Working on the night train

I think we have all used, or at the very least heard the expression, "the light at the end of the tunnel'. Unfortunately, the ePrize business model is built without that phrase in mind. In fact, when the phrase is used around the office it has been said, "There is no light at the end of the tunnel".

Well that's comforting.

In my experience, most employers do try to fill your plate with work. Which is not by any means a complaint. I should 'earn my keep'. So I would have expected to receive a 'fair' workload. Again, assumptions got the best of me. I was not filled with a 40 hour workload, I was filled with a workload worth well over 40 hours.

You must understand. ePrize, like many other web based businesses work off a rate card. What this means is every role at the company, be it a software engineer, flash programmer, designer, project manager, or another other role, has a predetermined number of hours it should take to finish each 'step' to creating their product. In the case of ePrize the product is an online promotion. A sweepstakes, Instant Win game, Loyalty program, etc. Here's my issue with the rate card at ePrize.

1. The rate card is OLD and out of date.
2. I never saw this 'rate card' and when I would ask to see it, I was told it was not my job to worry about it.
3. What may take one employee 1 hour to do, may take a new-er employee 3 hours
4. EVERY PROJECT IS DIFFERENT. The clients, the make-up of the 'team members' within ePrize, the timing.

There are too many variables to assume one rate card is acceptable for EVERY project.

By the time you have all your projects assigned to you...There is NO WAY to get all the work done in a 40 hours week. Yet, you are still expected to be 'accountable' and get your work done. Ming you, this is the work, I never agreed to in the first place. It was put on my plate, with shiny wrapping, with anote that said, look at this cool client! Aren't we so LUCKY to work on tis project. (PS - You're screwed)

So the light at the end of the tunnel? At ePrize there is no such thing. As soon as crappy project 1 is off your plate, you still have crappy projects 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,and 7 to worry about....Plus you are about to get assigned project #8. WATCH OUT...The shit truck just stopped at your desk.

/Oh, yeah, I'm going to need you to come in on Sunday, em kay?/