Contractor with a conscience!

[oliverson]

So, I'm on the bench early in the New Year and the market seems pretty good at the moment, but I must be developing a conscience!

Schedule to have a phone interview tomorrow with a bank with a view to a face-to-face this week, should the phone interview go well and then a possible offer by the end of the week. Reasonable rate as well (£650). However, in the course of this mornings conversation I was advised that the vacancy had came about due to the client giving notice on a contractor in there because he wasn't so strong in one particular skill. Anyhow, whilst the phone interview confirmation came through I just couldn't get the situation out of my mind. I kept thinking of this guy getting the elbow and me sitting in his seat potentially. It just seemed wrong so I took great pleasure mailing the contact back telling them I really didn't want to be working with a trigger happy outfit like that.

Fair enough I might regret it if one of the other leads doesn't come off but I'll sleep well tonight. (Karma for cutting my rate 15% a few years ago maybe?!)

[northernladuk]

YANCOTBAC

[vwdan]

Don't get this at all - it's the game. If you're not doing what the client needs/wants then you have no business being there - it's not personal, just business. Fair play to you for doing what you think is right, but I don't think anybody has acted immorally at all.

[Archangel]

YANCOTBAC

Wnluks

[vwdan]

So the client pretty much admitted they gave someone the bullet for a rather vaugue reason. It's not that its wrong, its because the client are clearly arseholes.

You made the right decision.

I don't think you can make that presumption - it's not like tulipe contractors are in bad supply.

[GillsMan]

Contractor not strong enough to deliver in one particular skillset. Client gets rid. Doesn't seem unreasonable.

Personally, I think you're mad to turn down £650pd for that reason.

If you turned it down because you didn't think you had the skillset, and didn't want to waste their time, then fair enough - you do have a conscious. But feeling bad for the last guy? Honourable, sure. But jeez, that seems madness to me!

[d000hg]

So the client pretty much admitted they gave someone the bullet for a rather vaugue reason. It's not that its wrong, its because the client are clearly arseholes.

You made the right decision.

"he's not strong in a particular skill" is not vague. "not a great fit" is vague.

[jmo21]

Depends on the skill, and whether he basically lied on his cv to get the role.

There are plenty of chancers out there, and this guy might have been one.

Or, he might simply not have had the skill they needed, no lying.

Very silly of the OP IMHO.

[oliverson]

Well I slept well last night. Just hope one of the other roles comes off.

Whilst I hate London it does have its advantages. For example, in the canteen at current client site I can see the office block on the other side of the street and I'm in contention for a role there that is a higher rate than the one I just passed up and yep, whilst another bank, I've not heard any bad words against them amongst my contractor circle.

[sal]

So the client pretty much admitted they gave someone the bullet for a rather vaugue reason. It's not that its wrong, its because the client are clearly arseholes.

You made the right decision.

A bit quick to call names don't you think? Since when the ClientCo is expected to give explanations for their reasoning? Like others said it's not like the tulip contractors are in short supply, in fact they are all over the place i'm currently in. If anything i would be glad to work for someone who can sniff out slackers and boot them instead of simply waiting for their current contract to run out.

It's not like they didn't give him a notice, which means that he already lost the role. So OP not going for it is more of a poor judgement and lack of business acumen and i can't see any moral reasoning. If you refuse to work for Clients who fire people... But whatever float your boat... If it made you sleep better.