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What are some of the Worst Contracts You've Had and How Long Did you Stick it Out?

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    #11
    1 Worked on a project being designed for a chemical company for eight days until I realised why previous incumbents had left the job. Complete utter mess, no hope of retrieval and time to get out before the finger pointing and the blame game started. Couldn't have paid me enough to stay there.

    2 Another project for a chemical company. I started at the site about either weeks before the site was shutdown and work was due to start on a significant plant upgrade. The client co had done nothing except order the main piece of equipment that was stored in the vendors stores. The job would have taken about a year to plan, design all the plant mods and it execute properly. I lasted three days until I realised the nature of the job. Another one where you couldn't have paid me enough to stay there, even though it was actually a cracking rate for the job.

    In both of those cases, thicker skinned, more mercenary contractors would have taken the opportunity to turn the jobs into effectively cash machines. Myself, I can't bring myself to do that, though I know those who would.
    Public Service Posting by the BBC - Bloggs Bulls**t Corp.
    Officially CUK certified - Thick as f**k.

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      #12
      Death march project. Hopelessly impossible timescales and incompetent project management. Permies all had vacation booked during the test phase. Project manager was ...er... unstable, and given to fits of rage - probably as a result of a machete attack he suffered while working abroad. I started off giving a progress report one a week. Then he insisted twice a week - then every day. Then twice a day.

      I was so glad when the flights schedule changed making it unfeasible for me to continue.
      Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

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        #13
        One client where the manager was completely anal. Things he tried to dictate that everyone (permies included) should do:-

        1. Not leave site at lunchtime ("in case I need you urgently")
        2. Not park on the road outside the office ("it looks scruffy") even though there were no parking restrictions.
        3. Restrict toilet breaks to as little as possible. (I thought this was wind up when he first said it - I just went for 20 min "breaks" to wind him up after this)

        Things he'd also do:-
        1. If I had a meeting at another site he'd turn up just after to make sure I hadnt gone home (even if the other office was miles out of his way).
        2. Got permies to write down the times the contractors turned up for work when he wasnt there.

        Only stayed so long because it was local. Took an extension I shouldnt have and regretted it. Luckily, got something else right at the end of that one and left.
        Last edited by psychocandy; 28 November 2016, 09:18.
        Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

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          #14
          Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
          One client where the manager was completely anal. Things he tried to dictate that all his staff (permies included) should do:-

          1. Not leave site at lunchtime ("in case I need you urgently")
          2. Not park on the road outside the office ("it looks scruffy") even though there were no parking restrictions.
          3. Restrict toilet breaks to as little as possible.

          Things he'd also do:-
          1. If I had a meeting at another site he'd turn up just after to make sure I hadnt gone home (even if the other office was miles out of his way).
          2. Got permies to write down the times the contractors turned up for work when he wasnt there.


          Only stayed so long because it was local. Took an extension I shouldnt have and regretted it. Luckily, got something else right at the end of that one and left.
          The tax man would call that D&C, in its purest form, I guess
          The Chunt of Chunts.

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            #15
            Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post
            Project manager was ...er... unstable, and given to fits of rage - probably as a result of a machete attack he suffered while working abroad.
            All starts making sense now but you shouldn't talk about yourself in the third person.
            Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

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              #16
              Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post
              The tax man would call that D&C, in its purest form, I guess
              Yep probably
              Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

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                #17
                Reminds me of something a mate of mine had at one client. Not me honestly. My mate is a good looking young fella (Im a bit old!).

                The PM was a middle aged lady. Borderline by all accounts. They were working late one night and she called him over and she was sat there with skirt hiked up and nothing else on underneath.

                Mate made his excuses and left soon after.... Depends on your take but it could have been the best gig ever I guess.
                Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

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                  #18
                  Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
                  Reminds me of something a mate of mine had at one client. Not me honestly. My mate is a good looking young fella (Im a bit old!).

                  The PM was a middle aged lady. Borderline by all accounts. They were working late one night and she called him over and she was sat there with skirt hiked up and nothing else on underneath.

                  Mate made his excuses and left soon after.... Depends on your take but it could have been the best gig ever I guess.
                  Ahhh.. 'Your mate' again hey. He's got worse luck than you do from what I remember....
                  'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
                    Reminds me of something a mate of mine had at one client. Not me honestly. My mate is a good looking young fella (Im a bit old!).

                    The PM was a middle aged lady. Borderline by all accounts. They were working late one night and she called him over and she was sat there with skirt hiked up and nothing else on underneath.

                    Mate made his excuses and left soon after.... Depends on your take but it could have been the best gig ever I guess.
                    Probably a future episode of Jeremy kyle there

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                      #20
                      Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post
                      The tax man would call that D&C, in its purest form, I guess
                      Another inside IR35 gig. PC is certainly racking them up....
                      'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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