Is a Project Manager a boss? - Contractor UK Bulletin Board

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NickFitz

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#11

1 February 2010, 03:10

At my last gig the PM was explaining to me the process for getting a security pass:

"They need authorisation from your line manager. Of course, you're a contractor, so you don't have a line manager, but they don't understand that, so when they ask you for authorisation from your line manager just tell them it's me, even though it obviously isn't, because you don't have one."
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RichardCranium

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#12

1 February 2010, 05:35

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

Is a Project Manager a boss?

If it's me, and you ask nicely, yes. And you'll be grateful.

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

So to all you PMs out there - get of your high fliping horse!

Love your PM; just as you can be sure they love you too.

Less of the "he"; that is a bit dated these days and reinforces the idea this is a male-dominated industry - it didn't used to be.

My all-time favourite Dilbert cartoon, this is: BTW, a Dumpster is a brand of skip, I think.
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cojak

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#13

1 February 2010, 08:43

Originally posted by NickFitz View Post

At my last gig the PM was explaining to me the process for getting a security pass:

"They need authorisation from your line manager. Of course, you're a contractor, so you don't have a line manager, but they don't understand that, so when they ask you for authorisation from your line manager just tell them it's me, even though it obviously isn't, because you don't have one."

How long did it take him to say 'Good Morning'?

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cojak

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#14

1 February 2010, 08:44

Originally posted by RichardCranium View Post

If it's me, and you ask nicely, yes. And you'll be grateful.

Love your PM; just as you can be sure they love you too.

Less of the "he"; that is a bit dated these days and reinforces the idea this is a male-dominated industry - it didn't used to be.

Excited Dickie?

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suityou01

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#15

1 February 2010, 08:57

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

So you work as a developer and report to a 'line manager' - effectively your 'boss' (ok, I know - but he signs your timesheet and could ask you to leave).

Every project I work on, there is a PM who seems to think that he is my boss. But he's not is he? He is an equal who is in charge of overseeing a project and nothing more.

Sure, as a resource I can be assigned tasks by him, but he can't talk down to me or insist that I work late - or anything really!

So to all you PMs out there - get of your high fliping horse!

The business would see the PM as senior.
The PM would see [him/her]self as senior.
The PM would typically be paid more.
The PM would have risen to that position from positions such as developer / tester.
Typically first job out of college is developer / tester, not waltzing straight into a £600pd PM role.

HTH

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Scary

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#16

1 February 2010, 08:58

Originally posted by MPwannadecentincome View Post

Why didn't you send the email in the first place with note to say if further explanation is needed the PM could always ask you - would have been much more productive for both of you methinks.

Plus you've got it in email, so if there's a blame game about something not being done he can't pull the "Never got asked" defence.
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#17

1 February 2010, 09:07

It all depends on where you work, really. If your PM is your line manager then yes, but regarding unreasonable requests, they can go and stuff it.

I can understand why PMs get such a bad rep, there are so many carp ones out there and many of them doing the job for the wrong reasons.

I currently do PM, and in the past have been a BA dealing with morons on power trips, been given work at 5.30pm that needs to be finished for an 8.30am board meeting (when you have a 2 hour commute home, it's not funny).

If you have a line manager then they're ultimately who you answer to.

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#18

1 February 2010, 09:09

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

So you work as a developer and report to a 'line manager' - effectively your 'boss' (ok, I know - but he signs your timesheet and could ask you to leave).

As a contractor he is therefore your boss.

He who pays the piper calls the tune.

HTH

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#19

1 February 2010, 09:24

I act in exactly the same way as if they had hired someone from a consultancy. I see myself as there to help them while they are paying money, not to work for them. Nobody is my line manager. If they start getting all "you were late today" or "we need you to do more hours" I just ignore it.
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#20

1 February 2010, 09:30

In my current role as PM, I place myself as the single point of contact, a buffer between my clientco and their clients, so I take all the pap, my team are managed by myself on a workload basis and only that, I'm not their boss, I do manage their leave requests, timeshets etc....that is only at the request of the clientco. We're all there to get the job done, especially me.

Who has time? Who has time? But then if we do not ever take time, how can we ever have time?
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