Re: Estimating Projects

Subject: Re: Estimating Projects
From: Ken Bowes <KBowes -at- dacg -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L (E-mail)" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2000 14:41:43 -0500

Wow,

Apparently I was the luckiest guy in the world. I applied for a contract to
perm position to write on-help files. No Plan was put forward, by either
party, except that this was a three month contract. I submitted timesheets
every two weeks that occasionally "got lost". However, many years of
working for a large engineering company that was organized told me that this
was nothing unusual. I resubmitted lost timesheets within days, and presto,
they paid them. At the end of the contract they hired me.

As I said, I worked for many years for a large engineering organization. I
was a victim of the energy crunch in Feb '99, and didn't find work until
April '00. I didn't want to go contract for fear of some of the reasons
already stated on the list, but had no choice. Now, after reading the
stories mentioned, and the hassle some folks go through, I can't believe my
luck.

I do have a couple of suggestions for others out there, who may be having
some difficulties.

1) Don't put up with any BS on payments. If you can do the work, and the
company has hired you to do it, then they need you. If they don't pay, you
don't work. Period.

2) Keep the time between pay periods to a minimum. Every two weeks is
about right. Not too much money on the table that if you decide to walk you
don't loose too much, plus you get to see pretty quick if the company is
playing games.

3) Be nice to the folks who process your request for payment. If nothing
else, you get a heads up if there's a problem.

Ken Bowes
<mailto:KBowes -at- DACG -dot- com> KBowes -at- DACG -dot- com
713-361-3540





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