Bad Etiquette to give notice and leave contract?
Discussion
This is my first IT contract, but the job is driving me up the wall. I'm very reluctant to leave if I'm honest. I'm worried about my reputation being affected etc. But the job isn't what I thought it would be.
I'm a hands on sort of guy, mainly specialising in Desktop Support but getting more and more into Windows Server stuff and Exchange etc. (which I've been studying as that's where I want to go long term).
The job I've ended up with, which was described as mainly 2nd line desktop support and was taken as a stop gap, is just killing me. It's a mix of 1st and 2nd line, which wouldn't be unbearable in itself, but they have a separate infrastructure dept. I get next to no server related work and the majority of my day is spent sat at a desk, answering a phone.
It's the exact opposite of what I was looking for.
The notice period is a week but with the company being a decent size it would have been nice to do well with them and have them come back to me one day if they needed some Exchange work done when I've got my certifications. Now I'm thinking I need to just get out before I end up getting the boot as I can only see my enthusiasm draining out of me, and trips to the loo or the coffee machine becoming more and more frequent to break up the day
I'm a hands on sort of guy, mainly specialising in Desktop Support but getting more and more into Windows Server stuff and Exchange etc. (which I've been studying as that's where I want to go long term).
The job I've ended up with, which was described as mainly 2nd line desktop support and was taken as a stop gap, is just killing me. It's a mix of 1st and 2nd line, which wouldn't be unbearable in itself, but they have a separate infrastructure dept. I get next to no server related work and the majority of my day is spent sat at a desk, answering a phone.
It's the exact opposite of what I was looking for.
The notice period is a week but with the company being a decent size it would have been nice to do well with them and have them come back to me one day if they needed some Exchange work done when I've got my certifications. Now I'm thinking I need to just get out before I end up getting the boot as I can only see my enthusiasm draining out of me, and trips to the loo or the coffee machine becoming more and more frequent to break up the day
k it, keep at it, it's not forever, but it is honestly driving me nuts now. If the contract is decent money, albeit boring, then it may well be worth just sticking at it. Have you actually found another contract or would you be looking once you give notice?
Start networking in the company and letting the right people know what other skills you have. You never know, there might be another opportunity that arrises.
Start networking in the company and letting the right people know what other skills you have. You never know, there might be another opportunity that arrises.
1st Contract - sit tight and complete it. Whilst you are there, get to know the Infrastructure folks. Get known, get liked but don't arse-creep them. You will gain insight into what skills they are looking for and what type of person they would like in their team. Almost anyone can learn the tech skills, it is the soft-skills which are critical and can't be learned, only honed - you either have the ability to interact, or not.
Having been IT contracting for 13 years now, the market out there for 3rd Line Support is full of bods "on the bench". Its better to have a 1st Line / 2nd Line contract than none at all.
Get your certifications done in the meantime.
Having been IT contracting for 13 years now, the market out there for 3rd Line Support is full of bods "on the bench". Its better to have a 1st Line / 2nd Line contract than none at all.
Get your certifications done in the meantime.
TroubledSoul said:
For what I am doing, the money is good, but it is hard to think solely of that when going slightly insane.
Nothing else on the horizon, I'd just start looking and letting people know I have a 1 week notice period. Once I found something I'd give notice.
In that case it depends on your Manager. If he realises that the work is drying up anyway then he may be ok to let you go early. The last thing a Manager wants is an unhappy person working for them.Nothing else on the horizon, I'd just start looking and letting people know I have a 1 week notice period. Once I found something I'd give notice.
But this depends on how reasonable and pragmatic that Manager is!
TroubledSoul said:
This is my first IT contract, but the job is driving me up the wall.
I'm a hands on sort of guy, mainly specialising in Desktop Support but getting more and more into Windows Server stuff and Exchange etc. (which I've been studying as that's where I want to go long term).
It's the exact opposite of what I was looking for.
Do you actually have any experience of "Server Stuff", or are you expecting a contract based on your certifications?I'm a hands on sort of guy, mainly specialising in Desktop Support but getting more and more into Windows Server stuff and Exchange etc. (which I've been studying as that's where I want to go long term).
It's the exact opposite of what I was looking for.
If you have no experience, then you're kidding yourself. You'll have to gain the experience and for that you'll need a lucky break. It sounds like this contract isn't the one, but the next one might be. Personally I wouldn't walk before the end of the contract, but it's ok not to renew.
If you have the experience then it sounds like you need to re-vamp your CV.
omniflow said:
Do you actually have any experience of "Server Stuff", or are you expecting a contract based on your certifications?
If you have no experience, then you're kidding yourself. You'll have to gain the experience and for that you'll need a lucky break. It sounds like this contract isn't the one, but the next one might be. Personally I wouldn't walk before the end of the contract, but it's ok not to renew.
If you have the experience then it sounds like you need to re-vamp your CV.
Yes, the thing about employing a contractor is that you expect them to have the skills you need, you don't expect to be paying them to learn as you might with a permanent employee. So getting Exchange work on contract if you don't have the certifications and experience is a little optimistic, not saying it can't happen, but you'd have to drop lucky.If you have no experience, then you're kidding yourself. You'll have to gain the experience and for that you'll need a lucky break. It sounds like this contract isn't the one, but the next one might be. Personally I wouldn't walk before the end of the contract, but it's ok not to renew.
If you have the experience then it sounds like you need to re-vamp your CV.
Contracting is, IMHO, for those who already have the skills and experience.
omniflow said:
Do you actually have any experience of "Server Stuff", or are you expecting a contract based on your certifications?
If you have no experience, then you're kidding yourself. You'll have to gain the experience and for that you'll need a lucky break. It sounds like this contract isn't the one, but the next one might be. Personally I wouldn't walk before the end of the contract, but it's ok not to renew.
If you have the experience then it sounds like you need to re-vamp your CV.
Yes I've done plenty of work on Windows servers. Not as much as I would have liked, but enough to get roles working with them.If you have no experience, then you're kidding yourself. You'll have to gain the experience and for that you'll need a lucky break. It sounds like this contract isn't the one, but the next one might be. Personally I wouldn't walk before the end of the contract, but it's ok not to renew.
If you have the experience then it sounds like you need to re-vamp your CV.
My CV is pretty good. There's no issue with that at all. The only issue is with the role I took this time, and wondering whether to persevere or not. I do need some more experience with Exchange, hence the studying, but I can install it, set it up, get mail flowing etc. and can point to my previous role as one where I did installations.
Without wanting to be rude, but I wouldn't consider that enough in a contractor. I'd want to see real experience of running a service and solving the problems that come along.
Installing and setting up is the basic stuff. What integration have you done? I'm not a windows person so I'm not up on what the normal products are that you'd be integrating with.
In your place I'd be having a conversation with the manager along the lines of 'why aren't you using the skills I have? It is a waste of your money to have someone with server skills and 2nd/3rd line support experience doing 1st line stuff. I can give you more if you let me xyz'
I certainly wouldn't walk from a 1st contract. It would look pretty poor to be applying for another when you couldn't stick 3 months. However you try to explain that you'll have trouble convincing anyone to take you.
Installing and setting up is the basic stuff. What integration have you done? I'm not a windows person so I'm not up on what the normal products are that you'd be integrating with.
In your place I'd be having a conversation with the manager along the lines of 'why aren't you using the skills I have? It is a waste of your money to have someone with server skills and 2nd/3rd line support experience doing 1st line stuff. I can give you more if you let me xyz'
I certainly wouldn't walk from a 1st contract. It would look pretty poor to be applying for another when you couldn't stick 3 months. However you try to explain that you'll have trouble convincing anyone to take you.
TooLateForAName said:
Without wanting to be rude, but I wouldn't consider that enough in a contractor. I'd want to see real experience of running a service and solving the problems that come along.
Installing and setting up is the basic stuff. What integration have you done? I'm not a windows person so I'm not up on what the normal products are that you'd be integrating with.
In your place I'd be having a conversation with the manager along the lines of 'why aren't you using the skills I have? It is a waste of your money to have someone with server skills and 2nd/3rd line support experience doing 1st line stuff. I can give you more if you let me xyz'
I certainly wouldn't walk from a 1st contract. It would look pretty poor to be applying for another when you couldn't stick 3 months. However you try to explain that you'll have trouble convincing anyone to take you.
All fair points. I've resigned myself to seeing it through as I feel more settled now, but yeah I would prefer to be more involved with the infrastructure team.Installing and setting up is the basic stuff. What integration have you done? I'm not a windows person so I'm not up on what the normal products are that you'd be integrating with.
In your place I'd be having a conversation with the manager along the lines of 'why aren't you using the skills I have? It is a waste of your money to have someone with server skills and 2nd/3rd line support experience doing 1st line stuff. I can give you more if you let me xyz'
I certainly wouldn't walk from a 1st contract. It would look pretty poor to be applying for another when you couldn't stick 3 months. However you try to explain that you'll have trouble convincing anyone to take you.
I've done more than installation, I've worked on proper support, fault finding, fixing issues with mail flow etc.
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