Working with other contractors

[psychocandy]

Current gig the other contractor is ok, previous gig the same. But in previous gigs, I've worked with some right weird ones. Examples:-

Contractor 1)

Insisted on working 9-10 hours a day to try to impress client regardless of workload. Client didnt even notice.

Worked without a contract for weeks when client couldnt be arsed to get it sorted. Making me look like a right dick when I refused to work without contract.

Contractor 2)

Client had two pieces of work shall we say, A and B. B was important but for some reason client saw A as more important and produced status reports etc every week which management saw.

Contractor 2 for some reason decide that B was more important and put all his efforts into B. Again all client noticed was the management reports for A.

Contractor 3)

Used to continually swear in a loud voice in an open office. Even when walking through an open office no matter who was around. Used to avoid going anywhere with him because I didnt want to be associated. Didnt seem to realise that one complaint from an important permie and that'd be it for him.

Anyone else?

And yes Im bound to get the one about the contractor called PC who spent all his day on this site moaning about the client!

[BrilloPad]

Are you trying to suggest that all the permies you have worked with have been normal?

[psychocandy]

Are you trying to suggest that all the permies you have worked with have been normal?

lol. Goes without saying they're not.

I tend to ignore them and let them get on with it. Obviously, as permies they have different agendas such as career advancement etc so if they want to do long hours, do dull things etc its up to them.

[TheFaQQer]

Insisted on working 9-10 hours a day to try to impress client regardless of workload.

How do you know that this was their motivation?

Worked without a contract for weeks when client couldnt be arsed to get it sorted. Making me look like a right dick when I refused to work without contract.

If they want to run their business that way, then that's a business decision for them. At one stage, I worked for this client without a contract without knowing whether I would get an extension. Why? Because I hoped that there would be one, it showed that I still had some interest in the project, I had nothing else to do, and so I wasn't losing anything really. Plenty of consultancies do this, so if that's how some people want to run their business then so be it.

You should be able to explain clearly to the client why it is important to have the correct paperwork in place. If you can't without them thinking you're a dick, then that says something about your ability to influence.

Contractor 2 for some reason decide that B was more important and put all his efforts into B. Again all client noticed was the management reports for A.

Client can't make sure that the priorities are clearly understood. This makes the contractor a weirdo?

Didnt seem to realise that one complaint from an important permie and that'd be it for him.

If you are good enough, then you can punch the important permies in the face and they won't terminate the contract.

[doodab]

If you are good enough, then you can punch the important permies in the face and they won't terminate the contract.

I once shouted bulltulip at the top of my voice at a permie PM during a particularly heated argument. He offered me a team lead role not long after.

[The Spartan]

Dear me, each to their own and all that.

I pay no attention to what anyone else does and just focus on me and my business everything else is totally irrelevant, contractors are a mixed bunch much like permies but I don't waste my time trying to understand them and their motivation that's just wasted effort.

[psychocandy]

How do you know that this was their motivation?

Yep - used to boast about how impressed the client would be.

If they want to run their business that way, then that's a business decision for them. At one stage, I worked for this client without a contract without knowing whether I would get an extension. Why? Because I hoped that there would be one, it showed that I still had some interest in the project, I had nothing else to do, and so I wasn't losing anything really. Plenty of consultancies do this, so if that's how some people want to run their business then so be it.

You should be able to explain clearly to the client why it is important to have the correct paperwork in place. If you can't without them thinking you're a dick, then that says something about your ability to influence.

Long story this one which we've done before. Client was serial offender and had MO of doing this not even knowing if contractor would be paid. Rumours that someone did get shafted once after working for free for weeks. After first time, I insisted on just email ok but they wouldnt even do this just expected contractors to turn up and pray budget would be OKed

Client can't make sure that the priorities are clearly understood. This makes the contractor a weirdo?

It was obvious where client priority lay. Its just contractor decided in his head where his priority was

If you are good enough, then you can punch the important permies in the face and they won't terminate the contract.

Maybe. But upsetting random permies by unprofessional behaviour is generally not a good idea. What might be a manager telling off for something like this to a permie, could be an exit to a contractor.

You might be the best person ever in a tech team but if you walk past the CEO whos with some customers and use the C word loudly to your mate then quite possibly all of that wont matter.

[TheFaQQer]

It was obvious where client priority lay. Its just contractor decided in his head where his priority was

So who was managing the deliverables?

[quackhandle]

Dear me, each to their own and all that.

I pay no attention to what anyone else does and just focus on me and my business everything else is totally irrelevant, contractors are a mixed bunch much like permies but I don't waste my time trying to understand them and their motivation that's just wasted effort.

+1. There's enough needy & whiny nappy wearers on here, let alone at my last client site. Just keep invoicing.

qh

[NotAllThere]

...Making me look like a right dick when I refused to work without contract....

No. That's not the reason.

We had one chap turn up at 10am most mornings reeking of booze. He had a hip flask and by would be drunk by 3pm. Still took management 3 weeks to can him.