How to address contract extensions

You’ve been working in your current assignment for a while now and you couldn’t be happier. The work is great, you love the company and you really enjoy working with your colleagues.  
 
Unfortunately, your contract is due to end soon, but you’re hoping for an extension to be confirmed. Asking your manager about a contract extension might feel intimidating, so here’s some advice to make the process a bit less overwhelming:

 
Schedule a meeting with your manager 

Make sure they have time to consider your request by scheduling a meeting in advance and letting them know that you’d like to discuss the possibility of your contract being extended, this ensures they’re not caught off guard and have the opportunity to prepare. 

Thank your manager for the opportunity 

Explain how you’ve benefitted from working with them / the company or team and what you’ve learned so far. You may also wish to thank them for any guidance or support they’ve provided throughout your contract as well. 

Highlight your achievements 

It’s important to detail your accomplishments in the position (have you completed any projects, learned any new skills, trained / mentored any colleagues or undertaken any courses / qualifications?). This will help to remind your manager of your successes and demonstrate you’re a valuable member of their team. 

Emphasise how much you’d like your contract to continue 

You’re enjoying your assignment and would love for it to be extended, so let your manager know! This is also a good time to show how well you understand the company’s needs and how you could help to achieve them. Think of several reasonable goals that could be achieved throughout your extension and explain how you’ll accomplish them. If there are ongoing pieces of work, you can also highlight the tasks you’ll be undertaking if your contract is extended. 

What if they reject my extension request? 

Don’t go into the conversation expecting a guaranteed extension. It’s possible they only had a short contract in mind or there may not be enough money in the budget to approve extensions. No matter what the result is, it’s important to maintain your composure and stay professional - If your contract isn’t extended now, but you made a great impression, your manager could be willing to recommend you to somebody else in their network, or they could reach out to you when they’re looking to fill a similar position in the future. 

For more advice and tips to address your contract extensions click here get in touch with our teams.