Frustrating Contracting Issue.
Discussion
Okay so the background. In April I was contacted about a Contract Role in a Defence Sensitive Organisation in the East Midlands. RC had my CV, but it went quiet, so I took a contract at an aerospace company in Hemel Hempstead for 6 months. In Sept the RC contacted me again, and I explained my contract didn't finish until November.
Not a problem as Security clearance could take 8 to 12 weeks.
Anyway I went for interview, and the client wants me.
Do all the forms and wait for security clearance to come through.
With a week to the end of my Hemel contract, they offer me 3 month extension, but I decide that I want to take a couple of weeks off to decorate, and figure that security clearance will PROBABLY come through in that 2 weeks.
So I start decorating the downstairs. At 8 weeks exactly the MOD security clearance goes through, so I tell them I can start 1st Dec which allows me 2 weeks of decorating. So I'm feeling a bit smug.
Since then, I'm still waiting for a start date. 2.5 weeks after security clearance went through. The main client has agreed to the work, (apparently) but hasn't sent a PO to the Sub-tier supplier I'd be representing. RC says he's lost a couple of contractors because of similar issues.
Last week was okay, because I did stuff in the house which made my wife happy. (Decorated the loft room)
So he saying they'll have to target for the 15th Dec. Now to me that seems unlikely. Nobody starts a week before Christmas.
It's not the money that I'm not earning, it's the feeling that someone is taking the piss, that I'm finding frustrating. If the client paid me a retainer, or gave me a written start date (even if Jan 2015) i'd be okay. But am I paranoid ?
So I'm starting to apply for other contract roles, to hedge my bets. Wifey suggests I should be have patience.
Grrrr
Not a problem as Security clearance could take 8 to 12 weeks.
Anyway I went for interview, and the client wants me.
Do all the forms and wait for security clearance to come through.
With a week to the end of my Hemel contract, they offer me 3 month extension, but I decide that I want to take a couple of weeks off to decorate, and figure that security clearance will PROBABLY come through in that 2 weeks.
So I start decorating the downstairs. At 8 weeks exactly the MOD security clearance goes through, so I tell them I can start 1st Dec which allows me 2 weeks of decorating. So I'm feeling a bit smug.
Since then, I'm still waiting for a start date. 2.5 weeks after security clearance went through. The main client has agreed to the work, (apparently) but hasn't sent a PO to the Sub-tier supplier I'd be representing. RC says he's lost a couple of contractors because of similar issues.
Last week was okay, because I did stuff in the house which made my wife happy. (Decorated the loft room)
So he saying they'll have to target for the 15th Dec. Now to me that seems unlikely. Nobody starts a week before Christmas.
It's not the money that I'm not earning, it's the feeling that someone is taking the piss, that I'm finding frustrating. If the client paid me a retainer, or gave me a written start date (even if Jan 2015) i'd be okay. But am I paranoid ?
So I'm starting to apply for other contract roles, to hedge my bets. Wifey suggests I should be have patience.
Grrrr
As you say, I wouldn't expect to start before Christmas.
However you're now SC (presumably?) Cleared and presumably they paid for it? It's pretty expensive so they won't want to lose out on you after spending a fair bit already.
And if they do it's a good thing for your own CV and it will open up more doors in January.
That assumes the clearance is transferable which I'm pretty sure it is.
However you're now SC (presumably?) Cleared and presumably they paid for it? It's pretty expensive so they won't want to lose out on you after spending a fair bit already.
And if they do it's a good thing for your own CV and it will open up more doors in January.
That assumes the clearance is transferable which I'm pretty sure it is.
blank said:
As you say, I wouldn't expect to start before Christmas.
However you're now SC (presumably?) Cleared and presumably they paid for it? It's pretty expensive so they won't want to lose out on you after spending a fair bit already.
And if they do it's a good thing for your own CV and it will open up more doors in January.
That assumes the clearance is transferable which I'm pretty sure it is.
Yeah, long term it make more sense to make use of the SC, and I know it's cost them a bit of money to get it for me. Hourly rate is higher too, so won't loose in the long term. However you're now SC (presumably?) Cleared and presumably they paid for it? It's pretty expensive so they won't want to lose out on you after spending a fair bit already.
And if they do it's a good thing for your own CV and it will open up more doors in January.
That assumes the clearance is transferable which I'm pretty sure it is.
I have stuff II could do like : a) Paint the outside of house. b) Weld the sills of the MX5, c) Service all three cars d) Go climbing e) Take the wife out for a day trip f) finish my yearly accounts. g) walk the dog.
Phone Call Yesterday to say the start date is definitely 5th Jan, and I'll have paperwork by the end of next week. I suggested that If I had the paperwork Today for a start date of 5th Jan, then I'd be happy that they'd made a commitment, but until I see that paperwork, then I'm still taking a risk that it could delay beyond that. What happens if they haven't done the paperwork by the end of next week, and everyone will be off for 2 weeks.
Wifey has told me to relax, and just enjoy the break, and if I haven't started on 5th Jan start looking elsewhere then.
Daughter comes home from University tonight, so I have a list of task for today which involve using the hoover, and an iron.
I've kind of wasted this week, but I got to see Paddington with my Autistic nephew. Yeah.
What I can say is that I'm not sure how the unemployed find time to fit in finding a job. I've been involved this week in various pointless tasks which have filled my week.
Wifey has told me to relax, and just enjoy the break, and if I haven't started on 5th Jan start looking elsewhere then.
Daughter comes home from University tonight, so I have a list of task for today which involve using the hoover, and an iron.
I've kind of wasted this week, but I got to see Paddington with my Autistic nephew. Yeah.
What I can say is that I'm not sure how the unemployed find time to fit in finding a job. I've been involved this week in various pointless tasks which have filled my week.
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