dear deirdre ... what would you do?

**BolshieBastard** · 26 October 2009, 14:07

The market is ******* fantastic. There's so may jobs, you can pick and choose or put your feet up until after Christmas if you want.

**gingerjedi** · 26 October 2009, 14:13

Originally posted by babybel View Post

I have a contract atm, been here 2 yrs, there's not much to do but it's close to homeish and stress free and governmental so has been relatively recession proof.

There's 2 of us in the specialist team but the woman I work with is pathologically unable to share the work / info so I have nowt to do mostly unless she's off. I try to look busy but it's not easy. I think the client has to provide @ least 1 specialist in my field to the end client so this is kind of my function - a backup & for when it gets busy. Dunno if they make £ from me or not.

So anyways, they're now trying to make me do general dogs body stuff in the not so busy bits ... desktop crap, laptop builds, pointing out the difference between users arses and elbows ... yadda yadda.

My first thought, is to 'av a word' and say that whilst I'm happy to help out, I am contracted as an xyz specialist and as I'm sure they'll understand (they're all contract too), it will do me no good to move away from this.

Trouble is, for once, I have no idea how this conversation would end.

IF I end up having my contract terminated, what's the market like now? There's loads more jobs coming through and better rates but what are your thoughts? Is this a good indicator? What would you do? Bend over and take it or be prepared to take a stand (if it comes to that?).

**Board Game Geek** · 26 October 2009, 14:15

Originally posted by babybel View Post

I have a contract atm, been here 2 yrs, there's not much to do but it's close to homeish and stress free and governmental so has been relatively recession proof.

There's 2 of us in the specialist team but the woman I work with is pathologically unable to share the work / info so I have nowt to do mostly unless she's off. I try to look busy but it's not easy. I think the client has to provide @ least 1 specialist in my field to the end client so this is kind of my function - a backup & for when it gets busy. Dunno if they make £ from me or not.

So anyways, they're now trying to make me do general dogs body stuff in the not so busy bits ... desktop crap, laptop builds, pointing out the difference between users arses and elbows ... yadda yadda.

My first thought, is to 'av a word' and say that whilst I'm happy to help out, I am contracted as an xyz specialist and as I'm sure they'll understand (they're all contract too), it will do me no good to move away from this.

Trouble is, for once, I have no idea how this conversation would end.

IF I end up having my contract terminated, what's the market like now? There's loads more jobs coming through and better rates but what are your thoughts? Is this a good indicator? What would you do? Bend over and take it or be prepared to take a stand (if it comes to that?).

I'd suggest you take it on the chin and get stuck in with their other requests.

It's all very well being a "specialist", but when things are slack in your neck of the woods, and the client has other work to do, it just doesn't make economic sense to hire an additional body to do the work if an existing body can do it competently.

Since you're being paid for the original work, and there is none to do, you can hardly ask for more money to do additional work when taking up the slack, can you ?

Get stuck in, and show the client that you are multi-faceted and agreeable to being flexible. Clients like that.

**babybel** · 26 October 2009, 14:17

Ok, what I mean by that is...

on the job searches compared to the prev. year ... whether they're true rates, what the competition is like I have no idea.

**stingman123** · 26 October 2009, 14:20

So....I've hired you and you think you're too good?

You're a contractor, get on with it

**Paddy** · 26 October 2009, 14:27

Stick with it and use the time as experience to know how systems work through to the end user. If you don’t know what goes on in first line support how can you be or become a consultant. You can easily forget by being too long in the back room. There are too many IT specialists who ignore what systems are all about. When PM a project I make a point of visiting a selection of end users before and after.

**babybel** · 26 October 2009, 14:53

fair enough

thanks for your advice.

b.t.w where do people stand on the whole 6 month contract / 1 month notice business? is it bad form to sign for the standard at my place, 6 months, and move on after say 3 having given the required notice period? (p.s. not talking about a project as such so wouldn't be leaving a piece of work incomplete).

**swamp** · 26 October 2009, 15:28

Originally posted by babybel View Post

thanks for your advice.

b.t.w where do people stand on the whole 6 month contract / 1 month notice business? is it bad form to sign for the standard at my place, 6 months, and move on after say 3 having given the required notice period? (p.s. not talking about a project as such so wouldn't be leaving a piece of work incomplete).

No. If you have a notice period then you are perfectly entitled to use it. My current client renewed a contractor for 12 months and then terminated their contract (with 1 month's notice) two weeks' later -- they only had a two weeks' work for the contractor.

**babybel** · 26 October 2009, 15:37

my thoughts too as it works both ways. thanks.

dear deirdre ... what would you do?