Contracting Return Question
This contracting return question was posed to us by a contractor who became a permie. He now wants to return to contracting and asks for advice from a couple of Agents.
Wanting to Contract Again
I am in the position of wanting to contract for the first time in 4/5 years.
All the jobs I have seen advertised/agencies I have spoken to have indicated they want manily immediate starts (not the 4 weeks notice I would have to wait).
Should I just give my notice on the basis that I will get something?
I have made sure I have enough saved up to live without working for a few months and would probably take a lesser role to fill in for a couple of months to fill in I think.
Any advice appreciated.
Agent 1 – Hand in Your Notice
If you have money to back you up then I would suggest handing in your notice. The market is getting better at the moment so a good time for contracts. You’ll be very hard pushed to get a decent contract willing to wait 4 weeks.
Why not try speaking to your existing manager and tell him the situation, maybe you can negotiate down your notice? That might alleviate some of the fears of not finding a contract quickly, if you could say negotiate down to two weeks. You’d be surprised how many managers are agreeable to that sort of thing. Try and get it down to two weeks if you can.
Agent 2 Advice to Ex-Contractor
Here’s what I would do.
Tell the agencies that you are on two weeks notice.
When you get a contract, hand in your notice.
Tell your bosses that you would much prefer not to serve your full notice.
They will almost certainly let you go early as they don’t want a de-motivated ‘demob happy‘ worker around de-motivating the rest of their staff.
I should think they’ll just keep you for a few days so that you can hand over your work to someone else.
Even if they keep you to the full month, the agency and client, once they selected you, might well wait the couple of extra weeks.
Even if they don‘t, you’ve lost nothing anyway as your other alternative was that you were going to resign.
IT Contractor Comment
So is that contracting return question answered sufficiently?
Would you give different advice to this ex-contractor who wants to become a contractor again?
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