PM, PM or PM

[Francko]

I think the need for contractors would be dramatically reduced if all the PMs of various types woke up tommorrow suddenly good at their jobs. Long may the cluelessness continue.

Woudln't be too sure about that. If you have competent managers who can lead a project in the due time, they might use the right contractors more effectively (and the right choice of the right contractor should be one of the main duty of a good manager) and instead they will also maximise the return on the project; of course, if the pm keeps wasting time and drag people into useless tasks and mislead them all the time, they probably want to have the highest number of permies available to falsely reduce their increased costs, so I am not really sure that good management necessarily needs less contractors.

[Cowboy Bob]

99% of PMs are a useless waste of space who do nothing all day apart from go to endless meetings with other projects managers in other departments, suggest wild ideas without understanding what the hell they are talking about, and leaving early to play golf.

The 1% that serve a purpose are the ones that get the coffee in...

[VectraMan]

Why are you stressed? Understandable if you're a permie, but not if you're on a contract. Do what you can, but you won't be there long. Just keep firing off the invoices, this is why you are there. You aren't looking for a 'promotion' or working all hours in the hope of an annual 5% pay increase. Invoice invoice invoice, gig ends, time off, rinse, repeat.

No, but you are (probably) looking to finish the contract, maybe get an extension, or a good reference if you need it. So it's not really true to say there's nothing in it for you.

But much more importantly than that, as Tonic said I don't like looking like I'm not good at my job, even if it doesn't actually make a difference to me.

[Tonic]

The problem is if the PM type is a permie, chances are the more senior management will see you as the problem for not being able to work with him, as you're a lot more dispensible. And to me blaming other people even if it's completely justified feels like making excuses for myself. So instead I'll get stressed and miserable and try and do a good job despite the idiots in management. It's a cliche, but that's what being a "team player" is all about.

Depends what you're tryng to do, or your attitude to your work. If you're jsut there for the money, ok, play with the team however bad an sometimes, incompentant that team is.

But if you're trying to build portfolio, maybe get recognised.. the least you want is management who is reasonable, or capable under pressure, who can organise a plan of action. Someone who can bunch bugs together for a single period of time.

My current PM, is so random, and hapless, he's in way over his head. Maybe a small time web company, but not on blue chip projects.

[Tonic]

The problem with techies is that they lack imagination and can never see the big picture. Stick to your code-monkeying and leave the hard stuff to us.

If you are a good PM, I wanna work with you.

[Francko]

If you are a good PM, I wanna work with you.

He believed he was a sas guru and yet he ended up in a middle-management useless position because he was crap; if he was as good as he claims he would have been a contractor earning real money now. How do you think he can be any good as a low-mid manager with no real power?

[Tonic]

Another point, how many project managers do you know, who can keep their cool, be fairly relaxed and stay on top of things.

mmm, I've maybe met one, and he was a "technical Architect", which to my observations, means he can write a Functional Specification.

[sasguru]

He believed he was a sas guru and yet he ended up in a middle-management useless position because he was crap; if he was as good as he claims he would have been a contractor earning real money now. How do you think he can be any good as a low-mid manager with no real power?

Why do you assume everyone is as mediocre as you?