Don’t you wish there was an ‘Easy Button’ for life? I mean, really, think of all the things that could happen. Automatic solutions to technical problems. 5 second commutes. IT consulting positions coming at you left and right. The possibilities are endless.
While those of us at Base36 can’t offer you an easy button, we can at least help you figure out how to get those IT contract positions. One of our first pieces of advice is to start early enough. To make sure that you’re doing this, we’ve provided you with a technical recruiting timeline.
THE TIMELINE
4+ Months
If you know for certain you’re not getting renewed at your current location, or that you won’t be accepting a renewal, it’s never too early to tell your recruiter. Advanced notice, even as much as 4+ months, gives your recruiter ample opportunity to find or create a role. Just don’t expect to have anything locked down this far in advance; it’s unlikely that you’ll know what will be available when your contract ends.
6 – 8 Weeks
If you’re not looking four months into the future, don’t worry. Six to eight weeks before the end of a contract is a good time to start looking. This window gives your recruiter ample time to coordinate a new contract. If you start looking later than this (less than four weeks before you need your next contract), it may be hard to coordinate.
1 Month
Remember that every client moves differently. That being said, you should have your resume submitted to the client a month before you want to start the new contract. This 30-day period gives the company enough time to get through the preliminary phone screenings, the onsite interviews, and legal paperwork.
1 – 2 Weeks
Ideally, you want to finish the interview process a week or two before you hope to start the contract. This gives you enough time to give your current position notice as well as for the client company to get through the legal paperwork.
Things to Remember:
- Contacting Your Recruiter: If you have a good recruiter, they will keep you advised of the state of your candidacy at all times. If they haven’t been in contact for three or
four business days, give them a call. Remember: They are just as motivated as you are to keep this process moving. IT recruiting is a symbiotic relationship. - Vacation: As a technical contractor, you don’t have paid vacation days. Ask yourself if you want some time between contracts to make up for this. If you do, you need to factor this into the timeline. For example, if your current contract ends on September 1rst and you want to take two weeks to go to Barbados after that, make sure that the upcoming contract is taken care of ahead of time. Be clear about when you can start.
Conclusion:
You still have to do the work, so it’s not an easy button. However, by starting the technical consulting contract search early, you ensure that the process goes forward smoothly, with less stress. That definitely makes life easier, doesn’t it?
Have there been times when you’ve started the contract position search a little too late or early? What happened? Let us know in the comments section below or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn!
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Thanks to Civillian Scrabble and miguel sancheese for the use of their respective photographs.
