I’m a consultant and I can only work when the client has work for me to do. I’m testing aircraft and it takes about 1/5[sup]th[/sup] the amount of time to test as it does for them to prepare the info for me. They, the client, have said straight out they they don’t mind paying me to sit around because they can’t afford to risk sending me back to the home office between aircraft, in case they woldn’t be able to get me back.
Hmmm, that read a lot more simple in my mind…let’s just say that I’m a helluva a worker when I have work, when I don’t have anything to do, I surf.
I look at it this way. I work pretty damn hard. Sometimes until 7PM… and my salary is based on 5PM. I do not take scheduled “breaks”. So I see nothing wrong with going on the net for 5 mins here, 5 mins there.
A combination of being the fastest worker they have (they give me 2 days to do a job that takes me a couple of hours - I’m either very good at what I do or everyone else is that bad) and working (currently) in academia, where their motto seems to be, “Take your time, no rush…” That, and I went for a few months without working, so had nothing better to do.
Yet another IT guy here. I have 3 monitors on my desk, so I can keep track of whats going on with two of them, and still have one left over. As long as nothing is broken, they don’t get mad if we are on the web. Plus, I work at night, so if it keeps us alert, they are happy.
I always post from work. I work midnight-6am twice a week and midnight-7am another day. I work in a 24 hour computer lab for college students (frickin’ lowsy 5.15 an hour). It’s not bad 'cause I get to do all the work from my classes in there during the night time since it’s never busy. And I get to post whenever I want to. Actually now that I think about it I really only do about 4 hours of work a week. That is pretty sweet!
*****Post at work - Check
*****Work in IT - Check
*****Bosses who don’t bother me too often - Check
*****Wilingness to work through lunch hours and overtime (for no more $$) when in crunch mode - Check
*****Quick fingers on ALT -TAB check
Nail on the head. Hole in One. You are correct, sir. I usually keep a nice big excel table of numbers on the alt-tab tip. Looks like I’m working hard a half-a-second after I’m posting here.
My job is driven by transactions - when one comes up, I work my ass off, and you won’t see me posting. Between those, I relax as much as I can and post all day. My boss recognizes this, and doesn’t care - I’ve never missed a deadline or delayed a transaction. I’m great at my day job… it’s just unfortunate that I hate it so.[sub] Before you ask - because I need the money, that’s why.[sub]
I work for an engineering company, and I have always followed the “Scotty Principle” (from Star Trek): always tell the boss that the job is going to take a lot longer than it really is.
Also, we have just been acquired by a large global megacorp who runs our internet from a central server. Well, nobody has said anything yet…::crossing fingers::
Also handy: Go to Windows Settings/Tool Bars&Task Menus and click “Auto Hide”
I call it managing expectations. If the boss really knew how long it takes, I’d have way more work to do. Sure, crunch times happen, even to the most dedicated student of inertia, and that’s when you earn your pay.
My boss ain’t pissed. She coddles me like the unique snowflake resource that I am. In my more profound delusions, I doth bestride the narrow IT world like a Colossus. Crap, was that my outloud voice?
Right now I just hope I can get home in time to get in 9 holes of golf. Work can wait - it’ll still be here when I get back.
Practice, yes, yes, and yes. I read far, far more than I post, if that makes a difference.
I post from school all the time, i say hello to the computer illiterate librarian and go on IM and check my e-mail, post here, she thinks i’m doing art homework, I do this a couple hours a day, through study halls and lunch.
I’ve always wanted to ask this question, because it amazes me.
My answer is that I am my own boss. Which isn’t such a great thing, because I let myself get away with murder. I let myself get away with shit I would NEVER put up with from an employee. Never.
I work for an IT contracting/consulting firm as a support guy. A portion of the job entails sitting around the office waiting for calls to come in from clients requesting on-site service. Business has its busy days and slow days, and when it’s slow, I’m usually on here or on IRC. My boss doesn’t care as long as I’m caught up on all my paperwork, support phone calls, and the like.
I’ve always wanted to ask this question, because it amazes me.
My answer is that I am my own boss. Which isn’t such a great thing, because I let myself get away with murder. I let myself get away with shit I would NEVER put up with from an employee. Never.
i do temp work as a secretary/receptionist. many of the jobs i’ve taken required very little actual work. they only want me to answer the phones and maybe a little filing; they don’t want me to do the more long term stuff or mess up the regular girl’s systems, etc. however, i am the first person that all visitors, clients, etc. see when they come in. they don’t want me sitting in a chair with my eyes glazed over staring off into space. so, to look like i’m busy, several of my bosses have encouraged me to play online or read.
I work for a company that is a Department of Defense contractor. Put it bluntly, there are more important things on the agenda right now that unauthorized internet surfing.
As long as I get my work done, everything’s fine. Having said that, I’ve burned the midnight oil more than once in order to meet a deadline which looms due to me goofing off. But I’ve always done that, even before personal computers.
I’m a lab supervisor on campus. I spend most of my shifts reading the boards and posting. Sometimes I manage to tear myself away to clear a paper jam or tell someone that we don’t support whatever stupid program it is they want to use. I love my job.
