Banking contract - 7 days per week billing ok?

[MarillionFan]

Just out of interest, have you ever done a contract or worked in IT before???

[Optimus Prime]

Just out of interest, have you ever done a contract or worked in IT before???

Worked in IT - Yes, A few years.

Contract - No. Been a permie.

[oversteer]

Just out of interest, have you ever done a contract or worked in IT before???

Your co-workers are going to love you. Especially the permies. "I say we come in Saturday and Sunday and bill for 7 days this week!"

[Optimus Prime]

Your co-workers are going to love you. Especially the permies. "I say we come in Saturday and Sunday and bill for 7 days this week!"

Well, as far as there is actual work being done - why not? My point is that if I am willing to work longer hours and/or on weekends, I would want to be compensated for it. It is not a problem for me. I do want to use my time better. But not for no return!

Please point out to me the funny bit. Or why my experience in IT would be called into question by what I said.

[northernladuk]

Well, as far as there is actual work being done - why not? My point is that if I am willing to work longer hours and/or on weekends, I would want to be compensated for it. It is not a problem for me. I do want to use my time better. But not for no return!

Please point out to me the funny bit. Or why my experience in IT would be called into question by what I said.

Because there can be a different perception of a contractor to a permie and it is rarely a good one. We are often seen as over paid, trouble causers and are the lowest of the low. Most clients will be fine, the odd one will be outright hostile to you. This is before you have sat down and done a days work. To then go in and start showing your greed at the clients expense from the off you are going to make life very difficult for you and your fellow contractors. I am taking an extreme stance here to make a point. Your client is your client, not a money machine for you to abuse as you see fit and some decorum and common sense is required.

But enough of that.... my take on your questions...

If the client is willing to pay for 7 days, you are happy to do it and it is in the clients best interest they yes it is possible. The key words in the sentence however are 'IF the client is willing' and 'the clients best interest'. To go in and try and wangle 7 days for yourself just to line your pocket will alienate you to the client. They want good solid people that will work to fit their plans. You start playing the lose cannon you are more likely to get walked than asked to work 7 days.

If you do a few hours at the weekend.. You book a few hours. You do not screw your client over, you are not a permie as Mal pointed out. Doing a few hours and booking a day is taking the piss out of him and in our line of work you do not do that.

I have worked weekends occasionally in my last 4 clients and ALL are booked at normal time. If booking 1.5 and 2 times does I happen I have been very unfortuante not to see but you have to apply some common sense. If you are paid £400 a day do you really think he is going to pay you £800 for working a Sunday? When permies are on peanuts they can do double time as it isn't a big hit to the budget. £800 is.

If this is indeed your first contract then stop being greedy, be a professional, get the experience under your belt, a happy client that will offer you extensions and come looking for more work in the future. These will be much more valuable to you than taking the piss out of your client for a couple of months.

Feel free to very carefully suggest it if the work is there and there is a benefit, don't look like an idiot and push it hard when really you cannot do the work at a weekend or is no benefit.

[Optimus Prime]

Because there can be a different perception of a contractor to a permie and it is rarely a good one. We are often seen as over paid, trouble causers and are the lowest of the low. Some clients are marginal, some will be outright hostile to you. This is before you have sat down and done a days work. To then go in and start showing your greed at the clients expense from the off you are going to make life very difficult for you and your fellow contractors. I am taking an extreme stance here to make a point. Your client is your client, not a money machine for you to abuse as you see fit and some decorum and common sense is required.

But enough of that.... my take on your questions...

If the client is willing to pay for 7 days, you are happy to do it and it is in the clients best interest they yes it is possible. The key words in the sentence however are 'IF the client is willing' and 'the clients best interest'. To go in and try and wangle 7 days for yourself just to line your pocket will alienate you to the client. They want good solid people that will work to fit their plans. You start playing the lose cannon you are more likely to get walked than asked to work 7 days.

If you do a few hours at the weekend.. You book a few hours. You do not screw your client over, you are not a permie as Mal pointed out. Doing a few hours and booking a day is taking the piss out of him and in our line of work you do not do that.

I have worked weekends occasionally in my last 4 clients and ALL are booked at normal time. If booking 1.5 and 2 times does I happen I have been very unfortuante not to see but you have to apply some common sense. If you are paid £400 a day do you really think he is going to pay you £800 for working a Sunday? When permies are on peanuts they can do double time as it isn't a big hit to the budget. £800 is.

If this is indeed your first contract then stop being greedy, be a professional, get the experience under your belt, a happy client that will offer you extensions and come looking for more work in the future. These will be much more valuable to you than taking the piss out of your client for a couple of months.

Feel free to very carefully suggest it if the work is there and there is a benefit, don't look like an idiot and push it hard when really you cannot do the work at a weekend or is no benefit.

Interesting point about being seen as the lowest of the low. I thought contractors are commonplace in banks and everybody must be used to dealing with them. Do they actually get treated different when a team of permies + contractors is discussing/doing the work?

Your last sentence is exactly what I have been intending to try out - no ripping off the client intended at all. First priority is to convince the client of great value being delivered this being my first foray into banking as well as contracting.

[eek]

Interesting point about being seen as the lowest of the low. I thought contractors are commonplace in banks and everybody must be used to dealing with them. Do they actually get treated different when a team of permies + contractors is discussing/doing the work?

Your last sentence is exactly what I have been intending to try out - no ripping off the client intended at all. First priority is to convince the client of great value being delivered this being my first foray into banking as well as contracting.

Its your first contract, don't over promise. Keep you head down and over deliver. Then two months down the line once they know you, you can try to shift your hours. If you do it immediately they will show you the door if you annoy them and not deliver.

[Optimus Prime]

Its your first contract, don't over promise. Keep you head down and over deliver. Then two months down the line once they know you, you can try to shift your hours. If you do it immediately they will show you the door if you annoy them and not deliver.

That sounds like good advice. Will follow.

[d000hg]

Your co-workers are going to love you. Especially the permies. "I say we come in Saturday and Sunday and bill for 7 days this week!"

I'm sure lots of people would go for that, especially if any overtime applies.

[northernladuk]

Interesting point about being seen as the lowest of the low. I thought contractors are commonplace in banks and everybody must be used to dealing with them. Do they actually get treated different when a team of permies + contractors is discussing/doing the work?

They are common place but it doesn't mean the permies like it. They could be seen as common place at the expense of the permie roles so a few people won't take kindly to it. As I said I was being a little on the extreme end but you can get treated very differently. Maybe not work wise but in social chat. The number of times someone has said to me 'you don't care because you are a contractor' or something to that end.

There is most definately a difference, how much difference changes role per role, how many other contractors there are and so on. In a bank that is contractor heavy then it is probably a nicer environment and it is the individuals you need to watch out for but making yourself a target by asking for more money etc will not help you.