This article is for you if you are about to start working on your first Oracle project as a contractor
I’ve been running technology change programmes as a contractor for nearly 20 years. In doing so, I will typically hire 20 contractors onto any given project. Some have been with me on other engagements and some are people who I wish I had known when I first started out.
The people I enjoy working with most of all are those that are contracting for the first time. This can either be students that I’ve taught or people who have worked in a client role who have decided to make the leap to becoming a contractor on an Oracle project.
Tomorrow I’m due to have a call with just such a person- Karen. This isn’t their real name but everything else is. So, if you are about to start on your first project then read on.
I’ve worked alongside Karen on one of my previous clients and she was instrumental on an HCM implementation. Karen was the client lead at the Director level for specifying the Oracle HCM system covering recruitment, Oracle Time and Labour (OTL), Absence and HR admin. During the implementation Karen supported the client Subject Matter Experts and had a key engagement role with the System Integrator. Ultimately, Karen signed-off the User Acceptance Testing and took the project live and through hyper care. Kare over saw the transition to “Business as Usual” and would mange 23 quarterly upgrades. She also managed the transition of the Payroll & Pension team into her command and was responsible, by my count, for 40 monthly payrolls in Oracle cloud. She also managed the implementation of Oracle Help Desk as well as Oracle Learn and ran the Oracle hub of Subject Matter Experts. For four years Karen managed the relationship with the Oracle Managed Service Provider.
At the same time that Karen decided to go contracting, a “Karen shaped hole” opened up on my project and I jumped at the chance to get Karen onboard.
What to do and not do
This is what I going to tell Karen tomorrow ahead of her starting on Monday. It would be the same advice I would give anybody starting on their first Oracle project.
- Be clear on what your objective is. The difference between a corporate role and a contractor role is that you won’t get bogged down in the corporate day to day affairs such as appraisals, line management and a whole load of other tasks that you never realised got in the way of doing your job. As a contractor you can be laser focused on your objective. However, you need to be crystal clear as to what your ‘mission’ actually is. I often find that the client is not clear themselves as to what the problem is that you are expected to solve. Write the problem down and reflect back on it often- I’d suggest weekly. Also, in writing down the problem make sure you know what “done” actually looks like. Each week identify the 3 things that will move you closer to your objective. It often helps to create a weekly highlight report that explains what you achieved last week; what the 3 things are you are planning to achieve in the week ahead and any issues that management need to be aware of. Even if there isn’t the stated need for such a highlight report it is worth creating one even just to be accountable to yourself.
- Keep an eye on your watch and not your calendar. As a contractor, the client will be either directly or indirectly aware of what you cost. In the corporate world, completing a task might have taken two weeks; in contracting this comes down to two days. What was two days is now two hours. Remember, you don’t have all the corporate ‘noise’ to worry about any more. If the task is sizeable then always break it down into bit sized chunks. The delivery of each chunk should be a measurable achievement that totally aligns with your mission. Everything should align with your mission -otherwise you are not working on solving the problem you were hired to fix
- Get the administrivia out of the way on day 1. No client wants to spend top dollar for somebody at the end of the first week who doesn’t have a security pass or a laptop. You’ll have one day grace to get yourself up and running. No excuses.
- Build trust fast. You’ve been brought in to solve a problem; talk about the problem you’ve been brought in to solve- not the job title you’ve been given. Talk about your achievements from elsewhere and not the job titles you’ve had.
- Build in time to manage your communications. You are there to do a difficult job and there will be challenges along the way. You will encounter issues as well as your ‘worry beads’ of why you might not be able to complete your mission. These ‘worry beads’ should be seen as risks. Make sure you are logging the risks and issues associated with your objective. If the client has a risk and issue process then use it. If not, create one. I’d recommend at least 20% of your time to be focused on outward communication of how your are progressing; what your risks are and what you are doing to manage them.
- ‘Imposter syndrome’ is real. High up on your list of worries will be the nervousness you have and possibly the feeling of being a fraud. Firstly, no need to log this worry with the client as a risk(!), however, all the contractors you are surrounded by will have this worry too. My advice is to be reflective. Look back at the experiences that made you successful elsewhere. Find yourself a mentor and dial in with them at least monthly
- “Talk less, smile more”. The words from Aaron Burr in Hamilton will serve you well. For sure, never go to a meeting and say nothing but do be concise; ask questions to see clarity and dont seek to come away from a meeting with the most actions. In the corporate world you might feel the need to justify your role by having lots of actions to do. However, if it doesn’t help you achieve your mission then it is purely a distraction.
- Be yourself. Probably, more importantly, don’t try and be somebody you are not. Keep focused on your mission and don’t try and solve the problems that other people are responsible for solving.
