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Why I love contracting..

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    Why I love contracting..

    Contractor of 5 years, a couple of years ago I was potted from a large organisation who were having redundancies, so subbies were first out the door. Fair enough, I was looking at my skillset and realised it was about as portable as a second hand vintage safe. Anyway at the time my confidence took a knock, I was faced with the grim thought of 'going permie', here are my experiences of the time:

    1) All day interviews, with a schedule, 3 different interrogations/tests. Grilled by the Vice President at the last one.
    2) Having to take a 'competancy based interview' with questions like 'Describe a situation where you resolved a conflict with a coworker' - I just made something up, but it was not fun at all. (I can't really recall any work-related conflict in my dev career)
    3) Having to take online tests, not peer reviewed and 'regulated'/standardised, just developed by some 'professor of, I dunno stuff..' I thought mine went OK till the interviewer phoned back. Went something like this:

    Interviewer: Hi, interview went well, how did you think the online test went?
    Me: I thought I did OK..
    I: Problem is you got an extremely low score on team leadership.. the lowest in fact..
    M: I answered all those questions as middle of the road, I was careful to..
    I: Well computer says you got 1%.
    M: Well I know how I answered.
    I: Strange thing is, you got 99% on technical test, one of the highest ever..
    M: Well what does that tell you? Do you trust the software program?
    I: I'll have a word with HR, but it's HR policy..
    [at that point my interest in the job/company/being a permie had evaporated.

    4) "A competitive salary of " + Vars.UncompetitiveSalary + ", and 20 days holiday per year.."

    So to cut a long story short, I downloaded some new software to practice with a view to moving into it, went for a contractor interview, got it, 3 years later with no time forcefully on the bench and life's good. Current gig was a phone interview (from the canteen in last week at last gig) got it and started the next Monday.

    "..and that's why I Contract.."
    Last edited by rl4engc; 15 March 2013, 17:11.
    Originally posted by Nigel Farage MEP - 2016-06-24 04:00:00
    "I hope this victory brings down this failed project and leads us to a Europe of sovereign nation states, trading together, being friends together, cooperating together, and let's get rid of the flag, the anthem, Brussels, and all that has gone wrong."

    #2
    I was taking our cow to market, when I met some bloke who offered me some magic beans for it. The offer was too good to refuse ,so I took the magic beans home, and after the bruises and the swelling went down, I planted them.
    About thirty five years later a great big beanstalk sprouted up and , naturally, I climbed up it. Now I have a goose that lays golden eggs and a harp that plays and sings Morrissey songs all day and night.

    thats the way I became a contractor



    (\__/)
    (>'.'<)
    ("")("") Born to Drink. Forced to Work

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by EternalOptimist View Post
      I was taking our cow to market, when I met some bloke who offered me some magic beans for it. The offer was too good to refuse ,so I took the magic beans home, and after the bruises and the swelling went down, I planted them.
      About thirty five years later a great big beanstalk sprouted up and , naturally, I climbed up it. Now I have a goose that lays golden eggs and a harp that plays and sings Morrissey songs all day and night.

      thats the way I became a contractor



      Well, before I got into contracting I had to house share with 37 other orphans and we had to cut kippers out of newspapers for tea because we were so poor. I said to myself 'I need to get the idiot's guide to storytelling' then I can write requirements packs and earn 120/d from bodyshoppers; I never looked back. That's how I got into contracting...

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by EternalOptimist View Post
        I was taking our cow to market, when I met some bloke who offered me some magic beans for it. The offer was too good to refuse ,so I took the magic beans home, and after the bruises and the swelling went down, I planted them.
        About thirty five years later a great big beanstalk sprouted up and , naturally, I climbed up it. Now I have a goose that lays golden eggs and a harp that plays and sings Morrissey songs all day and night.

        thats the way I became a contractor



        I was working as a waitress in a cocktail-bar .......

        Comment


          #5
          I spent 11 years grafting as a permie, getting a track record, references, skills and qualifications.

          Then spent 5 years as a contractor, and recently delivered a large programme of work on time and on budget.

          I'd stick to the magic beans
          Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

          Comment


            #6
            When IT started to pay more than music that's when I became a contractor.
            Me, me, me...

            Comment


              #7
              I started contracting when I realised that permiedom is contracting by another name (with less money)
              Coffee's for closers

              Comment


                #8
                ..
                Last edited by Jeff Maginty; 30 March 2017, 20:44.

                Comment


                  #9
                  I'll tell you what I haven't seen for some time around the workplace- Columbian marching powder
                  How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I became a contractor when I got stiched up by two permie employers within 6 months of each other. Currently loving the massive amounts of extra money which means that if the company I work at starts giving me hassle I can tell them to shove it and walk out.
                    "He's actually ripped" - Jared Padalecki

                    https://youtu.be/l-PUnsCL590?list=PL...dNeCyi9a&t=615

                    Comment

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