Reply to: Boring gig driving me nuts

[NotAllThere]

Back in late 1999, I was on a one-year SC contract, that ran out of work after 6 months. I was on a very good rate, during the same time the market had all but collapsed. The client didn't want to let me go, because there might be more work coming up, and it took a while to get good SC people. So for three months the team had almost nothing to do, and no internet access.

To cope with thins, in the morning we read the papers, and did the Times crossword, occasionally augmented with the Private Eye crossword. At lunchtime we had a boozy lunch, and in the afternoon quietly sobered up.

I'd have prefered to be doing real work, but the rate was just too high.

[suityou01]

The technique I prefer to employ here is to make it clear to whomever is nagging where the problems lie and explain that you require them to motivate the necessary people or escalate the issues to someone who can. CC them on all relevant emails to the ignoramuses, and CC the ignoramuses boss as well. You will either get a response or a management bunfight / territory marking scrap.

If that doesn't precipitate progress tell them to shove it.

Done all of the above. There is a glimmer of hope. Although it was funny this morning on the team call when I spelt out all of the problems, being that there is no one to talk to about data architecture. When asked to nominate someone the call went very quiet.

Various people have pledged support, and meetings have been arranged. I'll give it a week, and if we are back to square one they can shove it, as you say.

Another funny moment is when this said "I told you who to speak to". PM gets all arsey and says "Suity, have to spoken to them?"

SY01 : Yes.
PM : Well!!???!

SY01 : They said they aren't technical and can't help.
PM : Oh.

[doodab]

I think the big problem for me is that my part of the project has turned into a blind alley. I am turning to various sectors of the business for help and either getting people who are prepared to chat but have a noise to signal ratio far too high to be useful, or I get ignored.

No support from management, only nagging and shouting.

The technique I prefer to employ here is to make it clear to whomever is nagging where the problems lie and explain that you require them to motivate the necessary people or escalate the issues to someone who can. CC them on all relevant emails to the ignoramuses, and CC the ignoramuses boss as well. You will either get a response or a management bunfight / territory marking scrap.

If that doesn't precipitate progress tell them to shove it.

[suityou01]

I think the big problem for me is that my part of the project has turned into a blind alley. I am turning to various sectors of the business for help and either getting people who are prepared to chat but have a noise to signal ratio far too high to be useful, or I get ignored.

No support from management, only nagging and shouting.

[JoJoGabor]

Im in same boat, moved from Investment banking client to defence client but for an extra £100 a day, so very lucrative. Nobody can tell me what the project should deliver, so I make it up myself. Must do an average of 4 hours a day, rest is just wasted chitchat. I reckon I can do 6 months max before my brain turns to mush and I get tired of speaking to people who dont really know what they are doing on a project that is so mixed-up it doesnt know what the objective is.

[DimPrawn]

This thread is about IT contracting.

[Platypus]

It would be if I didn't keep getting shouted at for no progress.

That's a fair point, that'd piss me off too.

[suityou01]

Oh bliss! Sounds perfect!


Oh it's such a perfect day,
I'm glad I invoiced you.
Oh such a perfect day,
You just keep me hanging on,
You just keep me hanging on.

It would be if I didn't keep getting shouted at for no progress. That I could handle.

[Platypus]

I spend my days batting the ball over the net to get nothing back

Oh bliss! Sounds perfect!


Oh it's such a perfect day,
I'm glad I invoiced you.
Oh such a perfect day,
You just keep me hanging on,
You just keep me hanging on.

[alreadypacked]

My current role is dead boring, mainly a support role for a "soon" to be obsoleted suite of apps, I reckon I am doing a couple of hours per day, in between reading a C# book.

I was sent a spec yesterday for exactly my skillset AND the chance to cross train to C#. Was briefly tempted just to get the C#, until I saw the £55k perm price tag.

Reading the book is one thing, getting hand-on experience is the thing I need.

Why not start writing a tool/app for the soon to be obsoleted suite of apps in C#. For example a reporting app or data migration or is there something the current suite of apps does not do that the users would like. Set it up as a project write your own specs do a prototype, is there anyone else in the team that might help?

Thats how I got into my current niche, writing my own tools.
It will also help you when you look for a new role.

[Wodewick]

£55K is not bad to be paid to learn a new skill.
It's exactly what I'm looking at coming from £400 a day.
I've explained clearly to the company what I get as a contractor and my aim is to earn the same as perm within 3 to 5 years or I leave. Quite confident that if I can really work hard there and take very opportunity then we'd be talking £500 or £600 a day contracts on leaving or the internal raises I'm after.

Think I'll push hard to get £60 though to be honest.

Freudian slip? or self-depreciating honesty?

[Olly]

£55K is not bad to be paid to learn a new skill.
It's exactly what I'm looking at coming from £400 a day.
I've explained clearly to the company what I get as a contractor and my aim is to earn the same as perm within 3 to 5 years or I leave. Quite confident that if I can really work hard there and take very opportunity then we'd be talking £500 or £600 a day contracts on leaving or the internal raises I'm after.

Think I'll push hard to get £60 though to be honest.

P.S. I'm with you, I've read books up the yin yang but without experience it doesn't get me a gig and forget it all. Made the very conscious decision the only way is to go perm and kick up an almighty fuss if they don't give me the breaks I've said are mandatory in our interviews.

[Scrag Meister]

My current role is dead boring, mainly a support role for a "soon" to be obsoleted suite of apps, I reckon I am doing a couple of hours per day, in between reading a C# book.

I was sent a spec yesterday for exactly my skillset AND the chance to cross train to C#. Was briefly tempted just to get the C#, until I saw the £55k perm price tag.

Reading the book is one thing, getting hand-on experience is the thing I need.

[Old Greg]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

[alreadypacked]

The current gig is getting very dull. I am currently liasing with other project teams for data mining. This basically means I spend my days batting the ball over the net to get nothing back. Clearly with no proper backing from the upper echelons I am not going to get anywhere as these teams have their own roadmaps and my project is not on them. I have pointed this out.

And I am bored. Crashingly bored. Sure I can invoice, but at what level of boredom would you chaps consider moving on? The boredom has now reached painful levels.

Maybe it's just me, but as soon as I see a project is going no where, I get out as soon as I can. Sometimes at the interview stage!

I would rather be doing something interesting, I have also found only life sucking, bores stay on these project.
Their only role in life is to b1tch and moan, who wants to spend time with them.

So as Yourdon said "Get out now"

The longer I have stayed in contracting the more role I have turned down. Also if you are comming from a bad role I think it shows at interview.

HTH