Losing interest

[dawson]

Well, with my current contract which I'm now about 3 weeks into, I lost interest after a few days. Probably didn't help that I didn't get a machine of my own or my own login for about a week. Only 2 and a half months to go

Having said that they are paying the most money I've ever earned. Says it all I guess.

[NickFitz]

Probably didn't help that I didn't get a machine of my own or my own login for about a week.

I had a client who, interviewing on a Tuesday, wanted me to start work the next day. As it was right across the country and meant staying away from home, I asked if I could put it off until the Thursday, to give me a day to sort a few things out; they groaned and wailed, but grudgingly agreed to the 24 hour delay.

It then took them two and a half weeks to get me a desk. The computer came three days after that.

[Lucy]

It is strange that everyone wants us to start 'tomorrow' and no one gets a desk/machine/login for weeks...

[thunderlizard]

On my first day on one contract, I was told to go round the building and scavenge enough bits (PC, screen, cables etc.) to build my own.

[cykophysh39]

On my first day on one contract, I was told to go round the building and scavenge enough bits (PC, screen, cables etc.) to build my own.

It is strange that everyone wants us to start 'tomorrow' and no one gets a desk/machine/login for weeks...

It is my experience that these roles are generally advertised with
"Must be able to hit the ground running" , "Must be self motivated" , "Innovative thinker"

as key phrases

[Spacecadet]

surely you don't go in to a contract without your own laptop incase the client hasn't thought ahead

[NickFitz]

surely you don't go in to a contract without your own laptop incase the client hasn't thought ahead

It is strictly forbidden to connect any non {client name} devices to the corporate network or to access corporate data from any non {client name} device.

So I'll just sit at my non-existent desk reading the paper and getting paid for a couple of days

[Spacecadet]

get source code, data, documentation onto a USB drive and then spend some time catching up whilst they sort out the PC.

If they still have problems with that then try and get some print outs

at least you'll have tried!

[beaker]

A previous client wouldn't let me use one of their PCs because I wasn't an employee. I couldn't connect my laptop to their Lan either.

I was lucky to get a desk most days, usually when someone was away. One of the other contractors worked either perched at the end of someone else's desk or standing up!

Did a lot of work from meeting rooms and at home using an internet connection and webmail. Not ideal at all... they ended up running out of money and pulling out of the project.

[SallyAnne]

How long does it take you to lose interest in a contract?

I can only seem to last 3 months and then the thrill is gone and I start hitting Jobswerve again and spending all day on the net... I can't believe I lasted 5 years in my first (permanent) job.

About half a day on the curent one