Bad Contract, what to do?

Jelly 292

Hi,
Id just like to get some opinions on my position here.

I am currently 3 months into a contract due to run until Dec/Jan.

I am an IT contractor. A lot of the I was bought in to do I have done and I am just doing day to day tasks at the moment, some days quite , some days busy.

The work is not the problem. This company has is in the middle of a merger at the moment and there is a lot of staff demoralization, staff/site conflict and un-professionalisim (impolite emails/phone calls etc) and general lack of management/leadership.

I have tried to ignore this but feel I am being sucked into it lately more and more.

The upside if I have still yet to meet my manager face to face and therefore is fairly autonomous onsite which is nice.
It’s just very hard when I have to interact with the other teams/sites to get something done, infuriating sometimes!

So I am thinking about handing in a months notice as this will force my bum in gear to look for another contract.

The problem is I want a reference from this job as I have done good work here but the manager I have never met is not aware/does not care about this.

If I terminate a contract early will this look bad for my next contract, particularly if I have any problems getting a decent reference?

Opinions appreciated

The Hill Billy

Personally, I've had some really shìt contracts, but I've never broken one as I feel that once I sign up for something I should see it through.

Potential clients would view the early termination of a contract as a "negative". If I was hiring someone & it transpired that they terminated a contract (for no particularly good reason such as yours) I would be reticent to hire them. I'd be asking myself if they would do the same again & possibly leave me up shìt creek at a critical time in a project or whatever.

Jelly 292

Well, there is good reason from my point of view -

morale is so poor that no one on my team talks to each other due to the manager never showing up to manage, therefore a lot of silly issues have got out of hand with the permanent members ,making my position very uncomfortable.

I get talked to like sh!t constantly to put it bluntly, I have said this to my manager who has done nothing and never mentioned it; he does not want to know.

It is a constant state of conflict and I feel I am piggy in the middle.

As for leaving before contract end- I have done my work, I have bought in the project I was hired for, ahead of time 100% complete. I am just covering mat leave at the moment doing no brainier calls; the role was pitched to be a lot more varied than it is.


So your advice is to hang in no matter what?

The Hill Billy

Remember, this only MY opinion. This is not a criticism of your point of view. Taking your points one-by-one...

Jelly 292 wrote:

morale is so poor that no one on my team talks to each other due to the manager never showing up to manage, therefore a lot of silly issues have got out of hand with the permanent members ,making my position very uncomfortable.

Future client thinks: Low morale is par for the course at certain times in any organisation. If morale gets low here is Jelly 292 going to up sticks & leave me in the lurch?

Jelly 292 wrote:

I get talked to like sh!t constantly to put it bluntly, I have said this to my manager who has done nothing and never mentioned it; he does not want to know.

There are some good managers & some bad managers. As a contractor going from job to job you need to learn how to take the good with the bad.

Jelly 292 wrote:

It is a constant state of conflict and I feel I am piggy in the middle.

Contractors often get hired to deal with the shìt that a permanent staff member wouldn't put up with. Again, thick skin required for these situations.

Jelly 292 wrote:

As for leaving before contract end- I have done my work, I have bought in the project I was hired for, ahead of time 100% complete. I am just covering mat leave at the moment doing no brainier calls; the role was pitched to be a lot more varied than it is.

OK, so you were hired to do one thing & now you're doing something different. Adaptability is another good attribute of an IT contractor. Also, as the initial project was completed the client could have let you go. As they haven't they either want to live up to their side of the contract or value your skills & wish to retain them.

Jelly 292 wrote:

So your advice is to hang in no matter what?

That is what I'd do. I'm not advising you to do anything.
Maybe put feelers out to your manager to see if you could come sort of arrangement that you'd both be agreeable to with regards to you finishing sooner. That way you still may get a decent reference.

Jelly 292

OK, points taken Billy, thick skin is probably the best approach for now, I am contracting after all.
Thanks for your feedback

Ishmael

If the money is somewhat decent then i would probably stay in it for the long haul to get the reference.

It will look bad at first to a future employer but if you can explain your reasons of why you terminated the contract earlier than scheduled then you'd probably be fine.

If you going to do so then, only highlight the reason as this:

Jelly 292 wrote:

As for leaving before contract end- I have done my work, I have bought in the project I was hired for, ahead of time 100% complete.

and not any of the negative stuff that was going on.

If you're looking for the reference then, i would suggest getting to know the manager a bit better and maybe suggesting to him that you have already completed the work you were brought in for and feel that your current activities are currently not challenging enough, or not within the scope of what you were looking for when you took on the contract.

See what the reply is and base your judgment around that.

Jelly 292

Thanks Ishmael, I think you are confirming what has been said and to be honest, after a bit of calming down and reflection you and Billy are right.

The one thing is I cant get to know my manager as I still have not met him yet, in 3 months. Kinda sums it all up!

The Hill Billy

Jelly: Fair dues for taking a fresh look at things. Best of luck with your contracting.

the_syco

Try emailing him, or HR. Ask "wots up"?