Mixed messages

[Richard Farley <rtfarley -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

Hi,

I could use some objective input on an incident that I need closure on.

Some time back I had my first assignment as a contract TW through a
placement agency. The agency was impressed with my portfolio and told me
that they were certain that the first, three week assignment would be
followed by a nine month one. Needless to say, I was delighted.

The first morning on the assignment I met with my docs manager and was
taken on a tour of the site, meeting everyone. The atmosphere was
relaxed and very cordial. There were two other TWs on site, both full
time employees of the placement agency that hired me. Both recent
graduates and new to the business, but quite friendly and helpful (or so
it seemed).

My mgr. stressed the importance of asking question to prevent mistakes,
since there was a series of crucial deadlines pending for the software
docs. Over the years I have always made  it my policy to respect each
company's unique ways of doing business, and make it my goal to fit into
that scheme, so asking questions is naturally agreeable for me.

My first job was to import some screen captures into the Frame docs.
After four hours of this it was discovered that the files contained
outdated information and would have to be redone. That was put on hold
and I was told to do some screen shots. When it was discovered that the
computer at my desk needed to be reconfigured first, the mgr had me use
her computer for the task. Eight hours later, this data was discovered
to be out-dated and would have to be redone. Again, I was reassigned to
another task. The next day I skipped breaks and lunch trying to make up
for the delays. The fact that I was truly enjoying my work allowed me to
face these course changes with a smile.

By Wednesday morning things had changed. I was told by my mgr not to ask
the other TWs questions because they didn't have the time to take from
their work. Oddly enough I purposely made my questions to the TWs short
and to the point, only to be treated to long discourses covering points
that I was well aware of. I figured that they just needed to talk, so I
let them share their experiences with me. Besides, the mgr was usually
nowhere to be found, so I had to ask somebody in order to avoid the
mistakes that I had been warned about.

To make a long story short, I was let go on Thursday evening. I was told
that they had managed to catch up and that there were no problems with
my work. That seemed reasonable, but somehow suspicious considering the
volume of work they still faced. That day, and for weeks afterwards I
tried to contact the placement firm. All of my messages were ignored.
Over the months since then I've seen regular adds for them needing TWs.
I can't bring myself to answer them.

My instincts tell me that the entire fiasco was blamed on me by a
manager who couldn't admit that she couldn't manage, and hourly TWs who
didn't like having a higher paid contractor around. I can only cringe at
the thought of the stories that were relayed to the placement firm
causing them to drop me like a leper.

Has anyone else had similar experiences with placement firms? Does this
happen frequently when contractors and full-timers are mixed? Is there
any way, short of being a recluse, to avoid this in the future?

Feel free to reply to me off list if you wish.