New Contract gone wrong

[ShandyDrinker]

Might want be worth spending some effort to make sure your IR35 status is safe. If you started and then just did anything the client asked you could be in a difficult position.

Among the diverse replies here advocating keeping on invoicing NLUK probably makes one of the best points.

Sure, do whatever it takes to keep invoicing, but if you were brought in on a particular project for a particular skillset, you can only be seen as a bum on a seat if you are not being paid for your expertise?

[rocktronAMP]

Hi, am after a bit of advice re a new contract I started a few weeks ago. The role was supposed to be in my core skillset area, however after joining it became clear that client was expecting me to deliver a whole bunch of stuff that is totally outside of my experience and not something I would ever have applied for/signed up to. Stupidly I didn't push back on this from day 1 (I know I know!) and agreed to have a go at the other stuff too. Fast forward to now and it's really not going well at all, I'm not going to be able to deliver the work to a standard I'm comfortable with and have had to now raise this with the client and push back with a suggestion that we should part ways if the new scope is to stand. They want me to stay on and revert back to doing just the original scope of work, but I'm finding it quite an uncomfortable position as I know I've not made a good impression on many of my stakeholders with the balls up I've made of the other area (fortunately it's not gone far enough to actually impact the project yet) - any suggestions on how to recover things? Possibly I'm overthinking it but I'm not used to having anything other than an excellent reputation for the quality of my work so this feels quite stressful to me!

Hey skipsurfer

How are you getting on after nearly one week back in the saddle?

You should see my current contract gig. I am into my second development environment in the client's complex configuration since I started last week. It should be standard stuff, but at least the application and codebase is mostly open source software, using a distributed version control and the technical authorities generally have their heart set on the modern path. As from tomorrow, I will be onto installing my third relational database.

Keep invoicing and billing...

[mdhd]

Hi, am after a bit of advice re a new contract I started a few weeks ago. The role was supposed to be in my core skillset area, however after joining it became clear that client was expecting me to deliver a whole bunch of stuff that is totally outside of my experience and not something I would ever have applied for/signed up to. Stupidly I didn't push back on this from day 1 (I know I know!) and agreed to have a go at the other stuff too. Fast forward to now and it's really not going well at all, I'm not going to be able to deliver the work to a standard I'm comfortable with and have had to now raise this with the client and push back with a suggestion that we should part ways if the new scope is to stand. They want me to stay on and revert back to doing just the original scope of work, but I'm finding it quite an uncomfortable position as I know I've not made a good impression on many of my stakeholders with the balls up I've made of the other area (fortunately it's not gone far enough to actually impact the project yet) - any suggestions on how to recover things? Possibly I'm overthinking it but I'm not used to having anything other than an excellent reputation for the quality of my work so this feels quite stressful to me!

Unless client pushes you, keep working. Do your best and deliver with your best ability.

[cojak]

If you can survive and learn this may be the making of your future contracting!

Experience beats certs everytime, and succeeding whilst being massively out of your comfort zone is the best way to extend your skills and resilience.

Remember - things are rarely as good or as bad as they first appear. If the client doesn't get rid of you it means that they are impressed by your honesty and 'can do' attitude.

Good luck and keep invoicing.

[northernladuk]

Might want be worth spending some effort to make sure your IR35 status is safe. If you started and then just did anything the client asked you could be in a difficult position.

[ContractorScum]

Ok so:

- Client asked you to do something not in your skill set
- You made a hash of it
- Client said ok, do what you were meant to do
- Project isn't impacted
- You kept your contract

I don't see the problem here

[BrilloPad]

Keep invoicing. Learn new skills. Keep invoicing. Or start looking round. Keep invoicing.

[Lambert Simnel]

You gave it a try, flagged it when it was clear it wasn't working, and the client has been mature about it. Sounds pretty good to me. Get your head down, deliver strongly on the part you do know, and seek to impress the client and other stakeholders that way.

[Bee]

If the client wants you to stay is because they like you. Take as a new challenge and the opportunity the gain more skills.

Hi, am after a bit of advice re a new contract I started a few weeks ago. The role was supposed to be in my core skillset area, however after joining it became clear that client was expecting me to deliver a whole bunch of stuff that is totally outside of my experience and not something I would ever have applied for/signed up to. Stupidly I didn't push back on this from day 1 (I know I know!) and agreed to have a go at the other stuff too. Fast forward to now and it's really not going well at all, I'm not going to be able to deliver the work to a standard I'm comfortable with and have had to now raise this with the client and push back with a suggestion that we should part ways if the new scope is to stand. They want me to stay on and revert back to doing just the original scope of work, but I'm finding it quite an uncomfortable position as I know I've not made a good impression on many of my stakeholders with the balls up I've made of the other area (fortunately it's not gone far enough to actually impact the project yet) - any suggestions on how to recover things? Possibly I'm overthinking it but I'm not used to having anything other than an excellent reputation for the quality of my work so this feels quite stressful to me!

[suespence]

I agree with the above responses. Sounds like they changed the role, not you. Best of luck.

[BlasterBates]

Well done things don't look too bad. It is fairly common to be completely out of your depth. 70% of projects fail, so you are bound to be on a failing project at some point.

Keep invoicing.

[jmo21]

they're happy to keep you on, and use the skills you do have.

Sounds like it turned out way better than it could have.

Use it as a learning experience (raise things earlier, but also learn some new tech stuff)

[europetractor]

Are you a half-stack developer ?

[LondonManc]

The market is crap. Keep working, learning and invoicing.

[skipsurfer]

Hi, am after a bit of advice re a new contract I started a few weeks ago. The role was supposed to be in my core skillset area, however after joining it became clear that client was expecting me to deliver a whole bunch of stuff that is totally outside of my experience and not something I would ever have applied for/signed up to. Stupidly I didn't push back on this from day 1 (I know I know!) and agreed to have a go at the other stuff too. Fast forward to now and it's really not going well at all, I'm not going to be able to deliver the work to a standard I'm comfortable with and have had to now raise this with the client and push back with a suggestion that we should part ways if the new scope is to stand. They want me to stay on and revert back to doing just the original scope of work, but I'm finding it quite an uncomfortable position as I know I've not made a good impression on many of my stakeholders with the balls up I've made of the other area (fortunately it's not gone far enough to actually impact the project yet) - any suggestions on how to recover things? Possibly I'm overthinking it but I'm not used to having anything other than an excellent reputation for the quality of my work so this feels quite stressful to me!