If you don't want to go for the interview..

[RichardCranium]

Things that P155 agents off:

4) Contractors who don't answer their phones.

In the few MoD contracts I have had, I have had no end of trouble getting my agent to understand that my mobile is switched off for a reason.

And on a couple of other sites, they have been VERY unhappy about contractors talking to agents during the working day, even their own agent. (Despite said agencies being selected by the client.)

Also, as a PM, there are occasions when I need my mobile switched off for hours at a time (presentations, big meetings, etc.) Mind you, when I was programmer, I would never had had it on at all when coding.

So sometimes it is not the contractor being difficult.

[The Agents View]

Things that P155 contractors off:

1) Agents
2) Agents
3) Agents
4) Agents
5) Agents
6) Agents
7) Agents
8) Agents
9) Agents
10) Agents

Given some of the stories I've heard on here, I'm not surprised......

[The Agents View]

In the few MoD contracts I have had, I have had no end of trouble getting my agent to understand that my mobile is switched off for a reason.

And on a couple of other sites, they have been VERY unhappy about contractors talking to agents during the working day, even their own agent. (Despite said agencies being selected by the client.)

Also, as a PM, there are occasions when I need my mobile switched off for hours at a time (presentations, big meetings, etc.) Mind you, when I was programmer, I would never had had it on at all when coding.

So sometimes it is not the contractor being difficult.

Agreed, but it's perhaps less the non answering of the phone, and more people not having the decency to return telephone calls - especially when I make my mobile available evenings until 11pm, and across the weekend (save for 3pm on a saturday, when I'm sat with 20,000 other people at a football match!)

I fully appreciate phone useage can be restricted, but I really don't call people for my health - I always have something to actually speak to them about!

[norrahe]

Also I get a tad p1ssed off when an agent calls and doesn't leave a message....

[Growernotashower]

Maybe you should be paying £600+? If you cut your margin from 50% to 40% it should be fine.

No way! how would I pay for my unicorn tear aftershave and russel brand'esk' black toilet paper.

Anyway it turns out it was my fault. My fault for using him in the first place! did some digging and apparently the person in question was kicked off site a few jobs back for falling asleep in the toilets on site!

Leason learnt, in fact can I add that to the list of things that pee us off about contractors is that (if we're using the same equation that you use to determine all agents are scumbags) you all fall asleep in the toilets of the client!

[Pondlife]

Leason learnt, in fact can I add that to the list of things that pee us off about contractors is that (if we're using the same equation that you use to determine all agents are scumbags) you all fall asleep in the toilets of the client!

True, but we don't all get caught though. Some of us take a bit of pride in our slacking.

[Not So Wise]

T
1) Assumption that all agents are complete muppets - some of us are so heavily ingrained in our industry, that we are pretty much integral to it.

10+ years contracting and still to find an agent who even begins to understand what i do

And no i don't do something exotic, just mixture of Dev/PM/Consultancy work..but they seem to have problems understanding how someone can do all that...you must be one of the other

[BrilloPad]

you all fall asleep in the toilets of the client!

I think some of those here do wose things in the toilets.

[The Agents View]

Ha ha ha - That's brilliant - the best I've ever heard was the narcoleptic who failed to tell his agent (one of my previous colleagues) about her condition. 2 days in she fell asleep, mid sentence in the middle of a meeting with all the directors of the organisation - not once, but three times. Needless to say, she was escorted off site the following day.....

[nomadd]

...for falling asleep in the toilets on site!

Part of the Contractors Charter. Statutory Right. Enforceable by law.

Mind you, only allowable once per day.

(Wanted to finish this post with a "sleepy" icon, but there isn't one. Damn! )