Reply to: What is the worst contract you have had?

[SuperZ]

In recent years, my worst ones revolve around public sector service provider. Worked with them twice and it's a bit like amateurs are us....shambles. In fairness the end client has been to blame I believe(public sector), combined with the service provider trying to keep the end client happy which however makes matters worst.

[jo99]

Desk's are for permies.

From the point of productivity and cost you would think allocating a desk would be sensible. Instead I carry round a laptop and heavy files daily. Takes a bit of time to set-up and pack-up everyday. Not a major issue as long as I get paid for it....just don't like sharing one desk in a small room with another person in a hot office with no air - oh and lots of buliding works!

[northernladuk]

Not sure about this hot-desking milarkie. It's fine if it's first come, first served (as I tend to be an early starter, often the only time I get some things done). But if you get asked to move on, then there doesn't seem much point in turning up. It can be bad enough having to work at some places, without the company devising new ways to disrupt your productivity.

Been there done that and the permies didn't like contractors where I was so they did their damdest to make sure other people sat at the desk that had been pointed out to me. Was just a flippant comment, I should have added more but was just to point it out. I always try and avoid being added to the desk register though, just to make me feel a little better about IR35 and being allocated a desk, PC, phone type thing that permies get. Very minor point I am sure but just a preference for me.

[MrMark]

Desk's are for permies.

Not sure about this hot-desking milarkie. It's fine if it's first come, first served (as I tend to be an early starter, often the only time I get some things done). But if you get asked to move on, then there doesn't seem much point in turning up. It can be bad enough having to work at some places, without the company devising new ways to disrupt your productivity.

[northernladuk]

Thanks for sharing. This place has a habit of firing people too. One went after just 3 weeks, another one disappeared soon after. Execs being pushed out. One nutter guy who is a compulsive liar and has done everything you can think of. Oh - I still don't have a desk. Funny thing is this is supposed to be a charity with touchy feelie people!

Desk's are for permies.

[pmeswani]

I'm in my worst possible contract right now. Have Sweet FA to do for the past couple of weeks, and the Team Lead keeps on complaining that he has too much to do. Have already asked him to off-load the work to me but keeps on bitching about not wanting to answer questions if asked as it would be quicker for him to do the work. He is a typical person that wants to hoard the work and not dish out the stuff to those who need the work, and when he dishes out the work, he gives them to the wrong people.

What's really sad is that the Hiring Manager won't give me any project work to do unless I go perm. Not sure what planet they are on, but safe to say, I won't be going perm.

[bellymonster]

Worst for me was my first contract working for a very large telecoms company (a British company). I signed up knowing it was 4 x 12 hour day shifts thinking I could just about manage. But within a week they changed their minds and it was 2 x 12 hour days followed by 2 x 12 hour nights. Combined with an hours drive there and an hours drive home I was a zombie within weeks.

There was nothing to do for the 12 hours either, so time really dragged. Managed 4 months of it but had to bail out early.

Towards the end of my time there they even tried to enforce a 2 hour unpaid meal time, the tight gits.

Anyway recenly seen an advert for the place that requested a fully qualified EMC storage engineer for just £18 an hour on the same shift pattern. I pity the fool who takes up that contract.

[DieScum]

Worst places I have experienced are where there are different partners involved and people are chasing the money. So there is an incentive to finger point rather than work together to get things done.

There was one horrific place in Belgium. I was sent in as a permie consultant to project manage a partner. They were a bunch of idiots and I was sat around with nothing to do. I jacked it. Just phoned up my boss and quit. Perhaps a bit foolish of me but I was 28, no commitments and enough in the bank to last a few years.

My boss bricked it and persuaded me to stay but not to work on that particular project.

Another time I was working from home for a client. 90% of my contact with the client was through one bloke who was incompetent. It was very stressful to deal with him. A huge amount of work, very low competence and unrealistic expectations.

Then licenses came up for renewal and all sort of sales teams and partners got involved. The customer starting causing a fuss about things not working as they wanted. Pre-sales guys looked at the system and starting telling the customer that this and that was configured incorrectly and was causing poor peformance. Which would have been fine but funnily enough changing that config setting didn't improve performance in the slightest and having a bunch of sales guys who have never actually run the system, but have plenty of powerpoints on the new features, was not helpful.

The incompetent bloke started complaining about me specifically. He was sinking fast and was trying to offload the blame.

An email was sent from one of the partners stating that I specifically had not been doing my job properly.

I replied to that stating my exact scope of work as specified in my contract and suggesting that "that everyone involved should make sure they understand who contractually performs which roles and not to set false expectations for the customer."

Never heard any more about it. Another bloke from the customer, who I dealt with a few times, filled in some feedback survey giving me top marks, the incompetent bloke was made redundant, some new hardware was bought and performance improved, my contract was renewed.

A lot of ball ache though. The things I do to earn money. It's like being a cheap Romanian whore in a dark alley, wearing a short garishly coloured skirt and torn stockings, waiting for a large Turkish man to take me to a seedy hotel and **** me joylessly. That is exactly what my career is like.

[Zippy]

My worst contract was the first I did - truely awful. Allegedly touchy feely people too. Don't 'share your concerns' with anyone - particularly other contractors - just concentrate on getting the hell out of there. Take the extension if you have to.

I have a rather cynical view of charities having worked for a couple - they exist to provide employment/overseas jollies for the upper eschelons of the workforce first, and serve the needs they are collecting for second. They did pay well though

[jo99]

Thanks for sharing. This place has a habit of firing people too. One went after just 3 weeks, another one disappeared soon after. Execs being pushed out. One nutter guy who is a compulsive liar and has done everything you can think of. Oh - I still don't have a desk. Funny thing is this is supposed to be a charity with touchy feelie people!

[lukemg]

I used to work in a 'converted' 1950's warehouse (toilets looked like they hadn't been changed) roasting in summer, arctic in winter. Boss was nicknamed 'mad dog', he was an ex-bouncer sacked from his previous job for bullying and intimidating staff, old habits died hard. A climate of fear permeated the office (think rows of tiny desks so crammed in that people walking down the row hit every chair on the way past), there was frequent screaming and swearing at people in the team.
Far from providing motivation, no-one dared to do anything in case it was wrong. On a Friday there would typically be 3-4 people leaving (out of 45).
Despite the turnover mad dog made me sack a chap I had hired a few weeks previously, who had done really, well due to short term budget issues (2 people from my team decided to leave in the following 2 weeks).
Normal working hours were 9-6 and the chair I got when I arrived was so uncomfortable I was in pain for most of the day for weeks till my body 'adapted' (they were all like that).
It took me 8 long months to lie and talk my way out of the place into a decent contract. I didn't walk because I needed the job title to give me any chance of moving to a half decent job.
I can work pretty much anywhere after that....

[Manic]

Rising above it is hard. I don't have other contractors to laugh about it - as its also several contractors that are doing this. Have tried v hard to keep out of it - however, now I am getting caught up in it. Everyone is after saving their skins (permies) and manipulating situations and people (the contractors/consultants/consultancies).

So I think I am on a bit of a loser.....renewal coming up next week and am still waiting for a decision. With latest turn of events I am not sure I even want it now...

You must be working where I am, say hello next time lol

[Wanderer]

Need cheering up - current place a nightmare - politics unbelievable - exec to all levels. All bitching about each other - every one else is incompetent - lots of finger pointing etc etc....

Lie back, close your eyes and think of the money.

Works for me every time.

[jo99]

I've been contracting around 7 years, yet to find a place that was not like this to be honest. I think if I did I'd probably find it boring, unchallenging and I doubt the rate would be any good. Make a conscious effort to separate work and your state of mind. Letting work get to you when you look at it from afar in the grand scheme of your existence on this earth is actually pretty daft. Don't take things personally, it's just business and sometimes a great metaphor for life. In reality, you have very few friends/allies, everyone is out for themselves. Look after number one (without hurting others obviously) and congratulate yourself for being better than the peasants that surround you.

Thanks for the advice. I have trouble switching off my mind. Plus I do like to do things perfectly being a business analyst. Trying to curb my natural instincts. Would be interested in any tips!

[SofaKingdom]

Rising above it is hard. I don't have other contractors to laugh about it - as its also several contractors that are doing this. Have tried v hard to keep out of it - however, now I am getting caught up in it. Everyone is after saving their skins (permies) and manipulating situations and people (the contractors/consultants).

So I think I am on a bit of a loser.....renewal coming up next week and am still waiting for a decision. With latest turn of events I am not sure I even want it now...

I've been contracting around 7 years, yet to find a place that was not like this to be honest. I think if I did I'd probably find it boring, unchallenging and I doubt the rate would be any good. Make a conscious effort to separate work and your state of mind. Letting work get to you when you look at it from afar in the grand scheme of your existence on this earth is actually pretty daft. Don't take things personally, it's just business and sometimes a great metaphor for life. In reality, you have very few friends/allies, everyone is out for themselves. Look after number one (without hurting others obviously) and congratulate yourself for being better than the peasants that surround you.