RE: Ethics of Jumping To Another Contract Job

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

I had a contract that went on for several months longer than original
contracted and I was clueless about how to handle it.  I stayed on for the
pay and the medical benefits that I wound up needing.  Although, I did
mention to the recruiter that I should have a rate increase because the
three-month contract was heading into six months.  They told me that the
manager would not pay more, although the recruiter could have adjusted its
margin.  After that, I decided to not stay on for contracts that went longer
than planned.  I have also resigned myself to never accept an extension
without a careful examination of all terms and not just rates.

After the first never-ending contract, I had another short, three-month
contract.   I was ready to leave at the end of the three months and I had
something lined up.  The recruiter and the manager never talked to me about
an extension and when I had my new contract, I told them both that I would
leave at the end of three months.  The manager was surprised, "Just like
that?"  Well, yeah.  The recruiter was surprised too, "Well I guess I
dropped the ball on that one."  Well, yeah.  

The manager was still friendly with me after that when a bunch of us got
together for "choir practice" and the recruiter later placed me at Intel.
Leaving when the contract term is over is acceptable, but if you give the
impression that you are staying on, then you should probably be very tactful
about how you leave.

I do review my contracts now for open-ended terms like duration.  Is a
six-month contract really just six months?  Is this a temp-to-hire duration?
If so, when does the hiring process begin?  Is the term an estimate based on
measured deliverables?  If so, what are the deliverables and is there a
bonus for finishing early?

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On 
> Behalf Of Ned Bedinger
> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2007 2:04 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Ethics of Jumping To Another Contract Job
> 
> John Posada wrote:
> > 
> > Richard...by now you've reaslized the error of 
> > not including a condition that any extension 
>  > requires an exam of the rates...doesn't mean
>  > you will change them, but it gives the option
>  > of opening the discussion.
> > 
> 
> I agree with this, although most agencies and their clients seem to 
> think it a highly irregular thing to ask for. If they had more 
> composure, I think they'd be saying something like "But we've 
> agreed on 
> your rate. Are you now telling me that it is not your rate?"
> 
> The correct response is, "No, I am saying that if you want to keep me 
> off the market past our agreed-to end date, it might cost you." If 
> you're an agency contractor, you have to do this with the agency and 
> trust them to make the terms clear to the client. 
> Tr-r-r-uhhh-ssss-t! :-(
> 
> Maybe some agency people will weigh in and explain how they would 
> receive this kind of requirement from a W-2 tech writer. I 
> think I know 
> ("it puts us on the spot"), but I'd like to discuss it in the 
> context of 
> tech writers trying to stay off the spot that open-ended 
> contracts put 
> us on.
> 
> Ned Bedinger
> doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
> 
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help 
> file formats or 
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows 
> Vista & 2007 
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
> 
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
> 
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu -dot- 
> 
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit 
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/lt34%40csus.edu
> 
> 
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> 
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.