Working from home

**northernladuk** · 18 October 2011, 14:23

"not good"

KThxBye

Are you talking 100% as in 100% never ever travel, never leave the house, home bound hermit or 100% but don't mind the odd meeting.

You can be 100% based from home but have to do occasional business travel.

Could you clarify?

**TheFaQQer** · 18 October 2011, 14:55

Originally posted by Low Gravity View Post

I am just wondering what the likelihood of getting contract or permanent roles, which are 100% working from home (from Day 1) is. I am not too fussy about the role I take, as long as it is within my core competency of software engineering.

I am guessing "not good", but I thought it would be worthwhile asking.

Rare. Incredibly rare.

Unless you have a solid reputation with lots of references that can be backed up (I don't mean telling the agent who you worked for and the hiring manager there, I mean telling the client what you have done and proving it), then I'd suggest that it's nigh-on impossible to do.

Clients like to see what they are paying for - they expect you to be there, even when you don't need to be.

I've not met anyone from my current client, but when they told the agent their requirements, the agent said "you need TF - I'll see if he's available" and got me on the phone. Original plan was to visit the client for a week, but it never happened - one year later, I've not met any of them. It also helps that the client is a multi-national - some development in India, development lead is in Germany, business users are in USA.

**nomadd** · 18 October 2011, 16:51

Originally posted by Low Gravity View Post

I am just wondering what the likelihood of getting contract or permanent roles, which are 100% working from home (from Day 1) is.

I'd say about slightly less than nil.

I do occasionally work from home for my clients, but it's only after I've had to "prove" myself in the office. Guess this is pretty much the same situation for most contractors.

Why do you have to work 100% from home? I'm not trying to pry, but it's the first thing a client is going to ask. If, for instance, it was to care for a sick or elderly relative, I guess the question would be how could you do that AND hold down a job? Likewise, if you were ill or incapacitated in some way. Or taking care of children. Not trying to be cruel here, but you've got to understand things from a clients perspective... If there is a specific issue, then you could maybe look to the Government, Specialist Support Groups, Job Centre etc. to assist you with your particular needs?

**normalbloke** · 18 October 2011, 16:54

It can happen....

Originally posted by Low Gravity View Post

Hi,
I was recently made redundant after working in software development for 14 years. During that time I had worked as a software engineer, through various roles, up to Head of Engineering.

For personal reasons, if I am to get another job, I will need to work from home, at least for the next 12 months.

I am just wondering what the likelihood of getting contract or permanent roles, which are 100% working from home (from Day 1) is. I am not too fussy about the role I take, as long as it is within my core competency of software engineering.

I am guessing "not good", but I thought it would be worthwhile asking.

Any input would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Some of the bigger consultancy firms do allow WFH on a regular basis, depending on the firm and the type of work. I'm speaking of 13 + years in the game as an Oracle consultant.

A certain BLUE chip company whom I have contracted for several times actually encouraged it (both permies and contractors) as that meant they could close and rationalise offices and reduce the number of desks - most became 'hot desks'. It was expected that you were on-site with a few permies for the first few weeks to learn the ropes, but from then on WFH was perfectly OK as long as you were available on the phone, e-mail, Corporate Instant Messenger etc. If not, then people started shouting. Daily/weekly conf calls sufficed as well as the odd monthly/bi-monthly face to face meetings.

Over the years, the teams I worked in comprised of off-shore, and those on-shore were in all locations top to bottom of the UK. Then again, it seemed a culture thing - most PM's and Managers there were comfortable with the different management style it needs to manage disparate teams.

Other firms in the same sector with whom I contracted, allowed varying degrees of WFH... but all were large corporates with a Nationwide presence and multi site locations.

So it is possible... but I only speak from experience in the large corporates.

**northernladuk** · 18 October 2011, 17:05

Originally posted by normalbloke View Post

Some of the bigger consultancy firms do allow WFH on a regular basis, depending on the firm and the type of work. I'm speaking of 13 + years in the game as an Oracle consultant.

A certain BLUE chip company whom I have contracted for several times actually encouraged it (both permies and contractors) as that meant they could close and rationalise offices and reduce the number of desks - most became 'hot desks'. It was expected that you were on-site with a few permies for the first few weeks to learn the ropes, but from then on WFH was perfectly OK as long as you were available on the phone, e-mail, Corporate Instant Messenger etc. If not, then people started shouting. Daily/weekly conf calls sufficed as well as the odd monthly/bi-monthly face to face meetings.

Over the years, the teams I worked in comprised of off-shore, and those on-shore were in all locations top to bottom of the UK. Then again, it seemed a culture thing - most PM's and Managers there were comfortable with the different management style it needs to manage disparate teams.

Other firms in the same sector with whom I contracted, allowed varying degrees of WFH... but all were large corporates with a Nationwide presence and multi site locations.

So it is possible... but I only speak from experience in the large corporates.

But do you talk from experience of seeing corportates give 100% home working as the OP requests or are you making a generalisation about WFH that is no use to the OP? On site for first few weeks <> 100% from home.

To be fair the OP cannot expect anything if he is offering absolutely zero flexibility. I think he hasn't worded his request properly.

**SueEllen** · 18 October 2011, 17:51

I have home-based friends (permanent, contract and freelance) and even I've worked from home for contracts. However none of them (including myself) has ever worked from home from day 1.

To start off you will need 3 days to a week in the office to ensure that:
1. You know what the role is and how they operate
2. Your laptop is configured to do the work
3. You are set up to communicate with others

Then there will be regular meetings where you are expected to go in the office.

Oh and the contracts I've worked from home have been large and small companies.

**kaiser78** · 18 October 2011, 18:06

I currently do two days a week at home, negotiated and agreed when accepted contract.

**FiveTimes** · 18 October 2011, 18:18

My current contract was all agreed over the phone and email and we agreed that I will do 3 days on site every 2 weeks.
For the first week I did 4 days on site then 1 from home, the 2nd week I did 2 days on site 3 at home. I will eventually get it down to a single day a week.

However its rare to find gigs like this.

**scooterscot** · 18 October 2011, 18:44

Originally posted by Low Gravity View Post

I am just wondering what the likelihood of getting contract or

getting implies going and that's what you'll need to do.

Nearly every work package I've secured that allows me to work from home required some client facetime.

The last 10-15 years of aggressive agents selling people that were not suited to the job they were employed for has burnt clients (certainly my clients) trust something rotten.

There's no quick fix, it's back to basics. Ask yourself would you hire someone who called you up on the phone and be prepared to spend £10K's on someone you've never met? I wouldn't.

Working from home