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Ok, so I work for myself and I have all the flexibility that brings, so I shouldn't ever moan!
Currently working on a project that I'm hating - been paid 1/3rd of the fairly poor fee to prepare some presentations, once complete I will get another 1/3rd and then when I've presented a couple of sessions, the rest…..
The content and the work hasn't really suited me….and I'm close to a deadline……and really don't fancy running the sessions at the end of it in any case
Feel like walking away and saying I'm out……if I do that, the end client will be ok as I'm working in a small consortium of consultants on this and the others will pick it up
Probably slightly damaging in repetitional terms but not enjoying working with the client anyway…..never felt like this on a job before so not sure what to do……
What would you do??
I couldn't / wouldn't walk away. Finish the job and put it down to experience.
I'd suck it up. It's only short-term and not many people are lucky enough to enjoy work all the time anyway
I'd suck it up and finish it. Getting a reputation for abandoning clients mid-project would be a very bad thing.
Contrasting to me working for a big corporation I would say that probably somewhere in the 70% - 80% region of what I do is non-value added boring crap that doesn't interest me and is just a frustrating chore that has you fighting as hard with people internally than I do normally with the competition in the remaining part of my job that is interesting and stimulating. So I guess if you work for yourself you have a bit more control in what jobs you pick and choose to do so probably can protect yourself a bit from that, but inevitably you're going to do some work content that is not that inspirational. If I were you I I'd suck it up and learn from it in terms of the way you pick and choose jobs going forward. Like you say, pulling out of jobs halfway through isn't going to do you any favours, so maybe do a good job, but not so good that they want you back!
The other option is you could sub-contract it out to someone else and crack on with another job that is more fulfilling.
I wouldn't have much work if I only worked for customers I liked! 😀
Finish the job.
At some time in the future this would probably come back and bite you...
You might really need a contract but someone else say's "but velocipede walked out on client X" just so they get it.
The might not mind picking up extra billable hours now but what when you are both bidding for future work?
Gosh, imagine that, having to do some work you don't like doing. What must that be like, I and most of the working population of the globe can hardly believe it.
Suck it up buttercup.
Be clear with the client, don't let them be surprised by anything. Finish job to best of your ability.
Thanks all - kick up the arse required - will crack on!
Put it down to experience finish the job.
I always priced up work I didn't want to do so if I got it at least I they were paying for it.
As above finish it to the best of your ability and then review after whether you should take these projects on in future.
Finish what you start...
I find amphetamines help in this kind of situation.
And if that doesn't work, there's always adrenachrome.
I too would finish it. It'll turn out to be quite a surprise and a learning curve in the end you watch.. bet something else decent comes along that will be a referral from it.. you watch.
We've all been there, honestly I've long since lost count of the Programmes I've been on that involve some bloody awful badly run work stream that the PM has walked away from, damn if I hate them for it too.. I never refer any work back to them after their walkout either, sod em'. If they approach me first instance and say "I'm in da shit, need some help/resource/SME" then I'll assist and support and thing better of them for it.. and the world turns around once again.
Walk away, stay away is my mantra.
There is nothing that can not be done, even the shittiest Projects have some glaring amusement about them. I never say "knuckle down, MTFU" because I believe in assistance, sharing and support and drive.
It will turn out well, you watch.
HTH's
All IME.
Working on a similar project for a German bank. I'm usually highly technical, they've got me doing documentation (supposedly IT arch/design work, but actually just updating old ones). I've been bored out of my mind since June.
My last client didn't have a clue, they were cool though and I ended up being their in-house SME for the product (even though I was supposedly representing the vendor).
I'd really like this one to just sod off, walk away from it and do something else, but the space I work in is so incestuous there'd be no chance of getting back in.