How do you define "contractor attitude"?

[Mordac]

When people talk about getting their first contract, I hear that agents and clients are looking for the right "contractor attitude" and many permies struggle with that.

What do you consider contractor attitude?

Being happy to bring our own lube.

HTH.

[Guesstimator]

Anytime I've ever met someone who wears the ''contractor attitude' on their sleeve they tend to give all the impression they'd happily eat canned dog food for lunch if they could claim it on expenses, without it looking weird if they had to cough up the receipts.
Tight fisted, penny pinching fun vampires.

But I suspect that's not what you're asking...

[Old Greg]

Anytime I've ever met someone who wears the ''contractor attitude' on their sleeve they tend to give all the impression they'd happily eat canned dog food for lunch if they could claim it on expenses, without it looking weird if they had to cough up the receipts.
Tight fisted, penny pinching fun vampires.

But I suspect that's not what you're asking...

Reminds me of my first contract. A fellow contractor (who I guess was on 500 quid a day) stayed 4 nights a week in the Slough Travelodge and dined alone in his room each night on end of day reduced Tesco sandwiches.

[Mordac]

Reminds me of my first contract. A fellow contractor (who I guess was on 500 quid a day) stayed 4 nights a week in the Slough Travelodge and dined alone in his room each night on end of day reduced Tesco sandwiches.

How does that compare to the Thistle Heathrow, one wonders...

[Old Greg]

How does that compare to the Thistle Heathrow, one wonders...

Better standard of guest.

[billybiro]

When people talk about getting their first contract, I hear that agents and clients are looking for the right "contractor attitude" and many permies struggle with that.

What do you consider contractor attitude?

Being a complete doormat.

Scratching the client's back whilst waiting for them to drive a knife into yours. And then apologising for staining their knife with your blood.

[NickFitz]

With our level of modding that's gonna be about 1006 before the decent thing is done.

Oh, the irony

JohntheBike and NorthernladUK

Ignoring my instruction.


And because they ignored me multiple times, I thought that a one day ban would just be brushed aside again.


So a 7 day ban it is.

[DoctorStrangelove]

Oh, the irony

Has there been fun that I've missed?

[jamesbrown]

I define contractor latitude, longitude and altitude as roughly the same position on the ellipsoid as Monaco.

[GJABS]

If you don't know you we can't tell you.

Indeed - the first rule of Contractor Attitude Club is that we don't talk about contractor attitude club.

But fortunately I'm not a member of them - I'm in the Attitude Contractor Club , so can run my mouth without consequence.


Contractor attitude basically means not whinging about the sorts of things that permies whinge about, and just getting on with the job without complaint.


1. Don't complain if the client gives you work that bears no resemblance to the skillset you were hired for.
2. Don't complain if the client ends your contract early, or tells you not to come in today as they have no work for you.
3. Don't get involved with office politics.
4. Don't park your Maserati in the car park where jealous permies will see it. The same applies to aeroplanes.
5. Don't talk about your rate, or that you average 150 days "holiday" per year, if you do.
6. Don't talk about expenses or other trifling matters.
7. Listen politely to permies' tales of woe, but be sure to stifle your gaffaws at their petty concerns and general retardedness.
8. Keep a straight face when the client reveals a plan that you know will lose them millions, but politely suggest alternative plans to save their ass.
9. Don't act surprised when they reject your suggestions (part of your job is to help them learn from their mistakes, so make sure they are whoppers).
10. Work very hard in the first few days of the gig, so the client gets an imprint in their minds that you are highly productive. This illusion can last for several extensions if properly cultivated.