State of the Market

[Bluenose]

Rober Walters share price is down almost 45% over the past 12 months. Tells you a story about the state of the market.

[hungry_hog]

Started a new contract recently grabbed it as I’d been out for a while.
It’s not ideal but it’s work…
Been there a few weeks…I do a mix of office and home…yesterday client queried my timesheet said oh you worked a half day not a full day on x day.
I explained not so that I’d taken a late lunch been away couple of hours at an appt and made up the time over next few days…basically it was 2 hours if that. I was back online after my appt.

I also made them aware I had an appt would be away for a short time and I would make up any time….

Seemed weird and nitpicking! I’ve never had a timesheet queried ever …and I gave them the heads up…

One day I was about 10 mins late getting into the office and they seemed a bit off…commuting to London u can never tell with trains and buses…

Just gives me a bad vibe like they are watching me…

they raised it yesterday and it’s left me with a bad taste in my mouth…almost like they were about to ask when did you make up 2 hours…etc

can’t bin it off as not lots of work about but few niggles…they clock watch in office too…grim!no flexibility as in arrival departure times.

I do more hours than I need to at home as no commute but in office it’s weird and now the timesheet thing …seems petty!

I’ve been doing this decades and never been questioned …this is someone much younger in there 30s I think they’ve got an axe to grind …

Sadly seems you have a "work to rule" client. I had a similar client a couple years back. Maybe you have the same one (mine was a US bank which is not GS JP MS).
You need to play the game basically, their approach which I call "schoolyard".
At least it's work and in this market it's something to be grateful for, easier to jump to a better gig when you are in work...

[SussexSeagull]

Started a new contract recently grabbed it as I’d been out for a while.
It’s not ideal but it’s work…
Been there a few weeks…I do a mix of office and home…yesterday client queried my timesheet said oh you worked a half day not a full day on x day.
I explained not so that I’d taken a late lunch been away couple of hours at an appt and made up the time over next few days…basically it was 2 hours if that. I was back online after my appt.

I also made them aware I had an appt would be away for a short time and I would make up any time….

Seemed weird and nitpicking! I’ve never had a timesheet queried ever …and I gave them the heads up…

One day I was about 10 mins late getting into the office and they seemed a bit off…commuting to London u can never tell with trains and buses…

Just gives me a bad vibe like they are watching me…

they raised it yesterday and it’s left me with a bad taste in my mouth…almost like they were about to ask when did you make up 2 hours…etc

can’t bin it off as not lots of work about but few niggles…they clock watch in office too…grim!no flexibility as in arrival departure times.

I do more hours than I need to at home as no commute but in office it’s weird and now the timesheet thing …seems petty!

I’ve been doing this decades and never been questioned …this is someone much younger in there 30s I think they’ve got an axe to grind …

If that is the game then you do exactly the hours expected and no more and don't be available outside of work hours.

[oliverson]

Started a new contract recently grabbed it as I’d been out for a while.
It’s not ideal but it’s work…
Been there a few weeks…I do a mix of office and home…yesterday client queried my timesheet said oh you worked a half day not a full day on x day.
I explained not so that I’d taken a late lunch been away couple of hours at an appt and made up the time over next few days…basically it was 2 hours if that. I was back online after my appt.

I also made them aware I had an appt would be away for a short time and I would make up any time….

Seemed weird and nitpicking! I’ve never had a timesheet queried ever …and I gave them the heads up…

One day I was about 10 mins late getting into the office and they seemed a bit off…commuting to London u can never tell with trains and buses…

Just gives me a bad vibe like they are watching me…

they raised it yesterday and it’s left me with a bad taste in my mouth…almost like they were about to ask when did you make up 2 hours…etc

can’t bin it off as not lots of work about but few niggles…they clock watch in office too…grim!no flexibility as in arrival departure times.

I do more hours than I need to at home as no commute but in office it’s weird and now the timesheet thing …seems petty!

I’ve been doing this decades and never been questioned …this is someone much younger in there 30s I think they’ve got an axe to grind …

I once had a client like that. The site was so close to home and the queue in the sandwich shop below so long, it was quicker to nip home (12-15 mins) for lunch. Very early in the contract, first few days actually, I returned to the office from having lunch at home and was criticised for not attending a meeting, one which I hadn't even received an invite. Anyway, I put the guy straight, right in front of the whole office, telling him a) I'm a contractor, not a permie, so I'll take as long as I want for lunch (which was about an hour anyway), b) if he wanted me to attend a meeting, then he'd better actually make me aware of it, within a reasonable timeframe, and c) I don't think this is for me. Upshot is he asked me into a side office and I told him, look this isn't for me, I'm not your permie. Realising the error of his ways and sensing I as about to walk, he tried talking me round. I told him I'd sleep on it and give him my decision in the morning.

Anyhow, I did sleep on it and decided I would stay. Since then I was treat like the contractor I am, and a mutual respect was enjoyed from that point on. We did some good work together and I'd work with him again in a heartbeat. I've been invited back to that client on two occasions now, but he's moved on, which is a shame as I could do with a fourth stint!

[SussexSeagull]

I once had a client like that. The site was so close to home and the queue in the sandwich shop below so long, it was quicker to nip home (12-15 mins) for lunch. Very early in the contract, first few days actually, I returned to the office from having lunch at home and was criticised for not attending a meeting, one which I hadn't even received an invite. Anyway, I put the guy straight, right in front of the whole office, telling him a) I'm a contractor, not a permie, so I'll take as long as I want for lunch (which was about an hour anyway), b) if he wanted me to attend a meeting, then he'd better actually make me aware of it, within a reasonable timeframe, and c) I don't think this is for me. Upshot is he asked me into a side office and I told him, look this isn't for me, I'm not your permie. Realising the error of his ways and sensing I as about to walk, he tried talking me round. I told him I'd sleep on it and give him my decision in the morning.

Anyhow, I did sleep on it and decided I would stay. Since then I was treat like the contractor I am, and a mutual respect was enjoyed from that point on. We did some good work together and I'd work with him again in a heartbeat. I've been invited back to that client on two occasions now, but he's moved on, which is a shame as I could do with a fourth stint!

I once had a client manager pick me up in front of the rest of the office when I got up to leave at 1659 instead of 1700. Got home and e-mailed him my resignation.

In my defence it was the last in a venerable litany of stupidity by the man and the money was awful.

[Cookielove]

It’s a joke really …the day I arrived about 9.07 due to an accident and buses on diversion they asked for my mobile number I’ve to text if am running late…London transport has delays that’s the norm …even making an issue for less than 10 minutes.

am sucking it up but really don’t like working there …atmosphere is oppressive too when I’m in office

[hungry_hog]

It’s a joke really …the day I arrived about 9.07 due to an accident and buses on diversion they asked for my mobile number I’ve to text if am running late…London transport has delays that’s the norm …even making an issue for less than 10 minutes.

am sucking it up but really don’t like working there …atmosphere is oppressive too when I’m in office

Tbh that's on you. It's the kind of mistake I would expect someone to make on their first day in London.

Most people will aim to arrive earlier than 9, as rush in London hour in London is a mare and you can't predict exact times. A 45 minute trip can easily become an hour.

My old place my boss and I would arrive at 8am and go for a fry up in the canteen - much more civilised!

[eek]

It’s a joke really …the day I arrived about 9.07 due to an accident and buses on diversion they asked for my mobile number I’ve to text if am running late…London transport has delays that’s the norm …even making an issue for less than 10 minutes.

am sucking it up but really don’t like working there …atmosphere is oppressive too when I’m in office

Anyone expecting people to be in a 9am in central London is either an idiot or expecting unpaid overtime because it's simply not possible.

When I'm there I travel on the Lizzie line from Romford to Bond street and even that has delays.. My first morning meeting is 9:15am if I'm there great if not meh...

[Cookielove]

Exactly Eek!!

that’s the way of it …it’s simply not possible …transport so unpredictable

[Cookielove]

hungry_hog sorry but you are talking absolute bollocks…!

Give your head a wobble …that’s not the way the cookie crumbles in London !! 😬

I didn’t mean to make a play on words with my user name but it seemed apt…

No job in 3 decades expect on the dot 9am as so many variables trains, bus , tubes can be delayed …least of all to deem it ok to mention a few mins delay …that’s nuts in my book ! Am not clocking in for a factory shift…