Do/Should I consider a junior role?

[rb51]

hi all,

Hope you guys can help....I am in IT Infrastructure...

Finished my last (1st contract) in July. Decided to take some time off to study and take Linux certification(s). All planned. Passed first exam, now studying for next level up. I am not desperate in terms of needing money to survive....

Got a call for a junior role basically doing service desk stuff - Banking (money okay for this type of role - 17% less of 1st contract).

Questions:

1) As I have no Banking experience on my CV, would this be a kind of good opportunity albeit at a junior role service desk crap?

2) Linked to Q1: Will this have a bad impact on my CV, i.e. spending time doing service desk crap? Would I be able to "hide" or kind of cleverly write experience/tasks on my CV once gig ends (if it materialises)?

what do you guys think?

*if it was a junior Linux role, paying really low I would not mind as I need to put more opensource experience on my CV

[northernladuk]

You are only as good as your last gig. Agents will scan your last piece of work and judge you on that. You'll certainly be on the back foot trying to get a gig back at your original level.

Also I wouldn't be so sure you'll get the gig. If you are over qualified it's highly likely you'll ditch the gig when something better comes along. The client will be well aware of this.

[WTFH]

You're currently not working so my advice would be to put yourself forward for the interview. If you get selected for the interview then attend it.
It's a very good idea to get interview practice. The more interviews you go to, the better you become at them.
After going to the interview make sure you contact the agent for feedback from it. This is another chance to learn.

Generally, any experience can be good experience, and working in a sector you haven't worked in before is also a good tick on your CV.
Also, don't forget that while you might consider it a "junior role, service desk crap", it's about how professionally you deliver that role. Do a good job and you might find you get the chance to do something a bit meatier at that client.

It's also invoicing, more money in the coffers and rebuilding the warchest.
If you get an interview and if you subsequently take the role, that doesn't mean you are stuck in that role forever. You can still actively apply for roles with other agents and clients and if one of them is more like what you are looking for, then you can serve your notice on this contract and move on to the next one.

[northernladuk]

Generally, any experience can be good experience, and working in a sector you haven't worked in before is also a good tick on your CV.
Also, don't forget that while you might consider it a "junior role, service desk crap", it's about how professionally you deliver that role. Do a good job and you might find you get the chance to do something a bit meatier at that client.

Got to say I don't agree with this at all.

As a contractor I don't believe any experience can be good experience. It will land on his CV so if it adds nothing to his skill set it's not good at all. He has two gigs, one at his skill level, one as a service desk bod. Doesn't look good when he's up against people with reams of people with end to end gigs at the right skill set.
Doesn't matter how professionally he does it. The agents won't see that on his CV when they are doing their keyword scanning and trying to match him up to the gig with very little knowledge of the work.
I don't really think doing a good job at a client in the hope you 'might' get something meatier weighs up against the problems he's going to have with 1st line on his CV for ever more. Complete gamble that one.

All that said he's no income coming in so the long term risks may come second to the ones related to him not earning so at some point all the above will become irrelevant and he's no choice but to go for it.

Definitely go for the interview for the experience and because you haven't got anything at the moment. If you get the gig then you can weigh up the long term vs short term risks.

[northernladuk]

Don't forget the points made in post 8, 16 and 17 of your thread from February....

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ease-help.html

Those Linux certs aren't really going to help you as a contractor unless you have demonstrable experience to go with it or you get lucky at a client that will let you learn on their kit.

[Pip in a Poke]

You are only as good as your last gig. Agents will scan your last piece of work and judge you on that. You'll certainly be on the back foot trying to get a gig back at your original level.

Also I wouldn't be so sure you'll get the gig. If you are over qualified it's highly likely you'll ditch the gig when something better comes along. The client will be well aware of this.

Nonsense.

I'm constantly getting calls about the 3 months I did with Technology X back in 200n & I always have to tell the agents that they're wasting their time as I am a bit rusty WRT to that particular skillset.

[northernladuk]

Nonsense.

I'm constantly getting calls about the 3 months I did with Technology X back in 200n & I always have to tell the agents that they're wasting their time as I am a bit rusty WRT to that particular skillset.

As do I. It appears someone has a CV with my Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship on it and still get mails for jobs for it. Not a hope in hell of actually getting the gig. An agent calling you after a keyword search does not mean you've a chance at the gig.

Kind of further makes the point that the agent will not spend time digging through the CV to investigate why the last gig isn't in line with his skills and give him the benefit of the doubt.

[SueEllen]

As do I. It appears someone has a CV with my Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship on it and still get mails for jobs for it. Not a hope in hell of actually getting the gig. An agent calling you after a keyword search does not mean you've a chance at the gig.

Kind of further makes the point that the agent will not spend time digging through the CV to investigate why the last gig isn't in line with his skills and give him the benefit of the doubt.

Actually I get emails and calls for languages I've not used for donkey years.

I have to explain to the agents that no I can't do the role as my knowledge is out of date.

If the OP is creative but not a liar they can explain away the role. However personally I wouldn't do a service desk role.

[BlasterBates]

I would say if the OP doesn't have an alternative and would be on the bench otherwise I would take it. Any contract is better than the bench. In other words spending 6 months on a service desk is still better than twiddling your thumbs. It might indeed give the OP a leg up into the banking sector as once he is familiar with people in the bank he could then sell himself for a better role in the bank.

[mattfx]

From what I know of the market my advice would be to not do it; it's going to leave you in a difficult position when it comes to getting back into the infrastructure side of things. You may not get the chance to "explain away" your role, the pimps doing the CV screening may see "Service Desk" as your most recent gig and put you in the round filing pile.

From the sounds of it you aren't desperate for cash, but Christmas is coming up and the market I dare say will quieten during that period, with people here having mentioned some of their clientco's already suggesting they take an extended period off for festivities.

If you were in a situation where a role of your seniority was paying 20% less than market rate, i'd say take it - at least you're not on the bench, and you're out working. But as it's a more junior role, i'd say stay away and keep building your CV.