Patronising bi@tch: what would you do?

[beaker]

If you don't stick up for yourself in this (or any) business, you will get walked over...

[Mich the Tester]

At the end of the day they either want the business or they don't. Part of life is knowing when to give up and find another potential client.

You're right, and I've walked a couple of times too because of dickheads making life so unpleasant I'd rather not bother.

Still, I've seen lots of good people in IT who've ended up in a real mess because of abject managers and it annoys me. People should not be expected to be unfeeling emotional iron men simply to use their skills to earn a living. It's worse in other businesses, but that's no excuse.

[Notascooby]

I had a shocker of a manager at previous gig but thought to myself "put up and take the ca$h".

I later asked the agency why I was not seeing any roles for the same client co - turns out I'd had bad feedback from said tulip manager despite working my ass off and delivering way above what was required. it seems that playing the game was more important the manager than getting things done.

What annoyed the hell out of me was that the agent didn't seek my opinion and in effect black balled me, oh then tried to invoke an exclusivity clause when another agent put me forward for that client co.

Needless to say - I've since black balled that agency for being crap.

[Old Greg]

I had a shocker of a manager at previous gig but thought to myself "put up and take the ca$h".

I later asked the agency why I was not seeing any roles for the same client co - turns out I'd had bad feedback from said tulip manager despite working my ass off and delivering way above what was required. it seems that playing the game was more important the manager than getting things done.

What annoyed the hell out of me was that the agent didn't seek my opinion and in effect black balled me, oh then tried to invoke an exclusivity clause when another agent put me forward for that client co.

Needless to say - I've since black balled that agency for being crap.

If you're of a vengeful nature, why not put in a subject access request under the Data Protection Act and see if there's anything in writing/email about you.

[Notascooby]

If you're of a vengeful nature, why not put in a subject access request under the Data Protection Act and see if there's anything in writing/email about you.

That's tempting even from an annoyance point of view. Unfortunately it's a small world up here and the likes of that is sure to get around. Thankfully the agency really only has a single big client it deals with and even then not exclusively.

Another case of the agent being a failed 'ology degree holder that's fallen into IT sales despite knowing c0ck all about IT / Sales or people management.

Chalk it down to a learning experience and move on....

[darrenb]

you are well out of there Mr. Griffin!

At the end of the day they either want the business or they don't. Part of life is knowing when to give up and find another potential client.

WHS. Some people seem to confuse being a contractor with being a masochist. It's actually about selling your skills to people who want them.

HR types are never about creation, only destruction. If they sic an HR dog onto you, it means they don't want your skills. Since they couldn't tell you outright, it's most likely political reasons. Don't blame yourself: just pick yourself up and move on.

[doodab]

WHS. Some people seem to confuse being a contractor with being a masochist. It's actually about selling your skills to people who want them.

And the 80/20 rule applies here. Cut the painful ones loose, it will make you better able to spend time and energy on the good ones.

[Mich the Tester]

And the 80/20 rule applies here. Cut the painful ones loose, it will make you better able to spend time and energy on the good ones.

Yep; accept that you won't have a great success on EVERY project. If 8 or 9 out of 10 are good, you're doing fine.

[milanbenes]

get over it, you're a contractor

next

Milan.

[darrenb]

He is not such a great guy if he's using the HR person as an interface.

Actually, thinking about it a bit more, the situation is probably that your contact is on your side, but has insufficient authority. There are other people in the company who want a monopoly on hiring, and see any attempt to hire "around" them as a threat to their power. Your contact had too much status to be just dismissed, so instead they told this lovely woman to "handle" your application.

Yes I'm speculating, but it's a very common procedure and has lost me several potential gigs and wasted a lot of my time.