Would you do a crap contract short-term if needs be?

[lecyclist]

Your point being?

I prefer to take my holidays when I like. When a manager says, "when we feel like it, we won't pay you for a few weeks to save our budget" it assumes I have no financial obligations and I'm ameniable to being pushed around. It was also contrary to the contract agreed. Fair enough if this was agreed up front, but not in my case.

[kevpuk]

I prefer to take my holidays when I like. When a manager says, "when we feel like it, we won't pay you for a few weeks to save our budget" it assumes I have no financial obligations and I'm ameniable to being pushed around. It was also contrary to the contract agreed. Fair enough if this was agreed up front, but not in my case.

Might not be too bad, from an IR35 perspective,mind - think of it as furlough?
Either way, not able to invoice because there is no work is pointing away from 'employee' status, as were you one then they would have to keep paying you...

[lecyclist]

Indeed, that's a positive way of looking at it. I suppose I was just observing that quite often a crap rate goes hand-in-hand with poorer work conditions. Its predictable that some managers judge contractors by how much they cost, and treat them accordingly. This guy had me messing around with Excel most of the time.. and doing all the tulip jobs that no one else could be bothered doing. But at the time I really needed the money. On the plus side it was a drinks company and the staff shop had heavily discounted alcohol. Much appreciated in the evenings, when I returned mid-evening with a bottle to my boutique motel, a non-smoker in a smoking room with stained net curtains, sticky carpets and paper walls, after doing the mandatory 1 or 2 hours unpaid overtime.

[kal]

Indeed, that's a positive way of looking at it. I suppose I was just observing that quite often a crap rate goes hand-in-hand with poorer work conditions. Its predictable that some managers judge contractors by how much they cost, and treat them accordingly. This guy had me messing around with Excel most of the time.. and doing all the tulip jobs that no one else could be bothered doing. But at the time I really needed the money. On the plus side it was a drinks company and the staff shop had heavily discounted alcohol. Much appreciated in the evenings, when I returned mid-evening with a bottle to my boutique motel, a non-smoker in a smoking room with stained net curtains, sticky carpets and paper walls, after doing the mandatory 1 or 2 hours unpaid overtime.

And bang inside IR35 too by the sounds of it...

[evilagent]

If you're earning, your not eating into your war-chest.
You might get to know other contractors who might keep in contact with you in years to come.
Experience is always a good thing.

You can always bail when something better comes along.

Doing something is better than doing nothing.

Have a great weekend.

[aoxomoxoa]

Are you this Mason Ryan ?

...or perhaps this Ryan Mason ?

He's probably the second one - there's quite a few gigs in Swindon these days

[kingcook]

I did a crap paying contract a couple of years back. I wouldn't normally do that, but the circumstances were ideal at the time:

- < 10 minutes drive away
- it was part-time (so I had chance to work on a plan B)
- 7 day notice period

[No2politics]

See quite a few crap contracts on jobserve at the moment. Pros and cons of taking short-term crap role?

Advantages as I see it:-

1. Some income is better than zero income.
2. Its better to have something on your CV than a large gap.
3. Might learn new skills?

Disadvantages:-

1. Rate really is crap.
2. It looks strange on your CV that you did something low-level.


Got an offer of a contract. Its about 1/3rd of what I normally charge but:-

1. Its 10 mins from home. (Important at the moment)
2. I get my SC back. (Good for future roles)
3. Its a month rolling so easy to bail if something better comes up. (and I won't mention that I could bail part way because it'll upset NLUK)

If you are worried about it looking bad on the cv, just take the gig but don't put it on the cv.

I took a 3 month contract which was a poor rate and mind numbing work. However I was early in my contracting career and it was another big name on the cv. I had also planned to go travelling for 6 months after the gig finished so needed the money. Every day of that contract I spent thinking about being in a beach in brazil, was he'll at the time but worth the money

[psychocandy]

If you are worried about it looking bad on the cv, just take the gig but don't put it on the cv.

I took a 3 month contract which was a poor rate and mind numbing work. However I was early in my contracting career and it was another big name on the cv. I had also planned to go travelling for 6 months after the gig finished so needed the money. Every day of that contract I spent thinking about being in a beach in brazil, was he'll at the time but worth the money

Thats the £64,000 question though I suppose. Gap on CV or crap gig on CV?

I'm thinking of putting it on there to be honest.

[psychocandy]

I did a crap paying contract a couple of years back. I wouldn't normally do that, but the circumstances were ideal at the time:

- < 10 minutes drive away
- it was part-time (so I had chance to work on a plan B)
- 7 day notice period

Same here. I could almost walk there its do close. Also, 7 days notice - didnt expect this - fully expected them to insist it was sign up for the rolling month or nothing.

It is full-time but, its hourly rate so no expectation of this PWD extra hours so, even with lunch, its going to be a 8.5 hour working day door to door for me. Sort of part-time!

Not quite sure how I'm going to feel when I get there. it MIGHT do my chunk in that the works so boring or it might be a welcome change to do something easy without all the hassle. Who knows?

Slightly concerned that since its a junior-ish role they're going to treat me as such. i.e. clock watching team lead etc. Pretty used to these days of doing what I want when I want and basically deciding how and when the work gets done. Not sure I can cope with being micro-managed.

Also, being a listX site (Worked on this site before as permie) theres all this stupid bollacks about not having mobile phone with you, or, at least, not having a camera phone. And, internet access is tightly controlled and monitored.