New Contractor Joins Team - Strictly 9->6

[joey122]

Ok so I come from a perm background and am just doing my first gig - I am earning 2 times what I got as a perm (and that without the tax advantages)

The team is generally young recent grads so a lot of these guys work hard and long hours

Generally I work from 8 -> 7

Well a new guy has joined who is a more senior contractor and he is strictly 9->6PM

What sort of times do people do in contracting here??

[Cowboy Bob]

Strictly 9 -> 6 on a normal day with 1 hour lunch. I will work longer but my rate goes up after my "core hours".

Currently lucky in that client co. permies only do 9 -> 5 so I do as well, which, with a daily rate rather than hourly works out really well.

[OwlHoot]

9:30 to just after 6, with a 45 min lunch and a couple of fag breaks.

Working long "permie" hours is bad for productivity in the long run, as people start getting sloppy and spinning things out, especially in the morning.

Expecting long hours as a matter of course is a sure sign of a bad manager, unless there's a specific reason such as a temporary flap or a need to interact with people in different time zones to complete some task.

[SorenLorensen]

9 to 5. Always. 8 to 7 is ridiculous IMO. I presume you don't have kids. As a contractor you don't need to have the permie attitude of being seen. I will only be judged on performance and deliverables.

[norrahe]

8.30 - 4.30 with 1 hour for lunch

If you want to work late or long hours then go permie

[darmstadt]

12:00-13:00 with 59 minutes for lunch As a contractor I set my own times.

[cojak]

8.30 - 5.30 with an hour for lunch.

I'll work longer hours for a build up to go-live or a particular part of the project, but would never let the client think that I'd work that as a norm.

You can burn-out too easily and the client will always let you do it.

In fact I make a point of working 8.30 - 5.00 for the 1st 2 weeks of the contract. That's when the 'norm' is set....

[minestrone]

9:10 to 4:30 with a half hour break.

They signed me up knowing I have a 3:30 hour commute and that I am very good at my job.

[basshead]

I work for as long as I'm contracted to, plus anything extra I think I need to do to get the job done, within the bounds of commitments outside of work.

Thats recently meant 8.30ish-6ish with a few late nights and/or early mornings if the project needs it, provided the client is equally flexible in terms of time in lieu and/or overtime rate. Once you've shown a certain level of commitment and professionalism in your work, I find clients are flexible and accommodating, it works both ways.

If I'm learning something new I'll put in extra time because it benefits you+yourco in the long run, and the client shouldn't be paying for your training time.

[Zippy]

I'm a start early, finish early kind of monkey. I can usually do the hours I want and have a very short lunch break.