Re: Contracting and Flexibility

[Jo Francis Byrd <jbyrd -at- byrdwrites -dot- com>]

Yes and no (or, as Jared Spool would say, "It depends.....").

It all depends on the client. Some are very process oriented and want you there
ALL the time. Some are more flexible...they want you onsite, but can tolerate
you working at home now and again if you have something going on (repairman
coming out, a couple of doctor appointments, this is the only way you can get
your work done...), some leave the option up to you (my current situation;
currently I'm onsite one day a week for status meetings), and occasionally you
get one where you'll never see the client in person, it's all remote.

As much as anything, I think it's a mental state. Most clients, I have found,
don't mind you taking off as long as it doesn't impact a deadline - and you do
have to take this into consideration when planning a vacation or time off.
Always let the client know well in advance, "I'm going to be gone the week of
____, is there anything that MUST be done before then? I want to be sure
everything is done before I leave." If the work is done, or at least not
impacted, the client usually doesn't mind - after all, they don't have to pay
you if you're not working that day or week!

Good luck!

Jo Byrd

"Tony G. Rocco" wrote:

> I have long been interested in the life of a contractor. But I am wondering if
> those of you who contract find all the flexibility in time and place that you
> are looking for - things like working at home, keeping your own hours, working
> less than full-time if you want to, taking days off and extended vacation
> time.
>
> Is contracting all it's cracked up to be in this regard?
>
> - tgrrr