Do you help contractor mates into your team?

**Cliphead** · 12 August 2011, 06:49

I've managed to get friends onto the team three times over the years. Agent was happy with the recommendation and friends were delighted with the gig, ClientCo happy with the work, sorted all round.

**Paddy** · 12 August 2011, 06:51

Originally posted by aussielong View Post

Have you ever got a contractor mate a job in your team?

I have twice, and its blown up on me both times. Once because the guy blamed me for ruining his life due to the work turning out to be unsuitable for his abilities. And next time because when the work started drying up the other bloke started attempting weak positioning to oust me, so he could take the remaining work.

Interested to hear others experience... is this a schoolboy error?

I use the term "mate" loosely. Ex-colleague would be more appropriate.

I always help fellow contractors even if they are FTVs from India and Australia. Never has anything blown up in my face which begs the question; why it happened twice to you.

The only time I don’t help is when a contractor has got the gig by BS and knows FA.

**Lockhouse** · 12 August 2011, 06:52

I'd help to get a genuine mate a gig and I'd expect the same in return.

I got an aquaintance's son two weeks work experience working on one of the trading desks and didn't even get a thank you. Obviously well suited to working in IB.

**MarillionFan** · 12 August 2011, 07:22

Once I helped another contractor I had worked with get a gig. It back fired spectacularly, I got terminated after a week and they sited that I had been on the phone(among other things) (which I had to him), got terminated early, they then also hired him - he never said thanks and frankly I'll never ever do it again.

**ChimpMaster** · 12 August 2011, 07:43

I've helped and offered to help many contractors (ex-colleagues), and I would hope that they might also help me in times of trouble. It's not once had a negative impact.

I do find that most contractors are tunnel-visioned in their own work/life, and are very bad sales people, which doesn't help when you would like them to try and sell you into their client. As a contractor you should have some well-rounded business acumen as well as being a technical expert, otherwise you'd barely be able to keep yourself in a role.

Personally I would say that most contractors are out for themselves, which is a real shame (though I note many on this forum are different

)

**TestMangler** · 12 August 2011, 07:52

I do it all the time and It's usually OK.

Blew up in my face once when I got a guy with a support background into test environment management and he couldn't handle it, because he could only work with broken things that were laid out in front of him with an instruction to 'fix'. He couldn't manage any kind of logical thought for planning etc. Reflected badly at the time, but been back with the client several times since, so not that bad.

In return for always helping mates into gigs, I've had to look for a gig once in about the last ten years. Everything else has been brought to me by mates or ex-colleagues, so it works for me.

**TraceRacing** · 12 August 2011, 08:27

Well, my gig fell through so I'm still in permiedom...

If you know anyone looking for an Senior Project Manager with extensive infrastructure background (data centres, virtualisation etc), please let me know....

**Mich the Tester** · 12 August 2011, 08:33

Originally posted by aussielong View Post

Have you ever got a contractor mate a job in your team?

I would never consider doing such a dishonourable deed.

Not without a significant bribe.

**jmo21** · 12 August 2011, 08:35

Originally posted by aussielong View Post

Once because the guy blamed me for ruining his life due to the work turning out to be unsuitable for his abilities.

ruined his life?? WTF!!?

Do you help contractor mates into your team?