People skills

[suityou01]

I have often been criticised for not having any. I mean don't get me wrong, I can socialise with people, have quite a few close friends, lots of acquaintances. I am quite an affable sort of chap.

No, the people skills I lack are in the office. Working with tulipheads. Funny how if a manager has no people skills he "doesn't suffer fools gladly", whereas if the programmer doesn't suffer fools gladly he is difficult.

So I have set about learning these political skills. About developing tact, diplomacy and all that bollox.

I have heard contractors say that the key reason they went into contracting was to avoid office politics. That is false in my opinion. Rather as a contractor you do not have to be involved in the office politics, but you need to be aware of it, and with that comes political skill.

Does any other 'tractor on here suffer from office politics and how to circumnavigate it? Did you always have these skills or are they hard fought and won?

[malvolio]

You're a freelancer, so better than them, the trick is not to show it. The other trick is to realise the boss just might have a different view of what's going on and probably doesn't need some overpaid smart arse junior temp (in his eyes) telling him what's going on.

It's neither people skills nor politics most freelancers lack, it's diplomacy. Something I'm rather good at... errmm

[vetran]

Best advice I know. Keep stchum.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln

I was a Bolshie beggar, however I found that closes doors, annoying as the politics is everyone needs to play it. The best jobs don't go to the best people, they go to people best able to convince those with the money that they can deliver the goods without rocking the boat.

Remember align other peoples goals with your own, you want to be rich and have an easy life strangely so do they. Make them work with you. be nice to them, understand their feelings & motivations, if they are about to screw up then help them out so they owe you one, but make sure someone notices (subtly) if you think they will just take the credit. You only need to do that once normally and people learn.

Rise above the petty stuff, that will differentiate you, if people see you as a no nonsense easy to manage go getter they will mostly prefer you to a toady back stabbing pratt.

Very hard won knowledge, you owe me one now!

[pzz76077]

Golden rules:

You dont have to like someone to work with them.

Your work life, inc thoughts, emotions etc end when you walk out the door in the evening.

Dont work, or even think of work in your own time.

You are in business, your permanent colleges are not, so have a different outlook on life.

You all work as part of a team, some bring more skills and abilities to the team than others, but none are less valuable.

You are more valuable thats why you get paid more!

PZZ

[Bagpuss]

You are more valuable thats why you get paid more!

PZZ

You don't get 'paid' more it you are a bums on seat contractor. Usually it works out the cheaper option over permie.

[pzz76077]

You don't get 'paid' more it you are a bums on seat contractor. Usually it works out the cheaper option over permie.

Then I would not advise being a 'bums on seat contractor' such as yourself if you only get paid the same as a permie.

PZZ

[Bagpuss]

I don't get paid. Sounds like you don't understand why companies hire contactors. Unless you are someone coming in for a few days to provide consultancy you are not more 'valuable' than a similarly experienced employee. Moreover, salary does not= total cost to the organisation, therefore you can engage a contractor on (apparently) 3 times as much yet in the long term they work out cheaper.

[TykeMerc]

Then I would not advise being a 'bums on seat contractor' such as yourself if you only get paid the same as a permie.

PZZ

What he means is that a contractor bum on a seat isn't necessarily more expensive than hiring a permie even though the rate may appear so.

• Contractors rates are fully tax deductible as a supplier
• Very little HR required, no payroll to process
• No sick pay
• No holiday pay
• No pensions
• No bonus
• No redundancy liability
• No training requirements
• Less overhead management costs in review, promotion and head count
• Disposable resource specifically procured for backfill and projects

Hiring a contractor on £3-500 a day can cost less overall than a skilled permy on £45-70k a year.

[Bagpuss]

Exactly well put.

[MrMark]

Contrary to what some contractors think, you are not necessarily better or have more skills than the permies. In fact you will often find ex-contractors who've turned permie due to personal issues or the way to get a regular income, and thus they will know more than you as they're familiar with the business rules. However as a contractor you're meant to be more flexible and quicker to learn than your average permie.