Moving on

[billybiro]

I do feel I'd struggle to convince (and I never lie) a potential client

And therein lies half your problem, because those other ~100 contractors that you're competing with will and do. Not saying you need to make up something that is entirely untrue, however, selling yourself as a very competent expert when you're really only intermediate at best is something you'll have to do if you wish to compete. This may leave a slightly sour taste in your mouth if you're the kind of person who is principled and values integrity, but hey, welcome to the real world.

[DimPrawn]

And therein lies half your problem, because those other ~100 contractors that you're competing with will and do. Not saying you need to make up something that is entirely untrue, however, selling yourself as a very competent expert when you're really only intermediate at best is something you'll have to do if you wish to compete. This may leave a slightly sour taste in your mouth if you're the kind of person who is principled and values integrity, but hey, welcome to the real world.

This is very true.

[Lockhouse]

I was in a similar place a few years ago. I switched out of tech and onto the business side of IB. I also mugged up on some proprietary banking products in order to keep my rate healthy. There's not much future in well paid tech work these days even with specialisation.

I do feel like I'm riding the last wave though and would hate to be just starting out now.

[_V_]

Without boring the pants off you, I'm a developer from the North of England and have been contracting for over 12 years, mostly in the London investment banking sector. I have a skill that pays around £ 650 still but those rates are getting harder to achieve. .

Just to put that into perspective, a lot of permie jobs for skilled .NET developers are paying around £30K p.a. and the clients don't appear to have any problems lately filling them.

[oliverson]

Just to put that into perspective, a lot of permie jobs for skilled .NET developers are paying around £30K p.a. and the clients don't appear to have any problems lately filling them.

Surely that's per quarter? ;-)

I can't understand the lack of ambition amongst people and I can't understand how people can get by on a salary like that, but they do. I'm also aware how privileged we are in the scheme of things but we didn't arrive here by accident did we? I guess some people are just driven and others content. Nothing wrong with that.

[northernladuk]

I can't understand the lack of ambition amongst people and I can't understand how people can get by on a salary like that, but they do.

My salary is a third of that

[ezaquarii]

I just want the money! It can't go on can it

Nope. You're canibalizing your brain this way.

This is common in every industry - people push machines, cars or other things, "saving" on maintenance until damage.

Every asset needs maintenance. Cars needs repair, production machines must be stopped for tuning and repair, etc. Contractor must slow down to catch up with new technology. In IT, you get more knowledge or you get out.

Agressively pushing for short-term gain is costly in long run.

I'm currently in similar situation, considering jump from Android (where my skills are quite unique) into backend development, where is more work, but my skills need to be pimped up with 1 year of permiedom below my financial expectations.

[oliverson]

My salary is a third of that

You know what I meant! Mine's about a quarter of it!

[johndc31]

My salary is a third of that

I'd cream myself on £650 a day, I think I'd end up dead in a motel.

[DimPrawn]

I'd cream myself on £650 a day, I think I'd end up dead in a motel.

Surrounded my a mountain of white powder and hookers?