Workplace stuff as a contractor

[northernladuk]

As you can see you are in for a slog with this company. Reading from your postings you are quite a new contractor I believe. Although it would be nice to do what most are suggesting it isn't very practical when you are new and need to get a warchest up.

I would personally get my head down, keep my nose very clean for the next few weeks and go the extra mile to get a reputation. Be one of earliest in and last one out (I am betting they are 9-5'ers there so that won't be too hard), delivery some quality work and make you look better than the lame permies.

Once this is in and they start to see you as a valuable member of the team and not a 'contractor' then you can start throwing a bit of weight around. Next time they complain you can sit them down and ask them what is wrong with your work and point out all your hard effort and above board work. At this point I woud hope to god they would back down and give you some leeway..... If they don't then you are seriously knackered and are in one of those contracts we all dread to land. If thats the case you have no choice but to bide your time, look around and then go when you get something better.

[BolshieBastard]

Their point was that personal calls were to be restricted to the lunch break. I wasn't on a break when I took those calls.


Hour... and I suspect that might have something to do with this.

First rule of contracting, all calls you receive are business calls, even if its the girlfriend \ wife clarifying some aspect of the contract \ your accounts etc.

Second rule is you tell the client that you stepped out of the office so as not to distract anyone. At the last place I worked, there was a guy who paced up and down the office on his mobile. And he had a loud voice. They were clearly work related and strangely enough, he sat at his desk to make personal calls. One which went on for a good 10 minutes was regarding his leccie bill and how he had phoned before to explain why he wasnt paying it (over estimated bill in his opinion!)

As others have said, it sounds like a fun place to work. Good luck!

[MaryPoppins]

As you can see you are in for a slog with this company. Reading from your postings you are quite a new contractor I believe. Although it would be nice to do what most are suggesting it isn't very practical when you are new and need to get a warchest up.

WNLS.

We've all had awful contracts - if you're in a position to pick principles over money, good for you. Not many of us can do that, though.

If you need this contract for experience, stick with it as long as you can and treat it as a learning curve. Your next contract won't be half as bad.

Good luck.

[TheFaQQer]

In my third week of a (several month) contract. Just got told off for stepping outside the building twice this morning for taking two phone calls - each about four minutes each. Apparently one of the big bosses have noticed. My line manager was fair about it, he said considering the team in general is overloaded (reason for my hiring) everyone has a duty to 'seem' busy. But he also said, "I wouldn't ask you to take as much note of it if you were permanent, but you're a contractor..."

This is my first time contracting, and already I can't help getting this niggling feeling that as a contractor you walk a much tighter line on playing conditions (phone calls/internet/breaks...)?

What do the others think?

On the plus side, if they are treating you differently, then it helps your IR35 defence

I'd start looking now, though, and find something better. Don't walk without having something else to go to, but get looking. If people ask about why you are looking to get out of the current contract, make a decent excuse - do not tell them that you have a disagreement with the client; do not tell them that the client are unreasonable; do not tell them that you were making personal calls and think that you should be allowed to. Make sure you have a valid / believable reason for when you are talking to agents about future work - don't bad mouth the client ever.

And if you are looking for work - DON'T TELL THE AGENT WHERE YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING!!!! There's nothing worse than your line manager calling you in and asking why you are looking to leave, because they have just got 30 new CVs for people that will do your role for less than you are asking.....

Good luck - sounds like you're going to need it.

[northernladuk]

And if you are looking for work - DON'T TELL THE AGENT WHERE YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING!!!! There's nothing worse than your line manager calling you in and asking why you are looking to leave,

This makes my toes curl. I was at a certain bank who pay shocking rates in Cheshire and was looking to get out, applied for role for large financial in Chester. Ends up bloody agent put wrong area in and client manager got my CV. Bugger. Told him I always do it, market research etc. Very embarrasing.

[TheFaQQer]

This makes my toes curl. I was at a certain bank who pay shocking rates in Cheshire and was looking to get out, applied for role for large financial in Chester. Ends up bloody agent put wrong area in and client manager got my CV. Bugger. Told him I always do it, market research etc. Very embarrasing.

Happened to a mate of mine when looking to go elsewhere from Oracle. His CV ended up on the desk of the someone else from Oracle - thankfully he knew the guy so rang and told him to have a quiet word with the agent that maybe he shouldn't be sending off CVs to his current employer.

[swamp]

First rule of contracting, all calls you receive are business calls, even if its the girlfriend \ wife clarifying some aspect of the contract \ your accounts etc.

WBBS.

Don't let them push you around. You are a contractor and you need to take the odd call from your agent/accountant/secretary regarding your work at the client's site, so don't hesitate to take another call if you need to. Doesn't matter if you're really arranging a stag do. Lie!

At the same time watch your back. Do your hours, make a few less calls and don't surf the Internet (too much ). Oh and do your work as well. Ideally you will grab extra tasks here and there and become a vital cog. Turn down their extension and walk out head held high to a better contract

[MarillionFan]

I am flexible to be at the beck and call of a client if required and put the contracted hours in plus more if required.

To be honest after the fiasco I had a few years ago where I got pulled up on phone calls I would personally now tell a client to go and **** themselves if they pulled me up on it again.

and BTW (I remember you mate!, you're on my list. One day. Remember what goes around )

[Sausage Surprise]

Make a note of how long the call took, and make sure you add that onto the end of the day to work your hours.

Simples.

At the end of the day, the client doesn't own you. You don't work for the client, you work for yourself - one of the reasons I work for myself is so I don't have to deal with cretins like this. This kind of thing that early in a contract would set my alarm bells ringing, and I'd be looking for a better opportunity elsewhere.

Agreed!

Sound like a right bunch of twats.

[pmeswani]

In my third week of a (several month) contract. Just got told off for stepping outside the building twice this morning for taking two phone calls - each about four minutes each. Apparently one of the big bosses have noticed. My line manager was fair about it, he said considering the team in general is overloaded (reason for my hiring) everyone has a duty to 'seem' busy. But he also said, "I wouldn't ask you to take as much note of it if you were permanent, but you're a contractor..."

This is my first time contracting, and already I can't help getting this niggling feeling that as a contractor you walk a much tighter line on playing conditions (phone calls/internet/breaks...)?

What do the others think?

Sounds like my kinda contract. Where do I sign up? Does it involve cleaning dishes?