n00bie alert! Service Management/Project Management

[thunderlizard]

But you must have started out with one, maybe two companies. Anyway, quality not quantity!

[cojak]

Hi Chaps,

Sorry been busy doing that ITIL thingy...

Yep Mal's right there is a difference between you and him (apart from experience, looks, size of girth, etc... ) and that is that Mal (and I) implement/re-engineer ITIL (and it's no longer 'just' Service Management/Operations anymore*). We are Project bods, whereas you are looking for a Business As Usual operations role - and that type of contract role will be a bit harder to find during these times (you'll find more permanent roles than contract roles for BAU out there).

So I would be a bit flexible about the type of role you take. Major Incident Management as a specialty seems to be linking up with Business Continuity and Information Security - I'd read around those areas too.

Oh, just one more thing.

[QUOTE=kanulondon]
I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead, I work for one of the big 2 UK banks and I've had it up to hear with all the politics. mad

/QUOTE]

It is a myth that the moment you become a contractor you can ignore the politics - it may happen for some lucky (usually junior) people but the moment you start thinking about your extension you become political. And if you are senior you will have to play, whether you like it or not.

You just need to be good at it...

[* and yes, I know it's never been 'just' Service Management/Ops for you, Mal... ]

[kanulondon]

Thanks for advice Cojak.

I am definitely going to be as flexible as possible upon searching for roles. But your right BAU is currently by background but part of the reason I want to go contracting is for that to change and to expand my skills.

re:Politics - You speak wise words. I was really more talking about my wait for promotion as some of the ways and means it takes form at my work place. Would be happy to play political game in certain situations, and as I will be going for more senior roles in the long term, i will most certainly have to. I'll just be happy that it doesn't involve some of the aspects I dislike in my own organisation.

Thanks Malv - I can see you have vast amounts of experience but you have to start somewhere.

KL

[kanulondon]

To those who have SM experience

Any recommendations on how what type of contracts I should be looking at to expand on my BAU experience?

Or should I just take whatever I get to start with...as long as it isn't cleaning the bogs....but hey for £500 a day....

Thanks for advice so far

KL

[mailric]

do it. if your confident enough and you've enough experience and qualifications to get another permanent job then quit and look for contract work. i wouldn't advise seriously looking whilst in permie work as your months (sometimes 3 months) notice will do you no favours. Also, agencies will think you'll chicken out at last minute so might not be interested in putting you forward to the client.

Ultimately, if you quit then can't find anything/anything suitable, you just hit the permie jobs boards instead.

Worst case scenario =

1. you've got some decorating done / sat watching tv whilst this is going on
2. you've some good job interview experience
3. you've left the old job you obviously don't like very much
4. your new permie job will probably be paid more than your old one

good luck.

[kanulondon]

do it. if your confident enough and you've enough experience and qualifications to get another permanent job then quit and look for contract work. i wouldn't advise seriously looking whilst in permie work as your months (sometimes 3 months) notice will do you no favours. Also, agencies will think you'll chicken out at last minute so might not be interested in putting you forward to the client.

Ultimately, if you quit then can't find anything/anything suitable, you just hit the permie jobs boards instead.

Worst case scenario =

1. you've got some decorating done / sat watching tv whilst this is going on
2. you've some good job interview experience
3. you've left the old job you obviously don't like very much
4. your new permie job will probably be paid more than your old one

good luck.

That's certainly the way I am looking at matey. You don't know how close that is to reality. I am confident that I can make it work and am looking forward to the challenge more than anything else

Better to have tried and failed....even better to have tried and succeeded!

KL

[Stolly]

And also what would be a reasonable rate if I looked for a position from Leeds/Manchester upwards?

KL

A lot less than London rates, thats been my experience (different field).

In my field, you are looking at 300-400 pd London and around 225-250 in Yorkshire.