Client asking me to go to their customer's site to represent them

[SueEllen]

2) I disagree. Why can't you represent your client? They're paying you. You're a professional. They want you to represent them. What's the issue?

As a contractor you may not know the ins and outs of exactly how the client operates, which is why you have to choose your language carefully.

[billybiro]

a few resignations and a sabbatical

On the other, I am the only techie working on the backend of the project

Unless you're contracted as a "hiring manager" or "talent resource manager, your client's staffing problems are none of your concern.

[billybiro]

Do NOT do that unless your client has said that is acceptable.

If the client has told their end customer that you are an employee (or not making it clear that you are not an employee) and you go in telling everyone that you're a contractor, you might not be hanging around very long. Very unprofessional.

No, what's "very unprofessional" is your client misrepresenting you to their clients and then expecting you to go along with the deception.

[WTFH]

No, what's "very unprofessional" is your client misrepresenting you to their clients and then expecting you to go along with the deception.

If you don't know how the client has represented you, then how can you know they have misrepresented you?

As a professional business, you should be asking your client how they have represented you. I realise that some people on here are more about shifting blame rather than acting professionally.

It's up to a business to act professionally. I am a business, if I act professionally then I know I have done my bit. Acting professionally includes asking questions before going to meetings and not shooting your mouth off because you don't have the pertinent facts.

[psychocandy]

As a contractor you may not know the ins and outs of exactly how the client operates, which is why you have to choose your language carefully.

True. But I turn up on site and I'm representing the client - no-one is really going to ask most of the time.

If they do ask, then I've got nothing to hide and I'll tell them the truth. Again thats the clients problem if hes trying to keep things from his customers.

[billybiro]

If you don't know how the client has represented you, then how can you know they have misrepresented you?

As a professional business, you should be asking your client how they have represented you. I realise that some people on here are more about shifting blame rather than acting professionally.

It's up to a business to act professionally. I am a business, if I act professionally then I know I have done my bit. Acting professionally includes asking questions before going to meetings and not shooting your mouth off because you don't have the pertinent facts.

Yes, but the problem with this is that those clients who are likely to misrepresent you to their clients (i.e. lie) are also likely to lie directly to you when you ask them how you've been represented.

Therefore, the easiest thing is to tell your client, at the time of engagement, that you are a total professional and as part of that professionalism you won't lie about who or what you are to anybody. Now you're free to tell your client's client that you're a contractor. You will have acted entirely professionally, and if your client has misrepresented you then they'll be the one who has acted unprofessionally.

[clearedforlanding]

I think you are missing a trick here, you have direct access to the end client.

Get logo-ed up. Hand out pens, baseball caps and USB keys. You might want to consider getting your van wrapped.

[m0n1k3r]

Does the circumstances I've described to you sound like an IR35 flag?

No.

Or am I being O.T.T and should accept their request to attend sessions with their customers on the customer site?

I would go there if it was me. As a consultant, I'm brought in to provide value to their business through advice, expertise or by helping their business grow. Freelance sales people do that for their clients on a daily basis.