disposable resource. You are not there to learn stuff and if you have to learn stuff to do the job then you won't last very long.

There are thousands of experienced contractors on the bench right now and the numbers are growing. It might be an idea to have a think about why you were offered the role you have landed...

Of course it may all be perfectly fine and you will get on well (after all, most of us had to start somewhere). But it's probably better to be pessimistic rather than optimistic, given you don't actually have any experience of contracting.


*For context I contracted at a senior level for 26 years. My rate on my last role was £50 a day more than my first one, with several ups and downs in between. Most of those roles I was either a true consultant, an interim manager or a variety of technical architects. My actual "grade", if you can call it that, never altered, I just got more difficult tasks to deliver!

[Midlanders]

I hope they’ve given me the role because I have experience doing what they need in a commercial setting and it should be transferable in the public sector setting.
I also have a fair amount of knowledge from a PhD and 10 years commercial experience. Since it’s a fairly specific scientific role, I doubt there will be very many contractors available for this particular one.

However I do still think I’ll have a lot to learn in this role and that does make me nervous. If I’m not going to be useful to them immediately I doubt they’ll be that impressed!

Even if I do decide this is all too much of a risk I’ve signed a contract with the agency so not even sure how I’d get out of it now.

[The Tartan Cottage]

I hope they’ve given me the role because I have experience doing what they need in a commercial setting and it should be transferable in the public sector setting.

I’d say you have nae worries at all

[DimPrawn]

The lack of stability makes me a bit nervous but it’s mainly to do with turning down a great role for potentially nothing.

This tells me (assuming the pay is good) that you should take the perm role.

[hungry_hog]

You need to get yourself into a contractor mindset, or you will not last 5 minutes.

- You are not an employee - you are a supplier
- You can be canned at any point. In the same way Sainsbury buys it's eggs from Farm X one week and Farm Y the next, they can get rid of you and request the services of Acme at a moment's notice
- A contract is not 'career development'. It is an agreement to a supply a service.

[BigDataPro]

They do. Especially it is happening more frequently now than ever. Take a step back and ask yourself

1. Can you comfortably survive or find another role (perm or contract), if this one falls through or delayed?
2. Is it worth doing No.1 - because the money is good and you can make a big leap financially etc.


My recent/current contract is being delayed - It's almost 4 weeks with occasional video meetings. I am taking it easy. I am not applying elsewhere. Doing online courses, preparing certifications and enjoying the break.

Can you handle such a delay or contract termination?