I would just like to inform that I started my new contracting job today 
After 3 months of hard searching I finally hit the jackpot. I am absolutely delighted with the contract: good money (£550pd!!!), close to home, interesting work - it ticks all the right boxes. 
The reason for my post is to thank all those people who offered constructive advice a few weeks ago when I first arrived on CUK. It was all wholeheartedly appreciated and I think the best advice was just to keep on persevering. I am glad I did. I am also glad I did not listen to those who lambasted my experience and skill set.
The one thing I have noticed on CUK is that there seem to be a few loudmouths on here who try to make newbies feel inadequate in their decision to try contracting - why are you discouraging others from following the same path as you? Scared of the competition? Some will sprout on about ‘being a specialist’ - all bull. If the client is looking for a certain skill set and you can fill that skill set then that’s what matters. I am a BAPM with a technical development background and excellent business knowledge. This is what the client wanted. Knowing the right people also helps (although I landed this contract on my own merit and experience - without the help of having friends in the right places).
My first contract - at an IB - and I couldn't be happier, given how much the finance industry has shrunk over the last few years, this is a tremendous start. Here’s to a very bright future!!
I also have a serious question out of all this - just why do most agents insist on knowing what your previous salary / rate was? It seems to me it is more about being nosey and gauging just how much they’ll be able to slice off the top of the rate for themselves. Is there any legitimate reason for this question? My experience in this particular case was that the agent actually didn’t even ask about my previous salary before we negotiated the rate and he put me forward for the role. However in the majority of cases, this was one of the first questions an agent would ask me.
After 3 months of hard searching I finally hit the jackpot. I am absolutely delighted with the contract: good money (£550pd!!!), close to home, interesting work - it ticks all the right boxes. The reason for my post is to thank all those people who offered constructive advice a few weeks ago when I first arrived on CUK. It was all wholeheartedly appreciated and I think the best advice was just to keep on persevering. I am glad I did. I am also glad I did not listen to those who lambasted my experience and skill set.
The one thing I have noticed on CUK is that there seem to be a few loudmouths on here who try to make newbies feel inadequate in their decision to try contracting - why are you discouraging others from following the same path as you? Scared of the competition? Some will sprout on about ‘being a specialist’ - all bull. If the client is looking for a certain skill set and you can fill that skill set then that’s what matters. I am a BAPM with a technical development background and excellent business knowledge. This is what the client wanted. Knowing the right people also helps (although I landed this contract on my own merit and experience - without the help of having friends in the right places).
My first contract - at an IB - and I couldn't be happier, given how much the finance industry has shrunk over the last few years, this is a tremendous start. Here’s to a very bright future!!
I also have a serious question out of all this - just why do most agents insist on knowing what your previous salary / rate was? It seems to me it is more about being nosey and gauging just how much they’ll be able to slice off the top of the rate for themselves. Is there any legitimate reason for this question? My experience in this particular case was that the agent actually didn’t even ask about my previous salary before we negotiated the rate and he put me forward for the role. However in the majority of cases, this was one of the first questions an agent would ask me.
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