Personally, I charge by the day and the odd bit of networking by the smoking sheds is included in that. Far more useful than a couple of non-smokers spending an hour whingeing about the smokers wasting company time.
You also get to meet the really useful people on-site. The maintenance guys, cablers, desk shifters and post-room dudes.
Asking 'permission' to go to the bank? Have you no self respect?
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Reply to: Fag breaks
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Previously on "Fag breaks"
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Asking permission, considering making up time for spending a few minutes outside? What is wrong with you people? I thought you were contractors?
Turn up as late as you can get away with, do as little as you can during the day and leave as early as possible. You're not some mug clock watching permie wage slave making someone else wealthy, you are a contractor. Make the project last as long as possible, take the piss out of your economically challenged colleagues and roar off in your sports car on the final day with a bushel of money laughing at the mugs you leave behind.
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Originally posted by Cowboy Bob View PostI often go for a wander round the car park, not always to have a smoke. A short stroll often helps me think about new ways to attack a particularly hard problem. I'm with the "thinking time" theory on this one. And I don't tell the client either, I'm not kept on a leash...
Bosses who need to micromanage your time will never succeed in managing your work.
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I often go for a wander round the car park, not always to have a smoke. A short stroll often helps me think about new ways to attack a particularly hard problem. I'm with the "thinking time" theory on this one. And I don't tell the client either, I'm not kept on a leash...
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Ironically I used to do things like that as a permie all the time and thought nothing of it.
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Originally posted by Jog On View PostMy plan B isn't at that stage yet but even if it was I'd still appreciate a reference and open door.
I get the point about 'asking for permission', I did it out of politeness and respect for the client as I get on well with them and they've been good to me. Is it not also the professional thing to do?
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Originally posted by expat View PostSet your IM to "Away" and block 10 mins or whatever in your Outlook/Notes as "Unavailable". Switch your phone off (or ignore it). Contact probs sorted.
As for asking whether you can do that: what do you do for going to the toilet? You just do it.
Saw an entry last week in the American contracors board where he had done that, and his manager came running after him in the car park to ask whether that had been authorized. His Plan B was almost ready, so he quit on the spot. One up for US-style employment practises! I'd happily work on that basis: fire / quit at will.
I get the point about 'asking for permission', I did it out of politeness and respect for the client as I get on well with them and they've been good to me. Is it not also the professional thing to do?
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Originally posted by Jog On View PostI checked with my client if they minded me going to the bank instead of just going MIA and possibly getting phoned up en route with beeping traffic in the background.
Next time I'll just declare that I'm going and if they've got a problem with that they can.....um fire me?
As for asking whether you can do that: what do you do for going to the toilet? You just do it.
Saw an entry last week in the American contracors board where he had done that, and his manager came running after him in the car park to ask whether that had been authorized. His Plan B was almost ready, so he quit on the spot. One up for US-style employment practises! I'd happily work on that basis: fire / quit at will.
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Originally posted by expat View PostYou did whaaaat?
Next time I'll just declare that I'm going and if they've got a problem with that they can.....um fire me?
Or
Take my entitled 10 minutes for a pot noodle and a think, there's nothing about that in my contract but I'll just assume it's a given.
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Originally posted by Jog On View PostWhat I'm curious about is as a contractor do you take fag breaks, and if so how many and do you amend your timesheet accordingly?
Does the client just let you do it?
It's up to non-smokers to take their entitled screen breaks anyway. It's not the smokers' problem. Personally, I often take "thinking breaks" from my code. I just go for a stroll, maybe put some music on loud in the headphones, and have a little think about the best way to approach some problem or other. Don't think anyone's ever had a problem with me doing that, and I know that other people do it too. Fag breaks are good as thinking breaks too, if you're a smoker. So it should all be claimable as far as I'm concerned.
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Originally posted by Jog On View Post...I had to go to the bank the other day and when I asked if it was OK I got frowned at (had to be there before 12 am so couldn't do it at lunch time).
If I need to do something like that I tell the client, I don't ask. You're not a permie FFS.
Last edited by kali; 14 May 2008, 10:48.
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"What he said" sounds wrong, is it actually English or some sad Americanism?
The kids of today like innit!
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