Reply to: Is this normal?

[MobileCheese]

Its usually the same most contracts, I try to make the most of it and use the time to brush up on skills, nothing better then getting paid for increasing your own value But also you can't sit on your butt you need to help you boss without him asking.

[ladymuck]

I had a contract where the last three months were spent thumb-twiddling. Local council, handing over my role to three (yes, count 'em, three) permies. There wasn't enough work to keep me occupied full time, bless their cottons. Took three months for the hand over to complete and I spent most of it plundering the depths of the Internet while they did the work and asked inane questions.

[beaker]

I started a new contract on 1st November and I have done absolutely nothing!!

I'm in the same boat, but I started 1st March.

You'll learn to cope.

[kirk]

the PM on the project I'm working on at the moment estimated 1 day for some documentation updates - by lunchtime today I had been pulled into two meetings and hadn't even looked at the documentation which needed to be completed today. 15:30 comes round and I finally take a look - 2 hours later, doc's completed! Lesson learned: PM's always over estimate, that way if it takes less time, all looks great!

[Troll]

so I started giving realistic estimates during a planning meeting.

What!!!

Now I just triple all my estimates and everybody's happy

That's better!

[DimPrawn]

No one likes a rush job.

[NickFitz]

When I first started my current gig, mid-project, I was encouraged to double the time I estimated for tasks on the grounds that I had to learn about existing libraries and so forth. After a few weeks I was on top of the existing codebase, so I started giving realistic estimates during a planning meeting.

The product manager looked rather disconcerted, but after questioning me on the first couple of estimates he started just doubling my estimated hours for each task as he entered them into his spreadsheet

Now I just triple all my estimates and everybody's happy

[SandyDown]

As alreadypacked stated, your best bet is to cover your arse by sending a daily status report. You may be pestering your manager in person at the mo but there'll be no evidence of this if somebody starts questioning a month down the line why you've not delivered anything.

Not sure its a good idea to start rocking the boat, you are the new kid on the block, the other guy is snowed under, and he knows everything about the project, if you start rocking the boat now, who's side do you think they'd take the guy who knows everything (even though he is not efficient in delegating) or the new guy who doesn't know anything about the project or the systems - you can escalate, or take someone's who has influence aside and speak to him in a very diplomatic way, showing your keenness to help and be of some use.

I am not dismissing the idea that the other guy is deliberately not willing to give you any work, I'd be worried if I were you, you start the honey moon finishes and everyone expects you to be up and running my now, but what they don't know is that no one gave you any information/instructions or induction, or worse let you go off in the wrong direction deliberately, then you get the sack for being a slow or inadequate learner, and the other guy looks soooo valuable.

OK my point is do something, but keep the guy on your side, don’t start firing emails and status reports and moaning – perhaps a face to face chat with his boss is best

[Troll]

I started a new contract on 1st November and I have done absolutely nothing!!

I have built a career out of doing nothing, use the time to expand your skills or build up your count posting carp in TPD

HTH

[Bagpuss]

You should have spent more time here learning about BTL from sasguru and I.

I learn something from you guys every day
Much like when I saw that documentary on Joey Deacon, I realised it wasn't on to laugh at those less fortunate

[chicane]

I started a new contract on 1st November and I have done absolutely nothing!

As alreadypacked stated, your best bet is to cover your arse by sending a daily status report. You may be pestering your manager in person at the mo but there'll be no evidence of this if somebody starts questioning a month down the line why you've not delivered anything.

[DimPrawn]

I've got one where I've been working fairly hard, except for the odd day. I've done more work in the last 6 months than the last 6 years. I'm not being renewed, which is odd, because whenever I've done FA they've been very keen to renew. This good impression lark is overated

You should have spent more time here learning about BTL from sasguru and I.

[alreadypacked]

You never know how a role will turn out, I would start writing status reports and sending them to your manager. On my last project the PM ask me not to post my status report in the project database, as they didn't quite conform to his view of how late the project would be delivered. But I covered my ass.

[Bagpuss]

I've got one where I've been working fairly hard, except for the odd day. I've done more work in the last 6 months than the last 6 years. I'm not being renewed, which is odd, because whenever I've done FA they've been very keen to renew. This good impression lark is overated

[TheFaQQer]

I'm slowly ploughing my way through documentation. Everyone around me is manic, but the team lead is on holiday now, hence my activity here.

Make hay while the sun shines.