Short term low rate now versus high paid better long term later

[MrMarkyMark]

But a consultant will know and have experience on how to deliver that consultancy. He will know enough about other stuff to aid his delivery. Doing 5 different roles on the past does not mean you can consult.

I don't get generalists in contracting and can't understand how they get their gig's TBH, just like the guy in my example. There are so many others with much more experience so surely get passed over so maybe I'm not the one to give positive advice on what a generalist should do.

Edit : excluding those that have 10s of years of experience. It becomes more plausible. I'm talking those that have 2 or less years in each of all sorts.

Nail on the head. I sell mainly my specialism in an enterprise software suite.
I also know how to design data warehouse reporting models, by studying business process and data flow.
To be good at the reporting side, you need to be a capable BA / Analyst, understand data bases and ETL etc.
If you build the servers then you need to understand all the components of a 3 tier web architecture, unfortunately at the IBs I'm not allowed to play with the servers anymore

However, the roles can be called everything from SME, to Developer, to Architect, Consultant, Analyst etc.

The stupid thing is the hands on Architect role is by far the hardest role, as you are pretty much leading the end to end result, but pays pretty much the same as others.

With 10's of years experience I expect someone to understand the full SDLC inside out.

[ShandyDrinker]

But a consultant will know and have experience on how to deliver that consultancy. He will know enough about other stuff to aid his delivery. Doing 5 different roles on the past does not mean you can consult.

I don't get generalists in contracting and can't understand how they get their gig's TBH, just like the guy in my example. There are so many others with much more experience so surely get passed over so maybe I'm not the one to give positive advice on what a generalist should do.

Edit : excluding those that have 10s of years of experience. It becomes more plausible. I'm talking those that have 2 or less years in each of all sorts.

So what if a role requires extensive experience of someone being able to build an application (web or rich client) processing large volumes of data into a datawarehouse (to be designed of course), interfacing with multiple external systems and so on... you get the idea. In reality if you only hire specialists you'd probably need a DBA for the database work, BI specialist for the datawarehouse, UI specialist, backend service developer and so on. Of course you'll need a project manager to co-ordinate the whole thing. If budgets are tight a good all rounder could well deliver all of that on their own, depending on the scope and overall size of the project.

[ShandyDrinker]

Nail on the head. I sell mainly my specialism in an enterprise software suite.
I also know how to design data warehouse reporting models, by studying business process and data flow.
To be good at the reporting side, you need to be a capable BA / Analyst, understand data bases and ETL etc.
If you build the servers then you need to understand all the components of a 3 tier web architecture, unfortunately at the IBs I'm not allowed to play with the servers anymore

However, the roles can be called everything from SME, to Developer, to Architect, Consultant, Analyst etc.

The stupid thing is the hands on Architect role is by far the hardest role, as you are pretty much leading the end to end result, but pays pretty much the same as others.

With 10's of years experience I expect someone to understand the full SDLC inside out.

I'm guessing you'd expect most people with years of experience to understand the full SDLC.

Do you believe it is your specialism that gets you the roles, the general skills (from a lot of your post you sound like quite a generalist to me) or a combination of the two?

[MrMarkyMark]

I'm guessing you'd expect most people with years of experience to understand the full SDLC.

Do you believe it is your specialism that gets you the roles, the general skills (from a lot of your post you sound like quite a generalist to me) or a combination of the two?

The product specialism is the main driver, I have done all the role titles above, but will always be prefixed with Business Objects..blah...blah.

However, you wouldn't get an architect role unless you have very strong soft skills too.

I'm talking running calls for 50-60 internationally based people, setting out time scales, tasks and risks running an international team, producing technical document sets across the piece, developing prototypes, Security, data mart schemas, associated business processes etc. etc. etc.

The guy that had interviewed for that one saw 35 people, only one person and I were deemed suitable. The previous suitable guy went somewhere else, then I interviewed and got the role.
Some roles require a real mix and sometimes that mix is what the customer wants, its very simple (I think)

[northernladuk]

There is a very big difference between a generalist that bobs it's and out of roles and isn't very good at any of them and a highly skilled experienced that can delivery multiple technologies as per the earlier scenario.

[SueEllen]

Can you expand more on the highlighted point?

Oddly enough NLUK's example illustrates that.

[ShandyDrinker]

The product specialism is the main driver, I have done all the role titles above, but will always be prefixed with Business Objects..blah...blah.

However, you wouldn't get an architect role unless you have very strong soft skills too.

I'm talking running calls for 50-60 internationally based people, setting out time scales, tasks and risks running an international team, producing technical document sets across the piece, developing prototypes, Security, data mart schemas, associated business processes etc. etc. etc.

The guy that had interviewed for that one saw 35 people, only one person and I were deemed suitable. The previous suitable guy went somewhere else, then I interviewed and got the role.
Some roles require a real mix and sometimes that mix is what the customer wants, its very simple (I think)

All fair points.

While you say it should be very simple I'd agree with you. It's always simple... until it isn't and you don't find it as straightforward to find roles as you have done previously.

Don't get me wrong, I'm currently in a contract so feel very lucky given the current state of the market but often wonder whether I'd be better to go all in with a particular specialisation.

There is a very big difference between a generalist that bobs it's and out of roles and isn't very good at any of them and a highly skilled experienced that can delivery multiple technologies as per the earlier scenario.

Oddly enough NLUK's example illustrates that.

I find NLUK's comment intriguing. Isn't a highly skilled experienced (consultant/contractor) that can deliver multiple technologies by definition a generalist? You pay a generalist because of their wide ranging skillset. Perhaps some people that bob in and out of roles actually delivers in those roles.

[MrMarkyMark]

All fair points.

While you say it should be very simple I'd agree with you. It's always simple... until it isn't and you don't find it as straightforward to find roles as you have done previously.

Don't get me wrong, I'm currently in a contract so feel very lucky given the current state of the market but often wonder whether I'd be better to go all in with a particular specialisation.

I find NLUK's comment intriguing. Isn't a highly skilled experienced (consultant/contractor) that can deliver multiple technologies by definition a generalist? You pay a generalist because of their wide ranging skillset. Perhaps some people that bob in and out of roles actually delivers in those roles.

"Simple" was very tongue in cheek.
Yes, we sometimes have harder times, but overall I'm happy and have been for a good number of years .

[northernladuk]

I find NLUK's comment intriguing. Isn't a highly skilled experienced (consultant/contractor) that can deliver multiple technologies by definition a generalist? You pay a generalist because of their wide ranging skillset. Perhaps some people that bob in and out of roles actually delivers in those roles.

Wow.. You are hard work.

So how do you differentiate from a 20 years multi skilled specialist and someone with 6 years contracting and a smattering of everything? It's just a matter of a name. You know what we are talking about.

The fact you don't seem to be getting speaks volumes.

[Lance]

The stupid thing is the hands on Architect role is by far the hardest role, as you are pretty much leading the end to end result, but pays pretty much the same as others.

This is what I do. I fight the battle and prove an architect can also deliver the solution.
Yet it doesn't pay as much as the architect who only know the clear blue skies of dreamland, and only designs something that won't meet the requirements.