Reply to: Help needed : contract not same as job description

[DallasDad]

You say you are on your own
Is that as in completely on your own?

If so consider the H&S aspect re the work you are doing and do not put yourself in harms way.
No offence to you but a newbie let loose in a comms room is not a clever thing for any IT manager to do.

Is any of the kit heavy? are you racking over shoulder height. if so that is typically a two person job period.
Are there multiple racks bolted together if single racks, are they fitted with anti topple feet?
If un-boxing kit keep your work place tidy and remove packaging regularly - nothing worse than cardboard packaging all over the shop in machine rooms good machine room managers see red when that happens!

Are you being asked to perform any role that typically should be done by an electrician even earth bonding of racks or worse commissioning of UPS etc?
If you are then you really should have qualified assistance.

HTH.

[ShandyDrinker]

Why does he need to the do the bold? You quoted the post that he clarified he was working through a brollie so it's not an issue anymore.

Yep, good point. I meant more in the context of if he considered other options such as limited but should have clarified. As he's already in contract changing would be hard.

Brollie or otherwise... the OP should consider tax residency status being in the Isle of Man for a year.

[northernladuk]

Yes, it's not as you expected and depending on the contract you could argue the toss with the client/agency and renegotiate. For me the out of hours would be a big no-no unless they're prepared to pay for it... you're not a permie. As others have said you really do need to consider IR35.

Although hindsight and knowledge are a wonderful thing it may have been more cost effective to set up a Manx Ltd company for the year and work through that. Working through an umbrella on the IOM probably gives you the worst of all worlds.

On the island the tendency is to pay North-West contract rates (or permie salaries unless working for online gaming companies such as Pokerstars) on the basis that the tax rates are sooooo much lower than the UK even though the cost of everything else is that bit more.

Why does he need to the do the bold? You quoted the post that he clarified he was working through a brollie so it's not an issue anymore.

[ShandyDrinker]

contractors advice please, where do I stand, ive moved away on a one years contract to migrate desktops and pc's from one image to another after a company take over.

I got here and found I'm here on my own and the job description is so much different to what was originally advertised , im being asked to mount servers into racks , patch and configure ports ( I have never done either of these, well a bit of patching but not configuration )

It seems I have brought out here to do the work of a team by myself I'm am an experienced 1st / 2dn line engineer but this stuff is pretty much network engineer / 3rd line.

If the job is not in the description am I able to walk away from the contract and what are my rights ? I've spent grands on a relocation over here, I take it that money is just gone now ?

examples of not within the remit

- To assist with vendor with setup and configuration of switches, routers, servers if needed.
- Assist in Contact center roll out. Working with Local telephony Vendor and Server team for the configuration.
- Network cable Patching to servers etc..

Working out of office hours has also been asked of me which was never discussed

It seems I have been brought out to do the job of a team as a person of one, with no assistance apart from being contacted occasionally
Its my first contract and before I throw my toys out of the pram I could do with some advice.

Thanks in advance

im working through an umbrella so im paying all my PAYE

I've also relocated to the Isle of Man for this contract

Yes, it's not as you expected and depending on the contract you could argue the toss with the client/agency and renegotiate. For me the out of hours would be a big no-no unless they're prepared to pay for it... you're not a permie. As others have said you really do need to consider IR35.

Although hindsight and knowledge are a wonderful thing it may have been more cost effective to set up a Manx Ltd company for the year and work through that. Working through an umbrella on the IOM probably gives you the worst of all worlds.

On the island the tendency is to pay North-West contract rates (or permie salaries unless working for online gaming companies such as Pokerstars) on the basis that the tax rates are sooooo much lower than the UK even though the cost of everything else is that bit more.

[northernladuk]

Don't let legalities scupper nluk's chance of a £10 amazon voucher

Plenty more benefits to joining anyway so still worthwhile.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Don't let legalities scupper nluk's chance of a £20 amazon voucher

[pr1]

OP is unlikely to be able to claim if the problem existed before joining.

Don't let legalities scupper nluk's chance of a £10 amazon voucher

[mudskipper]

If you are new you need to think about Joining IPSE+ The link is my signature. Once you've done this you can try as TF suggests.

OP is unlikely to be able to claim if the problem existed before joining.

[unemployed]

contractors advice please, where do I stand, ive moved away on a one years contract to migrate desktops and pc's from one image to another after a company take over.

I got here and found I'm here on my own and the job description is so much different to what was originally advertised , im being asked to mount servers into racks , patch and configure ports ( I have never done either of these, well a bit of patching but not configuration )

It seems I have brought out here to do the work of a team by myself I'm am an experienced 1st / 2dn line engineer but this stuff is pretty much network engineer / 3rd line.

If the job is not in the description am I able to walk away from the contract and what are my rights ? I've spent grands on a relocation over here, I take it that money is just gone now ?

examples of not within the remit

- To assist with vendor with setup and configuration of switches, routers, servers if needed.
- Assist in Contact center roll out. Working with Local telephony Vendor and Server team for the configuration.
- Network cable Patching to servers etc..

Working out of office hours has also been asked of me which was never discussed

It seems I have been brought out to do the job of a team as a person of one, with no assistance apart from being contacted occasionally
Its my first contract and before I throw my toys out of the pram I could do with some advice.

Thanks in advance

sticking servers into racks and patching cat5 is not 3rd line

[SueEllen]

Google is part of the course...

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Sounds like a great opportunity and Google is your friend

[LondonManc]

Their firewall is crap then - it links to http://www.ipse.co.uk/join/IPSEMGM0005

Perhaps the OP put it in?

[TheFaQQer]

That links to a porn site according to my client's firewall

Their firewall is crap then - it links to http://www.ipse.co.uk/join/IPSEMGM0005

[Support Monkey]

Probably more jobs for network engineers at a higher rate than support guys.

Before you jump work out if you can stick it out so you can leave with skills that give you a higher rate.

Exactly what SueEllen says: use your time to up skill if you can stick it out your going to walk out of there and be able to take a much better higher skilled contract at 3rd line level, ok so the rate might be poor but see it as a glass half full instead of half empty situation and at the end of the day if it all goes pear shape your get out clause is the job spec was not as advertised, what you got to lose by sticking with it

[LondonManc]

I've got some problems with this but it could be just because there isn't enough detailed info but...

Is this a legitimate umbrella on an IOM based one?

Relocated? You mean you are just staying there to do the gig midweek or you have moved and are now living in the IOM?
All that said I guess the OP can't claim Travel and Subsistence anyway now so probably irrelevant.

I can't help thinking 1st line and other roles at that level really should be handled by temping agencies and not be termed a contract gig as we know it.

This sounds like a 3rd line gig - cabling and patching + config is often outsourced to a contractor/contracting firm, but OP has confessed to be out of his depth. Quite reasonable to raise it and it is a tough decision, whether to get a better level of gig on your cv that you barely scrape through or be honest and say that it's beyond your skillset.