Making the Leap

[MrMarkyMark]

you dont have to wait and skill up before you go contracting you can learn on the job.

That sort of statement makes me realise why I come across contractors with no skills these days.

[stek]

That sort of statement makes me realise why I come across contractors with no skills these days.

Probably a desktop box shifter though....

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Probably a burger flipper, with aspirations, though....

[No2politics]

Im assuming you have the ability to skill up/ learn quickly. The vast vast majority of permies I encounter are dreadfully bad, so its not hard to look good when the benchmark is so low.

[SueEllen]

The longer you leave it before going contracting, the more money you are missing out on!!

If you contract just for the money then you are in for a shock somewhere down the line.

I made the jump after less than 4 year of my first perm job. Although everyone said it was a risky move it current climate (sept 2008) i figured since id be doubling my take home and it was a 6 month contract i felt comfortable with the risk. I had a one month notice period so I slid straight from one to the next. I didnt have savings but could have always moved back home i guess. you dont have to wait and skill up before you go contracting you can learn on the job. I have seen some clients wait for three month notice periods. I myself have just secured a role starting 1st march. Always good to finish a post with a quote so "if you want to learn how to swim, jump into the water" bruce lee

You are aware that a contract isn't secure to you are on-site? And even then if someone higher up decides to can the project that's it. If you are lucky you will get your notice period if not they will make up a lie to get rid of you.

[SueEllen]

Im assuming you have the ability to skill up/ learn quickly. The vast vast majority of permies I encounter are dreadfully bad, so its not hard to look good when the benchmark is so low.

The OP hasn't posted (and I don't advise them to do so) the technologies they specialise in. They may be in a niche area where there are are few contract roles. Or they may be in a main stream area with loads of roles and loads of contractors with years of contracting experience.

[jbond007]

That sort of statement makes me realise why I come across contractors with no skills these days.

You've got to realise the market has been changing (or in some cases has already changed). Many hire contractors as a quick resource to keep the project on-track and the expectations for contractors to stand out aren't as big of a requirement.

I'm sure there is always going to be place for a highly skilled contractor ready to get-going on the first day, but many places do allow for some learning up on an assignment

[MrMarkyMark]

Im assuming you have the ability to skill up/ learn quickly. The vast vast majority of permies I encounter are dreadfully bad, so its not hard to look good when the benchmark is so low.

The thing is, when I started people wouldn't have dared try and go in, with no skills.
That is what we used to get paid well for.

Now it seems I have to put up with training poor quality contractors on the job itself.
Completely unacceptable.

I mean I had a contract PM, this morning, he does not know the difference between a business requirements doc and the DB functional spec.

Then, I have the BA who said you do not need to state what columns you want in a reporting BRD.

Feck

[No2politics]

The thing is, when I started people wouldn't have dared try and go in, with no skills.
That is what we used to get paid well for.

Now it seems I have to put up with training poor quality contractors on the job itself.
Completely unacceptable.

I mean I had a contract PM, this morning, he does not know the difference between a business requirements doc and the DB functional spec.

Then, I have the BA who said you do not need to state what columns you want in a reporting BRD.

Feck

That is pretty bad.

Certainly not advocating going contracting with no skills. But lets say you have transferrable skills and you back yourself to learn quickly - and by that I mean self learning rather than asking people basic questions - then you should take the plunge.

It helps to be in a niche area though - my specialism is statistical analysis and machine learning. A bob free zone

[SueEllen]

The thing is, when I started people wouldn't have dared try and go in, with no skills.
That is what we used to get paid well for.

Now it seems I have to put up with training poor quality contractors on the job itself.
Completely unacceptable.
Feck

Don't bother training them then - there is a thing called Google.