Reply to: Working with other contractors

[psychocandy]

Being as we don't sit near each other I recorded myself eating and mailed the mpeg to you.



Is that a euphemism?
If not, then there was one job a few years ago where I deburred my sword at my desk some lunch times.

Phnar Phnar!

[doodab]

At least you didn't use paracetamol and end up trashing your liver.

Odd you should say that cos when I was admitted to the hospital they initially suspected liver failure as the most probably cause due to my history of drinking and the fact that my primary symptom (loads of fluid buildup in the gut) is due to liver failure in 85% of cases. They did a CAT scan to assess the extent of the liver damage (it's a bit fatty but otherwise fine) and noticed the lumps.

I did occasionally used to take both ibuprofen and paracetamol together for particularly savage headaches. That's perfectly safe to do by the way (as long as you don't OD on either drug of course) and along with a strong coffee works much better than either drug on it's own.

Anyway, this particular chap was lax about his hygiene and no bloody good. The former we could tolerate (and the drunkeness), but not the latter.

Oh no, you can't have smelly people who are crap at their jobs cluttering up the place.

[speling bee]

It's other humans in general that are unbearable. Not just contractors.

Sitting near a bunch of near strangers and having to endure the sound of them eating is bad enough for me.

It's not just other humans I can't stand.

[jmo21]

It's other humans in general that are unbearable. Not just contractors.

WMPS

[NotAllThere]

As a functional alcoholic I've probably turned up pissed or severely hungover more often than not. I seem to have got away with it, although the ibuprofen ingestion may be partially responsible for my current predicament.

At least you didn't use paracetamol and end up trashing your liver.

Anyway, this particular chap was lax about his hygiene and no bloody good. The former we could tolerate (and the drunkeness), but not the latter.

[MyUserName]

It's other humans in general that are unbearable. Not just contractors.

Sitting near a bunch of near strangers and having to endure the sound of them eating is bad enough for me.

Being as we don't sit near each other I recorded myself eating and mailed the mpeg to you.

Depends if you sit in the office with your sword out !!!.

Is that a euphemism?
If not, then there was one job a few years ago where I deburred my sword at my desk some lunch times.

[MaryPoppins]

It's other humans in general that are unbearable. Not just contractors.

Sitting near a bunch of near strangers and having to endure the sound of them eating is bad enough for me.

[Batcher]

I think showing a bit of willingness to go above and beyond to help out a client can be good for you. I wouldn't go as far as to work a 10 hour day every day but the odd time is ok and normally a client will let you start late next day or WFH in return.

I once offered to work nightshift for 2 weeks as the permies refused to do it. I ended up doing it for 4 years. I only needed to work 5-6 hours per night which allowed me to take on other short term contracts during the day. I was investigated by HMRC but proved I was outside IR35 as I worked alone, didn't take direction and had more than one client at the same time.

On the other hand, I wouldn't go onsite without a contract in place as I wouldn't be covered by any of my insurance policies. I explain this to the client and they tend to chase up the agency to get the contract out and signed.

[psychocandy]

4.5 hours of those were spent on the phone, in the canteen or away from his desk. The effective rate was £700/hour.

If you added in dump time to mine it wouldnt be good.

[psychocandy]

Check out my "contractor bob" thread.

Thought he could get away with working 5 hour days, that came back and bit him in the Ass when PM checked the swipe logs.

Was costing the company £500/day (mind he was only getting £350 of it!). Let go after 3 months and we are still cleaning up his mess till this very day.....

Ah. Thats the one.

Still disagree that its right to be a splitter like this.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

He'd fit in well at BSkyB

4.5 hours of those were spent on the phone, in the canteen or away from his desk. The effective rate was £700/hour.

[The Spartan]

Check out my "contractor bob" thread.

Thought he could get away with working 5 hour days, that came back and bit him in the Ass when PM checked the swipe logs.

Was costing the company £500/day (mind he was only getting £350 of it!). Let go after 3 months and we are still cleaning up his mess till this very day.....

He'd fit in well at BSkyB

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Check out my "contractor bob" thread.

Thought he could get away with working 5 hour days, that came back and bit him in the Ass when PM checked the swipe logs.

Was costing the company £500/day (mind he was only getting £350 of it!). Let go after 3 months and we are still cleaning up his mess till this very day.....

[psychocandy]

I cannot really think of anyone particularly weird I have worked with. An old manager used to shout and swear a lot but it didn't bother anyone, at least it did not bother me.

Although, that probably means I am the one that everyone else is complaining about!

Depends if you sit in the office with your sword out !!!

[vetran]

I'll often volunteer to take on things that seem hard to others, or that I know little about, cos I enjoy the challenge more than just doing the same thing over and over. It does mean sometimes I bite off a bit more than I can chew and end up working longer days to catch up, I generally don't mind that as I've cherry picked the interesting (to me) work and enjoy it, plus as I've gone on I've got better at guesstimating so I get caught out less often. I'm not a fan of long hours generally though, I consider it a sign of bad planning.

+1

Sometimes you have to put the hours in to get to do the cool things.