Apprehension about leaving permanent role to go contracting

[BlasterBates]

To test your marketability checkout jobserve. If the skill sets clients are looking for match yours then it should be straightforward if not then you need to skill up. Basically when you read the job descriptions they should be what you've been doing.

There would be no point if they're all looking for expert angular developers for example. The first thing they would do is test you on your knowledge.

[Freewill]

1. Are the kind of skills I have in demand in the contract world, i'm afraid to take the leap as I cant be sure?

Most new web front-end development is being done in JavaScript/TypeScript using React or Angular. There will be contracts for your skills but they would be working on existing systems and at a lower rate.

2. I haven't worked in a proper software team before of more than 2. It doesn't bother me but it might bother a prospective employer?

Yes it would bother me if you were applying for a senior position, as you wouldn't have much experience of reviewing other developer's code and working with junior developers and that is an important part of being a senior developer.

3. Source control and continusous integration seem to standard now. I use SVN for source control but dont have the experience of using this as part of a team. Never used TFS, will this hold me back?

I would be slightly shocked to encounter a contractor who hasn't used git.

4. How do you find the skills/experience of other contractors you have worked with? Are they quickly booted out the door if they are not suitable?

In my experience people get booted quickly more because of their poor behaviour than their poor work. It depends on the client and sometimes teams will carry weak members if they are well liked.

5. How did you feel prior to your first contract? Are these fears/concerns common?

I think these feelings are normal but you should give them serious consideration. Your experience is rather one-dimensional and that may not be a problem when getting a contract initially, but eventually they will dry up as technology marches on. My advice is that you need to broaden your experience by moving to another company and working as part of a team and being a senior developer. I think that with a bit of homework you could use your current skillset to find a permanent job doing ASP.NET with React/Angular. Once you have done this I think you will get more confidence to go contracting.

[SussexSeagull]

If you have any doubts about going into contracting then don't.

[simes]

Rubbish. A bit of fear is always good. Keeps you keen, alert, aware and wanting to succeed.

Have you never hesitated to jump off a tall cliff into the water, but felt better when you've done it?

[northernladuk]

Rubbish. A bit of fear is always good. Keeps you keen, alert, aware and wanting to succeed.

Which is great but still need the skills to be able to succeed.

Have you never hesitated to jump off a tall cliff into the water, but felt better when you've done it?

But wouldn't go so well if you couldn't swim. Same situation as the OP is in.

[davenice]

Tinman, my situation this time last year was quite similar to what you described in your first post. I.e. I had been with my employer for 10+ years, marketable tech skills not as up-to-date as it should be, working in a proprietary language, 3 month notice period etc.

The following are some of the steps I took:

Read up a lot on what it means to be a contractor. Spent a lot of time on forums like this and spoke with other contractors I met.

Built up my cash reserve.

Lots of online training videos to brush up my skills. I used Pluralsight.

Prepared my CV. Focussing on the tech skills. Stripped out the stuff on corporate citizenship etc.

Contacted a couple of recruiters. Insisted on just contract roles.

Resigned. I was placed on gardening leave for 3 months.

Chilled out for a whole month.

Arranged first interview as a developer in a project and got offered the role. I’m still there today, almost a year on. I have probably picked up more new useful skills in the last year than I did in 5 years in my previous role.

Yes, there was some apprehension leaving my previous role. It was very well paid, great benefits etc. Plus I’m my family’s sole breadwinner - so it was always going to be a risky move. However, I was fully committed to going for it. I had no doubt it was what I wanted to do.