Reply to: Taking a contract you know you won't finish

[psychocandy]

Just don't see why you need to be creative. You've got a notice period, serve it for personal reasons. Do a good hand over and leave happy. Psychocandy advocates you don't this for the next gig that's paying 15 quid more so I'm sure it's OK if you are emigrating.

Nice to see you are concerned about doing the right thing but it really doesn't matter in this situation.

Umm No. I always advocate if theres a notice period then I see no issue with invoking it. No notice then I dont agree you should breach.

[BigRed]

I find it hard to take the mickey more than the permies. Just having someone there who isn't talking rubbish seems to be enough for a lot of companies.

[Scruff]

Just Keep Schtum and invoice...

[DallasDad]

Here's an alternative option
Get yourself walked nearer the time!
I have worked alongside contractors who I am convinced had this in mind

Increasingly spend more and more of your working day whilst at the client site doing personal admin, personal web surfing, shopping, texting, phone calls etc. especially during conference calls. respond to questions in a vague and distracted way, display your obvious superiority by criticising every client process endlessly.

I am talking practice work avoidance for at least 50-75% of your time when on site any less might not get noticed unless you try really hard.

When WFH disappear for hours on end.

[northernladuk]

seems like a sensible approach

cheers for the advice all, was expecting a barrage of "unprofessional behaviour etc"

IMO it is if you are making a habit of it, doing for insignificant reasons, leaving the client up tulip creek and the like. That would show a poor attitude towards you clients and reflect on the way you do business. That is when professionalism comes in to it.

In this rather extreme situation I think you can be a tad mercenary about it without having to question your professionalism. Nothing to say you can't leave when you want and handle the client well enough that he doesn't get left in the lurch so win win.

[WTFH]

I thought about doing that on one gig but I hit a major snag......

no mates?

[northernladuk]

Can you not sub a mate in?

I thought about doing that on one gig but I hit a major snag......

[MrMarkyMark]

Can you not sub a mate in?

[moneymoney]

You'll be upsetting people a little, sure. It's how you handle it that matters.


Also, make sure you do a good, professional job, i.e. if the project go live is the week after you plan to leave, then maybe better not to start, but if it's just work, do what you can to the best of your ability and leave it as cleanly as you can.

seems like a sensible approach

cheers for the advice all, was expecting a barrage of "unprofessional behaviour etc"

[WTFH]

I have been looking for a new .sig . Cheers

I've been thinking about a new one too, how about:

Bollocks.

[WTFH]

agreed, I will definitely follow whatever the notice period is in the contract. I feel even doing that will be upsetting people so I don't want to rock the boat any more than I have to, even though i'm emigrating it doesn't pay to mess people around

You'll be upsetting people a little, sure. It's how you handle it that matters.


Also, make sure you do a good, professional job, i.e. if the project go live is the week after you plan to leave, then maybe better not to start, but if it's just work, do what you can to the best of your ability and leave it as cleanly as you can.

[northernladuk]

I have been looking for a new .sig . Cheers

Bollocks.

[BrilloPad]

Why do you care? You have no professional reputation to care about, there will be no potential future fall out and so on. As long as you pick a gig with a notice period in it and use it properly what's the problem?

I have been looking for a new .sig . Cheers

[northernladuk]

Just don't see why you need to be creative. You've got a notice period, serve it for personal reasons. Do a good hand over and leave happy. Psychocandy advocates you don't this for the next gig that's paying 15 quid more so I'm sure it's OK if you are emigrating.

Nice to see you are concerned about doing the right thing but it really doesn't matter in this situation.

[GillsMan]

My creative solutions would be to do this: take the gig, work the gig, own the solution, provide them with the solution before the gig end date. Reputation massively enhanced, you go early, everyone is happy.

Of course, there are tonne of contracts where doing that is completely outside of your control, but if you have that much sway over a project completion, that's what I'd be doing.

But if you're there to deliver a specific project, or provide specific consultancy, you may be able to deliver in less time than the client anticipated. E.g. I've implemented a Learning Management System a month ahead of schedule before. Advised Client they didn't need me any more, they let me go, everyone is happy.