Reply to: Client expectations - first gig

[rurffy]

I hate it when work goes really quiet , - FFS!! , i keep looking at the digital numbers by the lower right hand side of my computer screen all Day.

[d000hg]

If there is no work to do, then the idea of having someone who isn't a permie there is that they don't get paid.

Generally, this is somewhat theoretical.

No it does happen in practise - I've had time off when there was no work to do.

I've even volunteered to do this in the past when a)work wasn't properly planned yet b)I had other things to do. It doesn't normally work but I do have one email somewhere asking me not to work a few days.

[BlasterBates]

This is pathetic. I started a permie job a couple of months ago and the expectation was my first feature was to be ready for production after three days, and when I arrived I was given a an "empty PC" and a Linux "Kubuntu" CD, that was after fighting a while with a Debian CD that didn´t have all the device drivers, and the internal help desk didn´t do Linux.

After 2 hours the manager was hassling me why I hadn´t got my skype account sorted....

[No2politics]

Hi

This is my first post after securing my first contract role but I could do with advice.

The role im doing is pretty quiet, as in most of the time im really doing nothing at all. I ask around for stuff but it seems to getting on the nerves of everyone else, im the only contractor. Ive just been told its going to get even quieter and that i should be pro active and find stuff to do there.

However as a contractor I expected that this was the responsibility of the client not me, to find me stuff to do.

Thanks

Why don't you start working from home!?

[Taita]

Careful FAQQer - I'm a man on the edge...

Join the club only try to keep the moans to yourself as the rest of us do.

[tomtomagain]

Don't worry.

The hiring manager just has some budget he needs to get rid of and has already bought a room full of expensive servers they don't really need.

[North887]

Cheers for the replies, much appreciated.

I guess this stuff happens in contracting. It seems to be a delicate balance being a pro active contractor and some office dogsbody that falls withing IR35 though.

[northernladuk]

Yea.......

Just sit down, twiddle thumbs, and pervy smile at everyone who looks at you............best way to get noticed and renewed..........

There are plenty of options, not all are available at every client and different approaches work at different clients. The above is a possibility... putting yourself inside IR35 isn't an option.. seriously..... Up to you to manage it.

[SeekingIT]

Your Right!!!

You mean all the things a permie would do? Great idea that.

Yea.......

Just sit down, twiddle thumbs, and pervy smile at everyone who looks at you............best way to get noticed and renewed..........

[Project Monkey]

Ok, few questions for you ..- Do you like what you are being paid ? Nice daily Rate ? good location? If the answer is Yes .

Then you have to improvise work for your self, i have been in a contract like that few years ago . A 4 months contract no work to do - i was nearly getting crazy Plus I couldn't go on the internet (Almost all good sites blocked (Like WTF!!)

Anyways , had to register for an online training - i got certified in 2 Microsoft techs at the end of the contract plus i was always interested in going to work to learn new things not from my contract but from my online learning.

It was like, i was being paid to learn. HAAHA! -

No, it wasn't like being paid to learn. You were being paid to learn (assuming you did actually learn something).

Yeh but no but.

[rurffy]

Hi

This is my first post after securing my first contract role but I could do with advice.

The role im doing is pretty quiet, as in most of the time im really doing nothing at all. I ask around for stuff but it seems to getting on the nerves of everyone else, im the only contractor. Ive just been told its going to get even quieter and that i should be pro active and find stuff to do there.

However as a contractor I expected that this was the responsibility of the client not me, to find me stuff to do.

Thanks

Ok, few questions for you ..- Do you like what you are being paid ? Nice daily Rate ? good location? If the answer is Yes .

Then you have to improvise work for your self, i have been in a contract like that few years ago . A 4 months contract no work to do - i was nearly getting crazy Plus I couldn't go on the internet (Almost all good sites blocked (Like WTF!!)

Anyways , had to register for an online training - i got certified in 2 Microsoft techs at the end of the contract plus i was always interested in going to work to learn new things not from my contract but from my online learning.

It was like, i was being paid to learn. HAAHA! -

[northernladuk]

Isn't it about MOO, control etc? If I as a director of my company a supplier of services voluntarily decide to help the client out for free to help with my other business, isn't that a smart business move?
I see that all the time with bigger consultancies, where they send him in for a specific project but he ends up helping a little bit on other things too - nobody minds that as long as they can keep charging the daily rate for whatever...

I agree but there are limits. If that is what you set out to do with the correct mindset yes but bearing in mind option two of the original post I commented on was '2. Look on Company's Website- is there any training/applications they offer to staff, that you could learn about yourself?' then I would question that mindset.

You would go finding more work you can bill for, not end up on secondment to another group or being passed around budget holders as a general dogs body.

[yasockie]

Anything is better than going round putting yourself inside IR35.........

Isn't it about MOO, control etc? If I as a director of my company a supplier of services voluntarily decide to help the client out for free to help with my other business, isn't that a smart business move?
I see that all the time with bigger consultancies, where they send him in for a specific project but he ends up helping a little bit on other things too - nobody minds that as long as they can keep charging the daily rate for whatever...

[northernladuk]

So u sugesting sitting there waiting for something to happen? Not that I totally disagree here mind.

Anything is better than going round putting yourself inside IR35.........

[cojak]

I always find that there is work to do that's project related; the client just doesn't realise it.

I have the 1st couple of days/week to understand what's (not) going on and create my Project Approach/Initiation Document/Target Operating Model etc - these always end up as my bible for the rest of the project. It's the only time that you're given the space to create them (while they don't know what to do with you...).