Professionalism II

[SaltyLevels]

If you can give notice and want to leave, then give notice and leave.

If you can't give notice and want to leave, then either leave at the end of the contract, or get a substitute in for the duration of the contract.

Act like a business, get treated like a business. Act like a c*** and you get treated like a c***.

...or fold your limited company up and walk away that day.

[TheFaQQer]

...or fold your limited company up and walk away that day.

Seems a little extreme to shut down your company just so that you can leave a contract.

[darmstadt]

In over 25 years of contracting I've never had this but as people have said, I would act professional having looked at the notice period on my contract and contacted other companies (agencies, consultancies, etc.) to say that I would be available for interviews and could leave shortly after an offer had been made. The nearest I have come to this was when an agency said that the payment terms would have to change as the client was on a 90 day payment schedule with them and so that would be my new schedule. I refused saying that I could quite easily leave next week (1 weeks notice) and it was dropped)

[Mich the Tester]

All n all, the finance sector must be one very different sector from engineering. Whilst it's true someone at the top makes those choices they must have a degree of confidence they can pick those people up again at short notice and at a reduced rate. Otherwise why take the risk? Thinking of cash machine failures and similar stories in the news over the last year, not that I suspect those event are connected.

It is. From my own experience (which might not reflect the experience of others), finance is very much about short term gains. Engineering companies are often carrying out projects that have a 2 or more year build followed by a 10 to 20 year payback, and clientco's customer notices changes to the staff, will ask questions and will be very angry if he feels those changes have led to disappointing performance.

[DodgyAgent]

Now then ....

In light of what RBS has just decided was a good commercial decision, what does the great and the good () on this forum now think of 'professionalism'?

(For those who don't know - RBS has given its contractors a take it or leave 10% rate cut)

If the clients behave like this - how should we? Should we send an email to the client/agency mid contract and demand a 10% uplift by the end of the week or we walk? Professional? Or good commercial decision?

What goes up must come down. You lot make me laugh. You think nothing of asking for a "rate rise" and clients rarely regard you doing so as unprofessional. So what is unprofessional about them imposing a rate reduction? If you don't like it walk - don't whine. I am sure they can get some cheap Indian resource to replace you.

[Halo Jones]

I don't think that's true. You're professional because you're professional, not because the other party is.

Walking when they act unprofessionally is fine, as long as you do so in a professional manner rather than saying "screw you I'm not putting up with this tulip"

Indeed, there's no need to be nasty or insulting about it; it's a business decision and nothing personal.

+1

[DodgyAgent]

It is. From my own experience (which might not reflect the experience of others), finance is very much about short term gains. Engineering companies are often carrying out projects that have a 2 or more year build followed by a 10 to 20 year payback, and clientco's customer notices changes to the staff, will ask questions and will be very angry if he feels those changes have led to disappointing performance.

That is not correct. Engineering companies such as Bechtel, Wood Group, Fluor often work on a T&M basis on margins set by their clients.

[Mich the Tester]

That is not correct. Engineering companies such as Bechtel, Wood Group, Fluor often work on a T&M basis on margins set by their clients.

Well not the engineering companies here in Brabant.


I did also point out; 'From my own experience (which might not reflect the experience of others)', because I assume other posters are functionally literate.

[vetran]

What goes up must come down. You lot make me laugh. You think nothing of asking for a "rate rise" and clients rarely regard you doing so as unprofessional. So what is unprofessional about them imposing a rate reduction? If you don't like it walk - don't whine. I am sure they can get some cheap Indian resource to replace you.

I think the key point is 'mid contract'.

If they offered an extension at a lower rate then it might be professional.

If you asked for a rate rise mid contract that might be seen as unprofessional.

[Fred Bloggs]

That is not correct. Engineering companies such as Bechtel, Wood Group, Fluor often work on a T&M basis on margins set by their clients.

and they're not afraid of cutting rates mid contract when the market allows them to.