Do you ever see yourself as a good contractor?

[speling bee]

Nice to see the Suity "when in a hole - just keep digging philosophy" has spread......

Not at all. We are simply applying a little didactic learning methodology to help the OP find the answer to the question himself.

[speling bee]

Cheers for your pathetic coaching attempts, but I think I will pass.

But by engaging in this discussion, you are inching towards working it out for yourself. Keep it up!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

But by engaging in this discussion, you are inching towards working it out for yourself. Keep it up!

Nice attempt at patronising.....

[northernladuk]

For God's sake! Why have you spun this topic into a NWP2C bashing session? Does it give you that much pleasure?

The question is not how many times you have jumped ship or how many contracts you have done in 4 years. Read the subject.

It's really not the best topic for you to start whoever is right really is it.

Question is what do you consider a good contractor? Most people can do their job and think they are a good contractor but when it comes to the bit in between gigs they are absolutely ******* useless, not understanding how to get work, how agents work yadda yadda. Ask them if they think they are a good contractor and they will say yes. The real answer is they are incompetent at being a contractor but can do the work that comes with it.

Am sorry to say fella, and you can see from the comments you get every time you post, your mercenary attitude over the years doesn't really flag you as a good solid contractor, it makes you a client jumping mercenary. It makes you happy and rich so just live with it.

Anyway, back to the question? No I am a ******* useless contractor, I can't get myself on the bench to save my bastard life!!!!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

It's really not the best topic for you to start whoever is right really is it.

Question is what do you consider a good contractor? Most people can do their job and think they are a good contractor but when it comes to the bit in between gigs they are absolutely ******* useless, not understanding how to get work, how agents work yadda yadda. Ask them if they think they are a good contractor and they will say yes. The real answer is they are incompetent at being a contractor but can do the work that comes with it.

Am sorry to say fella, and you can see from the comments you get every time you post, your mercenary attitude over the years doesn't really flag you as a good solid contractor, it makes you a client jumping mercenary. It makes you happy and rich so just live with it.

Anyway, back to the question? No I am a ******* useless contractor, I can't get myself on the bench to save my bastard life!!!!

Was waiting for that post.... I guess I kind of asked for it. Should have waited for you to go on holiday.

I have been waiting for the bench for a few years as well. Keep saying at the end of next gig.

[northernladuk]

Was waiting for that post.... I guess I kind of asked for it. Should have waited for you to go on holiday.

I have been waiting for the bench for a few years as well. Keep saying at the end of next gig.

Seriously, if you are gonna live by the sword you have to be able to die by it. It's only in the last few weeks you were talking about being mercenary again but as it happens you didn't need to. Still not an issue for you to do it though. You've got form. No point getting upset every time it is mentioned. I was trying to be nice.

[eek]

Was waiting for that post.... I guess I kind of asked for it. Should have waited for you to go on holiday.

I have been waiting for the bench for a few years as well. Keep saying at the end of next gig.

I think it shows that the question is multi-faceted.

1) you clearly can get contractors.
2) you may or may not be good at your job (don't know you so can't comment).
3) however your client leaving mercenary tactics move you towards the no pile...

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Seriously, if you are gonna live by the sword you have to be able to die by it. It's only in the last few weeks you were talking about being mercenary again but as it happens you didn't need to. Still not an issue for you to do it though. You've got form. No point getting upset every time it is mentioned. I was trying to be nice.

Not upset - just trying to combat those faithful followers of yours!

[speling bee]

Seriously, if you are gonna live by the sword you have to be able to die by it. It's only in the last few weeks you were talking about being mercenary again but as it happens you didn't need to. Still not an issue for you to do it though. You've got form. No point getting upset every time it is mentioned. I was trying to be nice.

Exactly. And there is a perfectly good Business / Contracts forum for those who want a sensible discussion. It's fine to post this thread in General, but the most likely reason for posting this in General and then getting upset when General does what it says on the tin is cretinism. However, I am happy to accept that emotional incompetence is an alternative (or possibly additional) reason.

[TheFaQQer]

Do you ever see yourself as a good contractor?

Define "good".

Do you mean that you are good (or better) in the work that you do, or are you looking at the broader picture of how you manage your business?

For example, I work with a guy at the moment who is a sharp cookie in terms of his delivery and technical skills (which is what he is paid for). However, I shudder when I think about how he manages his business - relies on the accountant to do everything, doesn't really think about IR35, never does a contract review, doesn't worry too much about finding work because he's fallen from one good project to another....

And yet, I'd still refer to him as a good contractor because the work that he does is top rate.

Conversely, a former colleague was absolutely hopeless at the actual work, and lazy to boot. Yet he finds work, manages to string it out for a bit, and then moves on to the next project. He's rarely out of work, and so quite successful - but I wouldn't have him on any of my projects because he doesn't do anything. So I wouldn't describe him as a good contractor because the standard of his work is far below what I would want as a hiring manager.

(Answer to the original question - yes, I see myself as a good contractor, though)