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Subject:Re: Bad Employers/Clients List??? From:Elna Tymes <etymes -at- LTS -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 2 May 1997 15:48:17 -0700
Beverly--
>
> To make it easier on the users of the list, the information could be
> arranged by company, with a list of contacts below it, rather than a
> list by person with company names listed below it. That way, if you
> search for XYZ Corp, you find it once and all five techwhirlers who have
> worked there are listed below it--instead of searching for XYZ Corp. and
> having to continue the search five times to find all the information.
>
Think about this: suppose the doc manager at XYZ company is one of
those trolls who couldn't define a project if his/her life depended on
it. Further, suppose this person is politically agile enough that when
the developers change their mind for the nth time about the user
interface, the troll doesn't extend the writer's deadline, forcing gobs
of unpaid overtime because, after all, the writers *are* on salary and
get all those good benes, right?
Now suppose you're looking at the possibility of contracting with XYZ
company, and you'll have to be working with this troll. You won't have
the benefit of any previous contractor experience because XYZ only hired
salaried employees before. You walk into the situation with the best of
intentions, perhaps don't deduce the political situation, and WHAM! get
caught in the crossfire between the troll who doesn't think XYZ should
have to pay for you not getting the work done on time and ordinary good
business practices that say you charge by the hour.
Dragging your raw rear end out of XYZ, you post something unpleasant
about XYZ on this list, citing your experience. Results: (1) XYZ is
likely to shake a large lawyer at you, and you'll get to pay for the
expense of defending yourself, even if you settle and even if you're
right. (2) XYZ's image is tarnished because of the actions of the
troll, who may not actually represent the way XYZ normally does
business.
Now suppose XYZ wises up and gets rid of the troll, promoting one of the
long-suffering employees who managed to outlast the troll. XYZ is still
on the list, and this new person is likely to get all the credibility
fallout most people don't realize is due to the troll. How is this to
be fixed?
Elna Tymes
Los Trancos Systems
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