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Permie irritations

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    Permie irritations

    Shouldn't complain as it was my own choice, but certain aspects of permiedom are already starting to annoy me;
    - the whinges about my habit of talking slowly when I'm explaining something complex
    - the whinges about my ability to ask questions (project related) that people don't really like to answer (I'm a tester; it's my job to do that!)
    - the whinges about my clothing being too smart/trendy
    - the whinges about the ageing contractormobile
    - the habit of other employees to use tech meetings as an excuse to whinge about 'the management', their pay, their influence or lack of it
    - the fact that I've been at a clientco doing insultancy for 5 weeks during the 2 month trial period in which I can be sacked or can walk away from one day to the next, and nobody, no, really, nobody from the office has called to ask how things are going; I'd have thought that when you send the new guy to a client you'd at least check up on how he feels things are going

    Anyway, I console myself with three things;
    - I'm much better paid than most permies
    - I can get a tulipload of training and be paid for it
    - I can go contracting again if I choose or if necessary

    Whinge over.
    And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

    #2
    I reckon you'll crack around the time of the first appraisal. 5 weeks though, good going, I don't think I could take it.
    While you're waiting, read the free novel we sent you. It's a Spanish story about a guy named 'Manual.'

    Comment


      #3
      I feel for you, but regarding the meetings - im finding the same issue working on.contracts with permies.

      most FTE's who've been at the same place doing the same role for.more than 5 years is not driven anymore imo. Far too much dead wood everywhere.

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        #4
        Here's one that really annoys me; feedback from the client (the whinge about my talking slowly and asking difficult questions) came via a colleague and then via my direct manager, who says people are nervous of giving me feedback directly because I exude so much self confidence and appear stronger than them. FFS, yes I appear self-confident; that possibly comes from rugby, where you sort of have to appear self confident when some 18 stone Fijian runs like hell at you, but believe it or not, if you want to discuss something with me I'm capable of listening and understanding in a reasonable fashion without tearing your head off. Basically, instead of telling the wimps to grow a pair, I'm expected to adapt to the weaklings.
        And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

        Comment


          #5
          Suity? Suity? Is that you?

          Man the fook up you whining bedwetter!!!
          What happens in General, stays in General.
          You know what they say about assumptions!

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post
            Suity? Suity? Is that you?

            Man the fook up you whining bedwetter!!!
            I think Suity might be more tolerant of wimps than I am.
            And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
              I think Suity might be more tolerant of wimps than I am.
              Should have taken a more senior permie role. That way you get to moan about your staff & how you have to micro manage them like children or tell them they dress funny.
              What happens in General, stays in General.
              You know what they say about assumptions!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post
                Should have taken a more senior permie role. That way you get to moan about your staff & how you have to micro manage them like children or tell them they dress funny.
                Sounds great.

                WHY do people waste big chunks of their lives complaining about things that are completely irrelevant to the job in hand, like other people's clothing, manner of speech etc? What's going on in their tiny little lives? Is there really NOTHING more important to worry about?
                And what exactly is wrong with an "ad hominem" argument? Dodgy Agent, 16-5-2014

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
                  Sounds great.

                  WHY do people waste big chunks of their lives complaining about things that are completely irrelevant to the job in hand, like other people's clothing, manner of speech etc? What's going on in their tiny little lives? Is there really NOTHING more important to worry about?
                  Sounds to me like they're finding that you're not approachable. The things they're saying all indicate "we're scared of speaking to you". Some people come across as aloof without meaning to. You're not doing anything wrong that they can put their finger on, hence it must be the fact that you don't dress like them, speak like them or whinge like them. Think about how you come across - 'confident' is a euphemism for unapproachable. If you (inadvertently) make them feel stupid when they ask something, it's not going to help. Just tone down the answer a bit.

                  Consider:

                  "Mich, I'm not sure how to make tea - I've got the tea bag and the mug, what do I do next?"

                  Response A:

                  "Put the bag in the cup, pour on boiling water, stir, remove bag, add milk".

                  Response B:

                  "Looks like you've made a good start. There's a few ways you could tackle this - I think I'd go with putting the bag in the cup, then adding boiling water. Is that what you were thinking?"

                  B might take a bit longer to get your cuppa, but the person making it won't go away feeling like "He thinks I should have known that".

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by mudskipper View Post
                    B might take a bit longer to get your cuppa, but the person making it won't go away feeling like "He thinks I should have known that".
                    I'm not sure thats the issue because

                    Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post
                    - the whinges about my habit of talking slowly when I'm explaining something complex
                    so he's already doing that. Could it be that he's doing B when some people actually want A so it appears to be condescending while its not meant to be.

                    To be honest Mitch is on to a losing battle here. Unless they say what the actual problem is how do you go and fix it.
                    merely at clientco for the entertainment

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