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Offline HousePuke

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #25 on: Aug 18, 2008, 12:44 »
Let's see.  I've been a contractor that annoyed house folks and I've been (and am) a house person that annoys contractors.  I guess I'm an equal opportunity annoyance.
At least I'm consistent ;)
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oldodge52

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #26 on: Aug 19, 2008, 05:06 »
I'll grant you that  the house side has at least its share of annoying people if we can all agree that a there are at least as few  annoying contract folks.  That doesn't mean that we aren't glad that you come in but for a very few people, it means we are glad when you leave too ;D

Ah, grantime... after being here with you all for so long.. I'm just hoping, hoping, that when I do leave that you reply in my wake, "It sure was annoying having all those contractors here, but, gosh, I sure do miss 'em!" Because, after all, I know deep down, you love us. Come on, now... just admit it! Besides, who else would so eagerly allow themselves to be so taken advantage of?? :) haha. (laughing at myself, not at you... naturally)

Offline grantime

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #27 on: Aug 19, 2008, 11:32 »
Don't worry I've been laughed at before ;D

It does get quiet when everyone leaves.  But I don't think we will be without contractors for the foreseeable future. 
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Offline Dream Tar Heel

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #28 on: Aug 19, 2008, 05:52 »
But, realistically, most of the time the "Annoying Contractor" tag is placed by the House Mice, casue they get so darn tired, of those hand full of Contractors that are always explaining their own House procedures to them.

Painful, but true. 8)
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Offline xobxdoc

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #29 on: Aug 20, 2008, 07:40 »
I like it when the contractors show up. There is always entertainment. Especially when you get a couple badass crusty old HPs lock horns comparing resumes and lifetime dose.

allforthenukie

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #30 on: Aug 20, 2008, 10:43 »
One of the first things I learned in this business is that if you let anybody know what bothers you, you will get it ten times worse. If someone at the plant is annoying me I will ignore them if I can, or discretely leave the area if I just can't stand it anymore. But I've learned to never say anything that might reveal to my coworkers the things that personally annoy me.

Khak-Hater

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #31 on: Aug 20, 2008, 11:21 »
Contractors are mercenaries.  Professionals who serve not out of loyalty, but for money.  Since they really have no direct interest in the company's success or failure, then the best that you can hope for is their pride in workmanship or interest in being invited back.  I'm not saying that this is bad.  It's just the way that it is.

When serving as a manager, I'd generally rather gnaw my right arm off than to use contractor support.  I've  only used them to perform specialized external services (e.g., dosimetry, anti-Cs, HEPA leak checks, very specialized calculations).  This is just a personal choice.  I know plenty of successful managers who rely heavilly on contractor support.  In their organizations, I know several contractors who do better work and are more reliable than the house employees.  In those cases, my question is always "Why are they contractors? Hire them already."  Then again, I've never had to manage an outage.  

Companies, like nations, decide on the full-time staffing that they wish to maintain.  If you don't value your military enough to staff it well for times of trouble, then you hire mercenaries for those times.  Most historians agree, however, that over-reliance on this practice was a symptom, if not a direct cause of the fall of Rome.  That's what saddens me so much about all of this Blackwater stuff going on in Iraq these days.  If a bean counter runs the numbers, and decides that they only need a certain staffing level until an outage occours, then the company deserves what it gets.  

In answer to the original question, you shut up an annoying contractor the same way that you shut up anyone else.  Be direct.  Inform them that they are annoying you, and ask them to stop.  If that doesn't work, then let them go, so that they have the opportunity to share their expertise elsewhere.  If you can't let them go because they're invaluable, then shame on your organization for putting itself in a spot where its success relies on a single irreplacable individual's support.  Put up with it for the moment and fix it ASAP.  By the way, this advice applies evenly to in-house collegues as well as contractors.

Let the smiting begin,

MGM

Offline xobxdoc

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #32 on: Aug 20, 2008, 12:03 »
Hiring that hot shot contractor is like getting married. At first they will do anthing to please you, then they start spending more than they make and sleep with your friends. Well you get my point, once hired they become whiny house techs.

Offline Camella Black

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #33 on: Aug 20, 2008, 12:17 »
Contractors are mercenaries.  Professionals who serve not out of loyalty, but for money.  Since they really have no direct interest in the company's success or failure, then the best that you can hope for is their pride in workmanship or interest in being invited back.  I'm not saying that this is bad.  It's just the way that it is.

When serving as a manager, I'd generally rather gnaw my right arm off than to use contractor support.  I've  only used them to perform specialized external services (e.g., dosimetry, anti-Cs, HEPA leak checks, very specialized calculations).  This is just a personal choice.  I know plenty of successful managers who rely heavilly on contractor support.  In their organizations, I know several contractors who do better work and are more reliable than the house employees.  In those cases, my question is always "Why are they contractors? Hire them already."  Then again, I've never had to manage an outage.  

Companies, like nations, decide on the full-time staffing that they wish to maintain.  If you don't value your military enough to staff it well for times of trouble, then you hire mercenaries for those times.  Most historians agree, however, that over-reliance on this practice was a symptom, if not a direct cause of the fall of Rome.  That's what saddens me so much about all of this Blackwater stuff going on in Iraq these days.  If a bean counter runs the numbers, and decides that they only need a certain staffing level until an outage occours, then the company deserves what it gets.  

In answer to the original question, you shut up an annoying contractor the same way that you shut up anyone else.  Be direct.  Inform them that they are annoying you, and ask them to stop.  If that doesn't work, then let them go, so that they have the opportunity to share their expertise elsewhere.  If you can't let them go because they're invaluable, then shame on your organization for putting itself in a spot where its success relies on a single irreplacable individual's support.  Put up with it for the moment and fix it ASAP.  By the way, this advice applies evenly to in-house collegues as well as contractors.

Let the smiting begin,

MGM

You must have never met the quality of contractor that I know including my husband. He is by far one of the best mannered, hard working, easy going h.p. one could ever know or work with.

Don't take my word for it, ask around. He is not alone believe me, there are thousands upon thousands of good contractors out there, but you have to remember serveral things... you get what you pay for and it is not always the quality of the contractor that spoils the pot, it is the way the contractor is used, abused and mistreated.

Remember everyone can not be the Queen Bee or the big bad Drones, some are just lowly Worker Bees but without them the colony would not survive.

 :)

Offline Phurst

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #34 on: Aug 20, 2008, 12:31 »

Contractors are mercenaries.  Professionals who serve not out of loyalty, but for money.  Since they really have no direct interest in the company's success or failure, then the best that you can hope for is their pride in workmanship or interest in being invited back.  I'm not saying that this is bad.  It's just the way that it is.

When serving as a manager, I'd generally rather gnaw my right arm off than to use contractor support.  I've  only used them to perform specialized external services (e.g., dosimetry, anti-Cs, HEPA leak checks, very specialized calculations).  This is just a personal choice.  I know plenty of successful managers who rely heavilly on contractor support.  In their organizations, I know several contractors who do better work and are more reliable than the house employees.  In those cases, my question is always "Why are they contractors? Hire them already."  Then again, I've never had to manage an outage.  

Companies, like nations, decide on the full-time staffing that they wish to maintain.  If you don't value your military enough to staff it well for times of trouble, then you hire mercenaries for those times.  Most historians agree, however, that over-reliance on this practice was a symptom, if not a direct cause of the fall of Rome.  That's what saddens me so much about all of this Blackwater stuff going on in Iraq these days.  If a bean counter runs the numbers, and decides that they only need a certain staffing level until an outage occours, then the company deserves what it gets.  

In answer to the original question, you shut up an annoying contractor the same way that you shut up anyone else.  Be direct.  Inform them that they are annoying you, and ask them to stop.  If that doesn't work, then let them go, so that they have the opportunity to share their expertise elsewhere.  If you can't let them go because they're invaluable, then shame on your organization for putting itself in a spot where its success relies on a single irreplacable individual's support.  Put up with it for the moment and fix it ASAP.  By the way, this advice applies evenly to in-house collegues as well as contractors.

Let the smiting begin,

MGM

Been both done both. In a Union plant, hell, any plant you have the same ratio of those caring about the plant's success, their success, or just getting the check except you can't just fire the house guy because of the investment or the Union rules. Contractors get the boot with ease. Yiu have to take them each as individuals and that is why so many places want returnees and some companies have their 'golden list' of guys they can send anywhere and not get complaints. With wages being what they are, you can't staff for anything but nomal running.
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RAD-GHOST

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #35 on: Aug 20, 2008, 01:11 »
Khak-Hater,

Quote
When serving as a manager, I'd generally rather gnaw my right arm off than to use contractor support.

Have you considered seeking professional help for this Phobia? 

RG!

Offline ruth13

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #36 on: Aug 20, 2008, 01:44 »
From my experiences, I think it is all a matter of work ethic - if you have poor work habits, it really doesn't matter who you work for.  I do think it is easier to survive as a house tech with poor work habits, than as a contractor.  As a contractor. you have no job security, and each outage you have to be "rehired" to continue to work. As a house tech you get hired once, and as long as you don't make too many waves you can survive for years, doing very little to contribute to the company or your department as a whole.

In those cases, my question is always "Why are they contractors? Hire them already."  
With this statement you make a huge assumption that the contractor in question wants to be hired. Many contractors prefer working outages, going in and doing the professional job they are hired to do, and going on to the next one, without getting bogged down by the "house" politics.
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stownsend

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #37 on: Aug 20, 2008, 01:46 »
once hired they become whiny house techs.
Paul you are house now ,right?

Offline roadhp

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #38 on: Aug 20, 2008, 01:49 »

In answer to the original question, you shut up an annoying contractor the same way that you shut up anyone else.  Be direct.  Inform them that they are annoying you, and ask them to stop.  If that doesn't work, then let them go, so that they have the opportunity to share their expertise elsewhere.  If you can't let them go because they're invaluable, then shame on your organization for putting itself in a spot where its success relies on a single irreplacable individual's support.  Put up with it for the moment and fix it ASAP.  By the way, this advice applies evenly to in-house collegues as well as contractors.
MGM
Spoken like a true Officer, I mean manager.  Only I think the annoying that contractors do is to the lower level supervisors and lead techs.  Most of it is showing them that things they do are either wrong according to their own procedures or common sense or could just be performed in a more efficient manner.  In either case, the ones being annoyed don't have the power to "let them go", nor would they, cause it would be cutting off their nose to spite their face.  Letting go of even one contractor these days in the tight budgets and low staffing levels places quite a bit of strain on the rest of the organization, and that one grain of sand could be what's keeping the entire outage from crumbling down around you.  Let one go, more may follow due to the increased work load that is already higher than at any time in past outages.  
Most of the places I go probably think I am an annoying contractor, and I am proud of it.  When I am annoying the most is when the house is doing something that could get someone hurt or killed, and if that is the case, I am going to be annoying as hell until they do something about it.
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Offline nowhereman

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #39 on: Aug 20, 2008, 02:07 »
 Realistically the only time  I  have seen "annoying contractors" is when you have a situation of doing the right thing procedurally correct vs  being briefed on how to approach  a job in a certain way because the maintenance guys are friends with  the house HP.......and then, at that point we become annoying....

SGT

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #40 on: Aug 20, 2008, 02:25 »
Most of the places I go probably think I am an annoying contractor, and I am proud of it.  When I am annoying the most is when the house is doing something that could get someone hurt or killed, and if that is the case, I am going to be annoying as hell until they do something about it.

That wasn't the case at VC!

Offline roadhp

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #41 on: Aug 20, 2008, 02:37 »
No, at VC I was just annoyed!!!  That is why it is now at the bottom of my list.  But there were several things that they needed to be annoyed about, and I did my part.
« Last Edit: Aug 20, 2008, 02:39 by roadhp »
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Offline xobxdoc

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #42 on: Aug 20, 2008, 03:23 »
Paul you are house now ,right?

 You figured me out Steve, but I'm in ops

Offline Smart People

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #43 on: Aug 20, 2008, 05:10 »
Actually that's an NRC form 3 that he was talking about
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rekrowekun

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #44 on: Aug 20, 2008, 07:03 »
01- make um all (edited)
02- make um park (edited)
03- do all you can to assure (edited)
04- maintain high (edited)
05- (edited) when (edited)
06- act like '(edited)' all the time
07- rub in the fact contractors have no (edited)
08- Always change (edited) at very last minute
09- put everybody on (edited)
10- Let them see you getting (edited)
11- Tell them what to (edited) then (edited) early
12- YouTube (edited)
Tell them all you were just (edited) and then have group (edited) with see ya next (edited),, wink wink...
(edited)(edited)(edited)(edited)
But Thank (edited) it's still a (edited) country!
« Last Edit: Aug 21, 2008, 02:08 by rekrowekun »

Offline Duke Nuker

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #45 on: Aug 21, 2008, 05:01 »
Oh yeah, I was an annoying contractor.  Now I am an annoyed house tech that gets to travel to close places and play annoying house tech contractor and be annoying to the annoyed house techs at their "home plant".  But then, they get to return the favor and annoy us already annoyed house techs at our outage.  I have gotten to the point where all of the annoying people just blend into the cacophony that is an outage.  Whining, biatching, crying, cussing just all blends together anymore.  Maybe my filter needs cleaning.
Is it time for coffee yet?

RAD-GHOST

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #46 on: Aug 22, 2008, 04:46 »
Maybe my filter needs cleaning.

You'd probably fair better, if you left well enough alone!

RG........... ;)


oldodge52

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Re: Annoying contractors
« Reply #47 on: Aug 28, 2008, 03:24 »
Don't worry I've been laughed at before ;D

It does get quiet when everyone leaves.  But I don't think we will be without contractors for the foreseeable future. 

Lucky me!

 


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