Reply to: Hate my contract such a bad experience

[eek]

IR35 is just a tax position. They are still your client.

IR35 is more than a tax position, it introduces a second company (an umbrella) into the equation who may feel that the desires of the agency trump those of you as their employee.

I'm awaiting the day (for it will come) when we get a post that an umbrella has paid minimum wage and pocketed the rest due to a breach of contract....

[northernladuk]

No it's not it's inside IR35

IR35 is just a tax position. They are still your client.

[Eirikur]

This is business. Act like a business.

No it's not it's inside IR35

[eek]

This grind my gears. What do you think pulling a sickie will achieve? You aren't a permie. All this will do will make you look like a bit of a pillock. This is business. Act like a business.



This one but also advise the new agent you need to delay by a week. They want you so will be willing to suffer a delay. They won't find anyone else in a week so they'll just wait. You get a week to do a handover for the old client so a decent halfway house. Don't bother offering free days, you'll likely be doing that already when the agent doesn't pay your last invoice but deal with that when and if it happens.

Point 2 is there to extract you from a situation which is creating grief - given a crap Barclays contract with no escape clause on the contractors side its a valid excuse. To a exit a contract with a notice period early it's taking the mickey especially as everyone knows whats going on.

Best to be honest and ask how quickly can I leave and then negotiating a mutually acceptable start date.

[northernladuk]

2) Pull stress related sick leave next week for 3 weeks and hope they sign my timesheet for the days I worked in September?

This grind my gears. What do you think pulling a sickie will achieve? You aren't a permie. All this will do will make you look like a bit of a pillock. This is business. Act like a business.

3) Be honest with existing client and say I have a new role and will they let me go early. Again, maybe offer them some non chargeable days from this month as a sweetener?

This one but also advise the new agent you need to delay by a week. They want you so will be willing to suffer a delay. They won't find anyone else in a week so they'll just wait. You get a week to do a handover for the old client so a decent halfway house. Don't bother offering free days, you'll likely be doing that already when the agent doesn't pay your last invoice but deal with that when and if it happens.

[virtualm]

The client should not withhold payment for work done just because you want to leave. Surely in your 14 years you've served notice on a contract, or did you always just wait for them to expire so you've never developed any kind of client management skills?

Give notice, as required by the contract. Request early release but be prepared that the answer could be no and manage the expectations of the new client accordingly. If you told them up front what your notice period is and they still offered the role then they should be willing to wait. Of course, if you lied about your availability then you have a problem to fix.

Why you're worrying about burning bridges with a client you have no respect for, I don't know. Leaving a contract is not burning bridges if you use the skills you should have picked up over the time you've been contracting.

Thanks for that.

I've terminated one gig early before because it didn't work out and yes I got paid. It's just this one is a PITA client and just wondering what games they could play. I want to terminate early as I want a break before I start the new gig. I think stress leave will have to be actioned.

[ladymuck]

The client should not withhold payment for work done just because you want to leave. Surely in your 14 years you've served notice on a contract, or did you always just wait for them to expire so you've never developed any kind of client management skills?

Give notice, as required by the contract. Request early release but be prepared that the answer could be no and manage the expectations of the new client accordingly. If you told them up front what your notice period is and they still offered the role then they should be willing to wait. Of course, if you lied about your availability then you have a problem to fix.

Why you're worrying about burning bridges with a client you have no respect for, I don't know. Leaving a contract is not burning bridges if you use the skills you should have picked up over the time you've been contracting.

[virtualm]

I served my notice yesterday, but also got a massive dilemma as I was offered a new contract last night. Client wants me to start next week.

I also found out the pimp has been actively looking for a replacement for me as well ffs.

What do you reckon?

1) Tell existing client I want to leave at the end of this week and risk them not signing my timesheet for this month? Maybe offer them some non chargeable days from this month as a sweetener?
2) Pull stress related sick leave next week for 3 weeks and hope they sign my timesheet for the days I worked in September?
3) Be honest with existing client and say I have a new role and will they let me go early. Again, maybe offer them some non chargeable days from this month as a sweetener?
4) Do both gigs at the same time (joking as this will not work with my type of work meeting clashes etc).

I'm trying not to burn a bridge, but seeing how the f'd everything up is swaying me towards point (2). And worse case I won't get paid.

[ensignia]

None of those are anything out of the ordinary except maybe 7.

How have you managed contracting for 14 years?

[AnthonyQuinn]

A bit of a rant, but I need to get this off my chest.

I've been contracting for 14 years, never ever in my previous gigs have I experienced all of this sh.. in a single contract:-

1) Delayed start date by 3 weeks, contract was signed and then amended with the new start date. So effectively I lost 3 weeks pay.
2) I complained to the agency and they got really sh.. with me, now they don't speak to me.
3) Laptop took 1 week to arrive, and then I had to take a load of training courses before I could gain access in my own time.
4) Inside IR35, but OK as my day rate is inflated, but I have to go through a brolly.
5) Client 4 weeks notice, me - 2 weeks.
6) Agency originally offered 12 months contract, and this is what is in my contract but client then said it would be a 2 month contract renewable in 2 monthly increments. Then my 2 months passed, and now they are only renewing only a month by month basis. So I have no security whether they will extend on a month by month
7) The role I applied for is completely different to what my skills are, I specialise as a Retail consultant and they are asking me to run Finance workshops and act as Finance consultant. When challenging this I was told this was mentioned to me in the interview, it was not. Then the client said if I don't like it then they will terminate my contract immediately. This part really confuses me as my interviews were specifically around my retail experience, my CV explores this in detail. How can they get this so wrong?
8) 30 working days payment terms, OK no biggie, but I have to get my client to sign off my timesheet and they have been so doing this, and then this adds a delay to when I get paid.

The only saving grace is that it's remote thank god.

I know the old saying no such thing as a bad gig, yes I am getting paid. But I am so stressed with them expecting me to deliver in a role that I am not comfortable with.

Is this the new normal? I can't wait to leave this place.

no big deal.

[agentzero]

A bit of a rant, but I need to get this off my chest.

<snip>

Is this the new normal? I can't wait to leave this place.

There are two rules in the inside IR35 world:

1: Look after yourself first and foremost
2: See rule number 1

In inside contracts try to go PAYE from the agency, not via umbrella if at all possible.

Also consider working two contracts at once. You can then give low priority to the rubbish inside IR35 contract and, if necessary, disappear. This is in extreme circumstances in which rule1 applies. You can give your 2 week notice, if necessary, and don't care in the slightest about the outcome for that client. The only exception to this if the client is large, nearby and you think you'll get repeat work, in which case you try to leave the project using the best route possible.

I have worked three contracts before, with one of them being random days and not full time. The other two were full time but easily achievable as one project was basic, with the other one being difficult and a major international project.

Look wider in life and remember that work isn't even in your top 5 priorities in life. You deserve better. Treat yourself nicely and get the role you deserve.

[virtualm]

All good feedback, I know about the opportunity to learn new skills, but it's so dull so doesn't interest me. But what I've listed isn't half of it.

Project still in design, major workshops going on (3-5 hours a day), then functional specs to write, all on the basis I have limited knowledge of the area. I'm working with a load of offshore guys who are not willing to train me (who can blame them). And due to go live very soon, it's a right mess.

Even the original JD from pimp specs out Retail role, it even mentions that they were not looking for Finance skills (wish I could attach the screenshot). And even my contract has me down as a Retail consultant.....

Anyway, I've given up...calmed down a lot and just counting down the days until the end of this month.

Another lesson learnt to REALLY emphasis what my skills are, what the clients needs really are. Then put this in writing with PIMP prior to offer.

[BigDataPro]

In 14 years of Contracting you must have learned that any contract is on a day by day basis or even hourly, making you a Zen living in the present always. This should have freed you from the fear of getting terminated from a gig.

When a client is paying you to do something you don't know, you can either take it as an opportunity or a misfortune. It really depends on your mindset, interest etc. In one gig I was asked to do data related work rather than Testing, the role I was interviewed for. Now I am a Data Engineer.

Had I refused to do that, probably I will be jobless today or stuck in a Perm role.

If what I am doing is something I really hate, brings me stress on a daily basis, then I would walk out immediately knowing full well that it will bring me financial loses and I will be prepared for it.

[hairymouse]

What's the deal with doing required training on your own time? Did they tell you specifically not to put that on your time sheet? If you did the training on the company laptop I would be very surprised if you weren't supposed to be paid.

[Fraidycat]

What I can't get my head around is a large global consultancy firm that is prepared to interview somebody with say Retail skills, interview is focussed around Retail, and then when you arrive you are told you wont be supporting that function, instead you will support Finance. How the f.. am I supposed to run workshops and show users the Finance module? Yes I'm getting paid a lot and they expect a lot...but seriously why did they even bother taking me on.

The old Bait and switch.

From both the agent (saying it was 12 month gig), to the client not telling you it is a Finance gig.

They cant find anyone (at least quickly) if they told the truth.

So they lie, and hope the sucker that takes the bait (you in this case) is able to grin and bear it.

It is a gamble on their part, and it didn't pay off this time.