I am bored!!

[northernladuk]

Thanks for the tips guys. There is definitely more I could do in terms of benefits and risks etc.

Perhaps I might start bidding for work on peopleperhour.com too I can keep busy

Becareful bidding ofr PPH while you are on client site. Doing any work for another client is risky at best.

Spent a long time on contract bored but no guarantee that perm work is any better. Have repeatedly approached clientco managers to indicate happy to take on new responsibilities and that I have considerable percentage of free time. This has resulted in some changes and now moving into another area but my conscience (such as it is) is clear and I work a steady 9-4. Course, I am johnny keen when any requests do come in and am never too busy or not sure it’s my job etc
Does not seem to have had any impact on renewals and asked for a 10% rate rise at the last one and got it !

Hope you are saving your money because you might as well spend some of that spare time painting a huge target on your forehead and ringing HMRC to see if they want a shot. I couldn't describe the responsibilities and actions of a permie better.

You are not happy to take on new responsibilities. You are happy to have a new job desc/SoW and document it in your contract. Without this you are being directed by your client. You have a new role that is not in relation to your contract. In fact you sound more permie than the permies. At least they would sit there and be bored.

Aside for that indicating to your client you have considerable free time is a very risky move. When the axe does finally come you have positioned your neck nicely on the block there.

As good as it sounds, being proactive at a client is not always the best move. Remember you are a business supplying a service. Not a permie looking for a work. There is a huge difference.

[lukemg]

Spent a long time on contract bored but no guarantee that perm work is any better. Have repeatedly approached clientco managers to indicate happy to take on new responsibilities and that I have considerable percentage of free time. This has resulted in some changes and now moving into another area but my conscience (such as it is) is clear and I work a steady 9-4. Course, I am johnny keen when any requests do come in and am never too busy or not sure it’s my job etc
Does not seem to have had any impact on renewals and asked for a 10% rate rise at the last one and got it !
Why the hell are you still there ? Even if I am only doing half a persons job, they would still have to find someone to do that half and everyone claims to be ‘too busy’ if asked. Funny old game this contracting lark…

[simplicity]

Thanks for the tips guys. There is definitely more I could do in terms of benefits and risks etc.

Perhaps I might start bidding for work on peopleperhour.com too I can keep busy

One of the main problems is that the PM is demotivated and sometimes negative about the project so my enthusiasm is not always well received. I appreciate the suggestion to avoid looking bored.

[redgiant]

I have been in my current PMO role 6 months and I am bored stiff. I love the organisation, my contract is on-going and has been extended until next August. The pay is ok considering my background is not in IT but more generic PM support.

My question is how can i get the most out of this? I don't really want to jump ship as IT is definitely better than working on generic projects and I would like to gain some solid experience of more than the current 6 months I have now.

I try to appear motivated but I find myself spending my days stretching out the work I have...I have asked my boss if I can help him but he never gives me anymore work. I often make up work for myself to do. I like to be busy so find this a challenge. What shall I do?

I am in a similar position however I’m a combination of roles for an investment bank - PM on one project and PMO on several others (not as strange as it sounds).

For the PMO side of the role what I did when I arrived I made a list of all the improvements I could think of to improve the reporting, RAID tracking, collaboration with 3rd party vendors and improved project governance (this last bit came later after I was a month into the role and saw what a cluster tulip it is currently). This seems to have worked well so far as I have had quite a few emails and coffee machine chats with the directors who are happy with the changes and what I’m doing.

PMO work (we've all done our fair share of MS Project and spreadsheet monkey work) can be boring however it's delivering improvements that makes it interesting IMO. So have a think of how you would improve things in your PMO and present it to the PM and Prog. Manager.

[MarillionFan]

Boredom is a killer in contracting. That's why the General Forum exists on CUK.

I tend to move on from boring contracts quite quickly not taking any renewal offer or leaving early. As others have said though starting your own business is a good idea.

[Old Greg]

How about getting more involved in something like benefit management? Is there a benefit register? Is it any good / up to date etc.? Same for lessons learned and other elements of the programme - comms, stakeholder management etc. Which elements are not getting the attention they deserve? Then try and fill the gap.

And, of course, invoice.

[northernladuk]

It is incredibly hard when it is boring though. I do sympathise. I would rather be stressed to buggery than bored but it is one of the skills to be learnt as it is far more common to be left with nothing to do as a contractor than a permie I reckon and you have to handle it much more differently. A permie can be seen to be doing f all and browsing web. Won't do him any good but they won't walk him. Contractors can't do that. There is an art to looking busy whilst being mind numbingly bored.

What I wouldn't do is advertise how board I am by being overly proactive to my PM though. There is a line I don't feel comfortable crossing between doing my role well and telling the client what to do or run his business... even if I am right.

What I would be more tempted to do, and have in the past, is look at the technologies involved in the project, I mean anything from visio used to document it through to the actual softward being implemented. Find a fellow contractor in a similar situation who knows the technology you have picked and set a load of KT sessions. The PM is happy you are busy and doing something useful, two contractors are not bored and you are getting trained on something useful for the CV.

[Wanderer]

Suck it up and invoice.

WHS. Lie back and think of the money.

[simplicity]

Please dont take this the wrong way, as I value PMO, but there is normally soo much more that can be done by PMO to improve reporting, Issues / risks mgt, financial control,, change contrrol, resource mgt, planning etc.

You could make a real mark by taking the initiative and suggesting / making improvements yourself and your boss would absolutely appreciate it!!

Thank you - certainly not taken the wrong way. Our project is heavily micro managed by the Programme Manager so the PM doesn't seem to get much to delegate. He even has to run emails via the programme manager before circulation to stakeholders!!

I guess I could do more on the risks evenif it is just for my own sanity!

[greyanatomy]

Please dont take this the wrong way, as I value PMO, but there is normally soo much more that can be done by PMO to improve reporting, Issues / risks mgt, financial control,, change contrrol, resource mgt, planning etc.

You could make a real mark by taking the initiative and suggesting / making improvements yourself and your boss would absolutely appreciate it!!

[northernladuk]

Suck it up and invoice.

[wim121]

Start your own online business. Grow it while you're working there, then if you ever get put on the bench, fall back income and something to do for the time being .....

[simplicity]

I have been in my current PMO role 6 months and I am bored stiff. I love the organisation, my contract is on-going and has been extended until next August. The pay is ok considering my background is not in IT but more generic PM support.

My question is how can i get the most out of this? I don't really want to jump ship as IT is definitely better than working on generic projects and I would like to gain some solid experience of more than the current 6 months I have now.

I try to appear motivated but I find myself spending my days stretching out the work I have...I have asked my boss if I can help him but he never gives me anymore work. I often make up work for myself to do. I like to be busy so find this a challenge. What shall I do?