April 21, 2011 at 4:47 am
I have been offered a position of working with a small SQL focused consulting agency .
The owner is gifted, has worked on systems in my current company and provides training classes and courses across the country, and is considered a leader in their field.
The issue is that this person owns the consulting agency. Although the experience would be second to none, Im unsure of what it would be like to work directly for the owner of a company. they have much higher steaks in the company, and so for example, should i leave once the clock strikes 6 on a friday afternoon, they may see it as lack of dedication on my part.
From my current knowledge, the owner is a great person, but that may change when they become my boss.
Do you have any opinions on this?
April 21, 2011 at 5:22 am
You're getting this backwards.
Step 1 : define clearly in your mind what you want, what is negociable and what is NOT.
Then find jobs that match that.
Looks to me like you skipped on #1.
April 21, 2011 at 5:35 am
dedication should not be measured by the hours you make. For me a dedicated employee (I normally call them colleagues) are persons who, in a considered way, makes his/her targets. When they go home at 6 sharp, I don't see any problem in that. Only when they go home every day at 6 and they don't meet the deadlines, then I will have a short talk with them how this comes and that we really need to keep the deadline (where possible of course).
More important for me is that, when it's really needed (urgent situations) that they are there for me. No questions asked just be there for me if really really needed. Solve the situation with the whole team. Afterward we will see then if there is any need for compensation.
as you see, it's always a play of give and take (for both parties!).
of course, start working for somebody you know very well as employee is often not easy. You both should speak about this openly. Make sure that the both of you are clear what each of you expect from each other. This should be possible since he asked you.
April 21, 2011 at 5:55 am
You will get a wide range of responses from folks who've been in this position. Here's my experience, from being there twice in 20 years of contracting.
If you don't mind being micromanaged, working into the small hours for pizza, leaving sick folks at home alone, working from home at weekends on top of a 60 hour week on-site, looking after Ace's kids for three hours because the childminder's not turned up - then it could be for you.
Add to this that with a small group (worse still, you and Ace), your opinion although representing <=50% is likely to be cast aside with nobody to back you up. Personality clashes have a far higher chance of becoming terminal because of proximity and the lack of a pool of folks to distribute the load.
It's a high-risk environment. What are the gains which might make taking the risks worthwhile? Are you really going to learn more by doing this than working in a regular shop and lurking here? Will Ace's name really make your cv stand out when you're looking for the next gig?
There's no way I'd risk doing this again, but I'd love to hear a few stories from folks who have had a positive experience.
Heh just remembered...many years ago I was chatting with a fellow contractor over a ciggy, sharing stories about good and bad contracts. I mentioned x, who I'd worked for briefly while working as a contract consultant for a software house - who told me after it all went sour that two other guys had also failed to stay the course with this reputedly difficult customer (he was awful, just a nasty person all round). One of the guys had left the consultancy the same day, just packed his bag and left.
"That was me", he said :laugh:
For better assistance in answering your questions, please read this[/url].
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins[/url] / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url] Jeff Moden[/url]
April 21, 2011 at 6:02 am
I've worked once for a mom and pop shop and it was great. Only 40 hours week. As much overtime as I wanted to put hours in a bank.
It all comes down to what you want, what you can negociate and ultimatly be ready to move on if it's not working for you. I've done that once working for a nazi-ish mentality (they had 80% turnover in the staff MONTHLY). Tried them and moved on as soon as I had another offer.
April 21, 2011 at 6:26 am
I'm still stuck on "higher steaks" - would that be rare, medium or well done?! :hehe:
ps: Sorry - couldn't resist. I'd say go with your gut instinct. Typically there's only one good way to really find out..:ermm:
April 21, 2011 at 6:30 am
Dorian Gray (4/21/2011)
I'm still stuck on "higher steaks" - would that be rare, medium or well done?! :hehe:ps: Sorry - couldn't resist. I'd say go with your gut instinct. Typically there's only one good way to really find out..:ermm:
Would that be elevation or maturity? :hehe:
For better assistance in answering your questions, please read this[/url].
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins[/url] / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url] Jeff Moden[/url]
April 21, 2011 at 6:46 am
winston Smith (4/21/2011)
I have been offered a position of working with a small SQL focused consulting agency .The owner is gifted, has worked on systems in my current company and provides training classes and courses across the country, and is considered a leader in their field.
The issue is that this person owns the consulting agency. Although the experience would be second to none, Im unsure of what it would be like to work directly for the owner of a company. they have much higher steaks in the company, and so for example, should i leave once the clock strikes 6 on a friday afternoon, they may see it as lack of dedication on my part.
From my current knowledge, the owner is a great person, but that may change when they become my boss.
Do you have any opinions on this?
6PM on a Friday? I would be long gone by then!
April 21, 2011 at 6:50 am
steveb. (4/21/2011)
winston Smith (4/21/2011)
I have been offered a position of working with a small SQL focused consulting agency .The owner is gifted, has worked on systems in my current company and provides training classes and courses across the country, and is considered a leader in their field.
The issue is that this person owns the consulting agency. Although the experience would be second to none, Im unsure of what it would be like to work directly for the owner of a company. they have much higher steaks in the company, and so for example, should i leave once the clock strikes 6 on a friday afternoon, they may see it as lack of dedication on my part.
From my current knowledge, the owner is a great person, but that may change when they become my boss.
Do you have any opinions on this?
6PM on a Friday? I would be long gone by then!
Friday???? Why do you guys work on Fridays!!!!! :sick:
April 21, 2011 at 6:50 am
Would that be elevation or maturity? :hehe:
a mature elevation - undoubtedly:-D
May 6, 2011 at 1:55 pm
6pm on a friday? my wife is home by 3 most days
ever hear of this cool tech known as vpn? the other day i had to press the power button on a SQL server via my ipad while bathing my 6 month old. the magic of VPN and HP iLO ports.
May 26, 2011 at 7:29 am
I've worked once for a mom and pop shop too and thought it was great at first.
Then after a while it became clear they had great difficulties acquiring new projects plus one of them decided not to do any contracting just doing the paperwork. My boss didn't want me to go to clients, still don't know why. On top of that I had to work from home (no office) and often couldn't contact him because he was sleeping at daytime and coding at night.
What really did it though was the fact that all the promises he made, he could easily revoke them just like that, while i had to stick to them otherwise... At one point this got really unacceptable and really questioned him about his behavior. He said he could do whatever he wanted because, well just because he was my boss.
Then again, he seemed to have have this odd tendency of over-promising and under-delivering also towards clients, with his clunky apps.
After tht all of a sudden I couldn't access my mail anymore and client all of a sudden didn't want to talk me anymore. 1 week later I was sacked. That was the first time in my life and hopefully that last time too....
So, not for me anymore.
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