Awful Contract, see it out? Or do a Rooney?

[kandr]

Not sure I'd advocate saying you didn't gel with the team; the key thing about a contractor is their ability to work with anyone and everyone. Not sure I'd want to recruit someone who doesn't fit with the team unless absolutely necessary as it will only cause pain later on; besides I would hope that successful contractors are gregarious get-on-with-anyone types.....

A contractor is paid to work and output stuff based on the skills they have, not to be everyone's best mate.

[StopTheEarthIwantToGetOff]

Not sure I'd advocate saying you didn't gel with the team; the key thing about a contractor is their ability to work with anyone and everyone. Not sure I'd want to recruit someone who doesn't fit with the team unless absolutely necessary as it will only cause pain later on; besides I would hope that successful contractors are gregarious get-on-with-anyone types.....

I agree that as a professional you should employ a friendly and professional attitude with all levels of the clients staff. However if you plain can't stand some of the people you are talking to then you should not try and still be their best mate. Perhaps saying you didnt gel with the team is a bad thing to say and maybe its not. Maybe the manager would appreciate an outsiders opinion of their team? Also he has already been recruited so its a moot point. How would anyone else in the future know what reason he gave for leaving? Is there some kind of secret squirrel level network of managers who all know each other that I don't know about?

Finally I believe that the key thing about a contractor is that they have the skills and experience to get the job done right, being everyones best mate is further down the list.