Switching between workstreams in less than a month

[northernladuk]

A client makes one change the OP doesn't understand the implications of, and you recommend wetting the bed?
Really?

It's not a bad point to be fair, maybe put overly strongly. If the OP is losing sleep over something as trivial as this they could be in for a tough ride, particularly in a bank. Just looking at some of the evidence on here they can be crappy places to work if you get the wrong team in the wrong bank. If they start treating her like a contractor and loading on work, unachievable timescales and tough working environment it could go down hill if there is a hiccup and just a reallocation of work.

[Lance]

Thats never a good sign. It probably shows you are not suited to this client and how they work. For your long term mental health i would i look to leave as soon as i had secured another contract. But easier said than done..

A client makes one change the OP doesn't understand the implications of, and you recommend wetting the bed?
Really?

[eek]

Thats never a good sign. It probably shows you are not suited to this client and how they work. For your long term mental health i would i look to leave as soon as i had secured another contract. But easier said than done..

Why - it's January in a year where firms are seriously watching their spending. Projects are being moved round and de-prioritised left right and centre.

The fact you are being moved into a project that is still running is good news not bad.

At end client co a lot of people will be going over the next 3 month and a lot won't know yet.

[Fraidycat]

I was losing my sleep over this

Thats never a good sign. It probably shows you are not suited to this client and how they work. For your long term mental health i would i look to leave as soon as i had secured another contract. But easier said than done..

[northernladuk]

Don't lose sleep, but you'll need to feel more comfortable in this situation because it happens a lot. It's actually a good sign - you might be with this client for a while.

Just make sure that you are very organised with work and calendar - BA's can often be involved in multiple projects these days.

This. Be better than their perms who aren't capable of smooth transitions to other pieces of work and you'll become an invaluable resource. Worth putting in the extra effort, be it hours or work ethic for a short period of time to nail your reputation with the client and then you can slack as much as you want for years.

[cojak]

Thank you so much. I was losing my sleep over this as I was so used to being in a project for a long time and now suddenly I am everywhere. Got a bit lost.

Don't lose sleep, but you'll need to feel more comfortable in this situation because it happens a lot. It's actually a good sign - you might be with this client for a while.

Just make sure that you are very organised with work and calendar - BA's can often be involved in multiple projects these days.

[Priya Anand]

Thank you so much. I was losing my sleep over this as I was so used to being in a project for a long time and now suddenly I am everywhere. Got a bit lost.

[northernladuk]

Yes I am inside IR35. So this is normal for banks to ask contractors to pick up new work even before current work is complete?

Yes. You are just a bum on a seat to them so can move you where ever they need. They are more likely to do it to you because constant changes will piss the perms off so use the temp worker to do the crappy stuff.

In the meantime read up on IR35 and your responsibilities. You are a contractor now and you need to learn what you are and what you do. The stuff you do at a perm is a bit irrelevant, anyone can do that, even perms. You aren't perm now. Ok OK you are via brolly and you are technically but you need to understand your situation better. It will help you no end in your contracting career.

[Priya Anand]

Yes I am inside IR35. So this is normal for banks to ask contractors to pick up new work even before current work is complete?

[northernladuk]

If you are inside then yes it's fine. You are under Supervision, Direction and Control which is a major factor of an outside gig but inside they can do it.

If you are outside then this is very bad. You can't do it and the client is risking blowing their own determination.

As a contractor you should know to state whether you are inside and outside and should know what activities affect it. It's contractor 101 and it's what you do.

[b0redom]

Sounds like a potential red flag for IR35. I presume you're inside if it's a bank anyway?

[Priya Anand]

Hi

I joined a bank programme as business analyst contractor for first time a few months ago. I am being told to pick up new work with different workstreams in a very short period. Sometimes the work in picked up wont be complete but I am being asked move to a different work stream. Is this normal in IT contracting?
I initially thought its because there is a lot of analysis work at different stages across the programme and they want to get people (contractors) to pick up as much work as possible. This time I joined a new team just a couple of weeks ago. It is still in design and approval stage so probably there is not a big need for BA yet atleast not 100% but I am getting moved to a different workstream. Is this expected?