Reply to: 4th week in - done about 1 days actual work so far :-(

[psychocandy]

I've decided that whichever contract I go to then £20 a day should be dedicated to 'logging'. So time may vary LOL

[eek]

You were in there for 3 hours :-)

FTFY

[Scrag Meister]

I've frequently had what I call £20 dumps..... :-)

You were in there for an hour and a half? :-)

[northernladuk]

BUT - The most infuriating part of all of this is that when we apply for these gigs, we're told by both the agent and the client that it's really urgent that the role is filled right now. Can't hang about, must have someone to start RIGHT AWAY! !!

Look at it this way. There is a client->agency->contractor chain. One person in this chain is on commission..... that clear it up?

[SueEllen]

Like many others replying here, I too have had this situation arise many times. I've also noticed that many clients really don't seem bothered by my inability to do anything productive during that time.

BUT - The most infuriating part of all of this is that when we apply for these gigs, we're told by both the agent and the client that it's really urgent that the role is filled right now. Can't hang about, must have someone to start RIGHT AWAY! !!

They can't wait 1 or 2 days for you to be able to interview/review contracts etc, it must be done right now, but then they have you sitting on your arse twiddling your thumbs for 3 weeks when you start the contract! WTF?

Actually I find it's the agent who insists the role has to be filled RIGHT NOW.

If the client says the role has to be filled right now (and you aren't direct) you find that it's all to do with ensuring their budget is spent.

[billybiro]

Sounds like fun being money for nothing but its starting to my chunk in now....

Just starting my 4th week, and still no proper PC, login, email address etc.

The thing is they dont even seem bothered! Ive tried and tried to get something productive to do but I get the impression I'm just seen as a bit of a PITA because I keep hassling. I think the project people are waiting for the IT people to sort something out before they even bother !!!

Anyone else had anything similar ever? Like I said, sounds great but there's only so many manuals you can read and I'd much rather be doing something !!!!

Like many others replying here, I too have had this situation arise many times. I've also noticed that many clients really don't seem bothered by my inability to do anything productive during that time.

BUT - The most infuriating part of all of this is that when we apply for these gigs, we're told by both the agent and the client that it's really urgent that the role is filled right now. Can't hang about, must have someone to start RIGHT AWAY! !!

They can't wait 1 or 2 days for you to be able to interview/review contracts etc, it must be done right now, but then they have you sitting on your arse twiddling your thumbs for 3 weeks when you start the contract! WTF?

[psychocandy]

A contractor friend of mine had a little program he'd written which he would start up whenever he went to "the bathroom" and would then press a button on it when he returned. It would tell him how much he'd earned while he'd been away!

I might write one today !!!!

[teabag]

Anybody ever get the feeling these organizations are not places of work but containment facilities?

I've certainly wasted away many a work year in government containment facilities : )

[darrenb]

Just starting my 4th week, and still no proper PC, login, email address etc.

The thing is they dont even seem bothered! Ive tried and tried to get something productive to do but I get the impression I'm just seen as a bit of a PITA because I keep hassling. I think the project people are waiting for the IT people to sort something out before they even bother !!!

Anybody ever get the feeling these organizations are not places of work but containment facilities?

[Hex]

I've frequently had what I call £20 dumps..... :-)

A contractor friend of mine had a little program he'd written which he would start up whenever he went to "the bathroom" and would then press a button on it when he returned. It would tell him how much he'd earned while he'd been away!

[alreadypacked]

Same with me - different office which does cause problems...

Can you find someone to work with?
I found someone else who was working on the same project and did a bit of pair programing on some libraries that would be used by the team.

If you stay a contractor this kind of thing will happen all the time, you need to develope a way of handling it that gets results and makes you look good. I travel a lot and its the same all over the world.

I arrived in India to give some training, company did not allow USB sticks, burnt CD, found all PC had CD reader disabled to stop staff from watching movies.

Smile even when you get to plan Z

[psychocandy]

Comes with the territory. It happend to me me in my last contract, I working in a different office to my line manager. I just used that time to catch up on new skills, do my paper work and do my own personal Sh*t.

Same with me - different office which does cause problems...

[psychocandy]

Could be time to get right into a good Peter F Hamilton trilogy. The Nights Dawn one is pretty good and comes in at over 2000 pages....

Or with windows 2000 it could be time to brush up on your Freecell and get certified (CFE: Certified Freecell Expert)...

Set up an Ebay shop flogging solar panels or garden gnomes or something similar and run it from work (free stationary!) ...

Do all those boring personal chores you normally do at home in the work bathroom - shaving, bashing one out in the shower, taking a good long dump while reading the paper, plucking nose hairs, removing unwanted hair from your nuts and crack etc etc. Maximise your home time! ...

Facebook ....

I've frequently had what I call £20 dumps..... :-)

[Stan.goodvibes]

Week two for me on my second temporary desk but now have a pc! No login, but a pc! Running Windows 2000.....

I got a scabby old keyboard with pubes in it and a mouse with a ball in the bottom!

Can't read any docs cos clientco uses PGP and the only guy who can authorise a licence is off long term and there's no-one else...

Could be time to get right into a good Peter F Hamilton trilogy. The Nights Dawn one is pretty good and comes in at over 2000 pages....

Or with windows 2000 it could be time to brush up on your Freecell and get certified (CFE: Certified Freecell Expert)...

Set up an Ebay shop flogging solar panels or garden gnomes or something similar and run it from work (free stationary!) ...

Do all those boring personal chores you normally do at home in the work bathroom - shaving, bashing one out in the shower, taking a good long dump while reading the paper, plucking nose hairs, removing unwanted hair from your nuts and crack etc etc. Maximise your home time! ...

Facebook ....

[stek]

Week two for me on my second temporary desk but now have a pc! No login, but a pc! Running Windows 2000.....

I got a scabby old keyboard with pubes in it and a mouse with a ball in the bottom!

Can't read any docs cos clientco uses PGP and the only guy who can authorise a licence is off long term and there's no-one else...