Thursday My Friday

One of the pleasures of doing consulting work is the ability to make your own schedule.  Currently I am working 4 ten hour days which gives me Friday, Saturday, Sunday off.  It is very nice having a three-day weekend every week, though it will be very difficult to return to a normal shift and the usual stresses that go along with a permanent job.  I've enjoyed having limited stress over the past few months without the ridiculous scramble to bill hours.  Unless you have worked for a law firm, it is difficult to understand the billable hour requirement.  You can't just show up to work and be there from 9-5 and expect to make your hours.  My last firm had a 2200 a year requirement, which comes out to over 40 hours of billable time a week.  Of course, there is no way to actually bill 40 hours of time over a typical 40 hour work week.  Usually, you end up actually being in the office close to 60-70 hours a week to make that paltry time up.  In addition, when you take vacation it is not like a law firm credits you 40 hours for the week.  You have to make up the time elsewhere.  It is an archaic practice and is inherently inefficient and prone to mistakes.  Plus, most clients have a conniption each month when they see what time is actually billed to their accounts.  I am so ready to return to a salaried position with regular hours.