Are contractors held to a higher standard ?

[Spike]

Thanks all for you feedback.

[oraclesmith]

Crikey Oracle, where did you learn to be so cynical?

I was that PM !!!!

[kramer]

i think that can all be the case in some situations.... however everywhere is different..

for instance they may be dying for you to be there because

a. the work yur gonna get is rubbish

b. you being there frees them up to do something else

c. they are sick of the other permies they see everyday and are dying for interesting conversation

d. they actually want to know what you know technically

e. they want to pick your brains about being a contractor...

WINNER!!

[AtW]

Crikey Oracle, where did you learn to be so cynical?

Personally I am certain that contractors get hired out of goodness of the heart...

[oraclesmith]

What I was curios about from those of you that have had years of contracting experience is whether contractors are held to a higher standard than permananent staff. The rest of my team are permies and I can't help but feel that I'm expected to know and do more than them. What is your experience ?

There are a few dynamics at work here :-

1. You are being paid more. Even if your end renumeration after taxes, NI etc isn't that far from a regular permie salary, they won't know that. Some permies will think you're being paid maybe a grand a day ! So they will probably be jealous.

2. You are an outsider. It's a sort of requirement of being a contractor to behave as an outsider because you are a hired hand, brought in to provide expert skills. If you're trying to be outside IR35, it's essential you behave differently to a permie. So you won't always be one of the gang.

3. The reason you're being brought in is that either (a) the in-house team hasn't got the skills or resources needed (b) the project manager likes contractors because he/she can push them around or (c) the organisation prefers contractors because they downsize/reorganise regularly. Either way, you'll probably be resented by some of the permies because they'll feel inadequate and under-rated by their own management.

4. You are temporary. Once the gig is over, you're off. The permies may not only be jealous that you'll be on you way to another more exciting role, but may think you're going to leave a mess behind that they need to support, or maybe that the remaining work will be boring. Either way, you'll be resented because they'd probably love to jump ship themselves if only they had the courage (back to inadequacy !)

5. Before you turned up, the permies probably tried their hardest to get the job done with existing resources and skills - and failed. Your existence is often a symbol of their failure.

6. You are an easy option for the PM, so they may well have talked up your skills and expertise level amongst the permies before you arrived and set a high expectation on your ability. You are his/her solution to a resource or skills issue. The permie staff probably hate the PM for this, so they'll see you as 'teachers pet'.

7. Depending on the contract, you may have access to higher levels of management than the permies because you represent a valuable supplier. You may find that management will treat you as a more valuable resource than the permies simply because you're being paid more and they won't want to waste your time/their money.

Of course all these negatives are also turned positives if you can actually deliver. In which case you will be grudgingly admired as their saviour - but not in the Chico sense !

[kramer]

try not to dally with any permie girls either... chances are someone is already on the case.

[Paddy]

On project work it is quite normal to be brought in only when there are problems. I’ve go used to arriving on site to be told that the previous permie has been trying to sort out a problem for six months . After a few hours on sit and being unfamiliar with the clients configuration they will pester me asking have I fixed it yet. I was on one large project and they had two permies working on the plan for six months, the chickened out a week before the go-ahead at which time they brought a contractor en-board (me) I had to scrap all of the previous design work and discover and start again. The delay was only one week. Yes there are different expectations of contractors.

[MarillionFan]

"I drop antique gold coins with my own face when I walk around the office."

Peasant. Platinum coins embedded with diamonds & rubies are the norm for contractors in my office!

[lukemg]

I have always considered this as the case Spike, especially at the start. Keep your head down, don't ruffle any feathers. Your job is to be very low maintenance, the permies will have settled into an easy going situation/flexible working/taking it in turns to be sick/early darts etc. You may get access to these over time but to start with you are johnny keen, turn up on time, nothing is too much trouble, get on with everyone and try to be productive and contribute as soon as you can, this will set your place and make you feel much better in the role.
Reality is you will likely be treated similar to the permies but the above approach will cover you regardless. Good idea to be on your guard also, e.g. joke email thread starts going round, be happy you are on the list (it means you are in with everyone) but don't bother contributing to it (always looks bad).
Good luck !

[AtW]

I drop antique gold coins with my own face when I walk around the office.

hth

threaded.

[MarillionFan]

Tenner!! What is he a temp. Drop a fifty.

[Andyw]

Jealousy because you're doing the same job for loads more money !

You will only be respected when you prove your worth !

[BlasterBates]

Hang loose...

Just make sure your stuff works when it goes live, and that the bugs are little ones. Just see your role as giving the PM an easy life. What they expect of you is that you work independently without "bugging" everybody and eating too much of their time.

[kramer]

yes... and if they don't think so you should still swan around with an air of superiority, possibly dropping the occassional tenner on the floor as you go..

[Spike]

Iv'e recently started my first contract as a Wintel Analyst after having been a permie for many years. It's a six month contract with a large financial services company at a very good daily rate and the possiblity of renewal is likely according to them.

The company has implemented a flexible working scheme where all employees are required to work 37.5 hours a week, but the how and when they work these hours is flexible. During my interview the managed implied that the same structure would apply to me.

Anyhow, I'vd been here for about two weeks now and so far it's going fairly well, although they are still taking me through a process of induction before allowing me to work on the infrastructure, which is money for jam as far as i'm concerned.

What I was curios about from those of you that have had years of contracting experience is whether contractors are held to a higher standard than permananent staff. The rest of my team are permies and I can't help but feel that I'm expected to know and do more than them. What is your experience ?