Reply to: Priorities in life and employers/clients

[shaunbhoy]

No cats, although just about to buy a Welsh spaniel and an Hungarian vizsla, which will obviously, and immediately, appear above me on the chain of intellect around here

ftfy

[psychocandy]

Is a welsh spaniel fluffy and white?

and surely there must be some neighbours cats around to put above client?

[Old Hack]

Left out the cats health and wellbeing?

No cats, although just about to buy a Welsh spaniel and an Hungarian vizsla, which will obviously, and immediately, appear above me on the chain of importance around here

[psychocandy]

My wife and kids first, always.

Then some distance

My canoes and bikes

Then some distance

My cars

Then some distance

How my garden and eco solutions are doing

Then some distance

Is my drive clean

Then some distance

Have I read all the books bought for me at Xmas

Then some distance

and some more

A lot more...

My clients

Left out the cats health and wellbeing?

[oscarose]

Find inner peace

[Old Hack]

My wife and kids first, always.

Then some distance

My canoes and bikes

Then some distance

My cars

Then some distance

How my garden and eco solutions are doing

Then some distance

Is my drive clean

Then some distance

Have I read all the books bought for me at Xmas

Then some distance

and some more

A lot more...

My clients

[psychocandy]

A company like that probably treat their permies like sh*t.

I've worked for two in my past.

In the first one they treated all employees like sh*t. Contractors were fine.

In the second one it ended up they were just openly nasty to all the fathers as they expected their wives to do all the childcare/medical appointments. They were too scared to treat the few women like that though managers did openly make sexist comments that annoyed the men more than the women. Contractors got sh*t as well.

Oddly as a contractor I've not had a client treat me as poorly then again it may be that I simply don't put up with it anymore.

Oh yes. Worked for them many years ago as a permie when they were a different company and things aint changed. They do tend to think they own their employees somewhat.
Spot on about the wife thing too - they used to be exactly like this. It was frowned upon and 'expected' that your wife looked after the family and they were free to call on you if needed 24/7.

They're never going to change of course. A bigger warchest would be nice and I would tell them to stuff it. However, I'm at the point where I dont urgently need the money so if my approach at the moment upsets them so be it. Probably not though - they'll moan most certainly but then realise they aint got anyone else.

[psychocandy]

Hi,
Sorry I'd missed this. In your position I would get into Linux and get your head around openstack and KVM. Takes about 20 minutes for a good Solaris admin to get their head round Linux. I did both for donkeys years

I hope your mrs feels better soon.

I did the Red Hat course a few years ago and both exams. But failed. Kindly paid for by the welsh assembly - I'd been made redundant so they shelled out.

Bummer I didnt pass. Not helped by my mate (who runs his own company) asking me to help out with his customer until 3am since I was up in London. Fair does to him he paid me VERY well for doing so (£2K for about 15 hours work all in) but it didnt help me pass the exams.

Also, probably should have settled for the basic exam and not tried to do both at same time. Reckon with a bit of effot I could re-do exam no problems.

[psychocandy]

As bob and many have said I'd be looking to get out , full stop - never to return.

Get your notice in, they are idiots.

I've had it before and told them to forget it before i even started, as I was told in interview (at 8:30pm in London with people still in the office) that "As a contractor we'd expect you to be the first in and last out, nothing worse than seeing a contractor leave bang on when his hours are up".

Yep.. ta ra idjits.

Yeh. That'd put me right off.

[SueEllen]

Tempted to point out that a permie in my situation would have just taken time off on leave or special leave and you wouldnt have seen them for a few days!

A company like that probably treat their permies like sh*t.

I've worked for two in my past.

In the first one they treated all employees like sh*t. Contractors were fine.

In the second one it ended up they were just openly nasty to all the fathers as they expected their wives to do all the childcare/medical appointments. They were too scared to treat the few women like that though managers did openly make sexist comments that annoyed the men more than the women. Contractors got sh*t as well.

Oddly as a contractor I've not had a client treat me as poorly then again it may be that I simply don't put up with it anymore.

[bobspud]

To be honest, my skills are mainstream also. Similar to you - mainly solaris and I do need to get into red hat more.

The niche stuff is just an extra on top of this.

Hi,
Sorry I'd missed this. In your position I would get into Linux and get your head around openstack and KVM. Takes about 20 minutes for a good Solaris admin to get their head round Linux. I did both for donkeys years

I hope your mrs feels better soon.

[Scoobos]

As bob and many have said I'd be looking to get out , full stop - never to return.

Get your notice in, they are idiots.

I've had it before and told them to forget it before i even started, as I was told in interview (at 8:30pm in London with people still in the office) that "As a contractor we'd expect you to be the first in and last out, nothing worse than seeing a contractor leave bang on when his hours are up".

Yep.. ta ra idjits.

[vetran]

Is there someone important in the client organisation you can talk to informally at the coffee point - Director similar, drop the pregnancy & wifes situation into the conversation and say how sorry you are you might let them down but family is family.

The PM may well be told to lay off if you get the right director (HR ones are best normally).

[jmo21]

All well and good but I'd rather not be on the bench just as child is born. Money is money. Of course, you can only take it so far.

As it is I've told them the score - they don't like it. It will happen as I say though. If they then choose that they don't need my services any more or that they don't think I have the right attitude then that's their prerogative to let me go.

This is where a decent war chest would have came in useful, and you could have told them to shove it.

Hope health concerns and the birth all go to plan!

[psychocandy]

Joking aside though, it sounds like you're working for a bunch of complete tulipheads and you need to get out. If they don't have the basic human decency to cut you some slack when your wife's ill then they're not worth the trouble. I suggest you refuse the next extension, especially if that dumps them in the poo.

Im sure NLUK will be on here soon telling me to stop moaning and dump them too!

All well and good but I'd rather not be on the bench just as child is born. Money is money. Of course, you can only take it so far.

As it is I've told them the score - they don't like it. It will happen as I say though. If they then choose that they don't need my services any more or that they don't think I have the right attitude then that's their prerogative to let me go.