Contract dilemma

**alreadypacked** · 29 April 2011, 09:27

Originally posted by kevinlam View Post

I have just started contracting, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Got my first contract offer at a big investment bank , 450 a day for six months. But I am in a dilemma . The role is at the back office doing a one man project for the user account team, which I think will not be the most exciting job in the world but its good pay , relax and a kick start at contracting at the bank.

But I have also got several perm offers at various big companies with interesting tech like cloud computing and r&d etc. Do you think I should take the contract or stay perm because of the tech?

Would I have problems looking for a proper contract job after this back office role? My ultimate aim is to go contracting at the banks.

Thanks for the help

Regards
Kevin

A few questions;
Do you have a skill set you are expert in?
Is cloud in the skill set?
Why do you want to go into contracting?

A few does and don't from my list:
Just because someone offers you a contract you don't have to take it (this may upset the agent)
So don't apply for a contract unless you really want it. You are wasting everyone's time.
Before going into contracting decide what you want to spend you day doing, i.e. don't become a BA if idiots get on your nerves.
What is the future market for your skills, what should you invest your time learning.
Most people get their skill set in the permie world, and when they are no longer paid what they are worth, they go contracting.

I think you have decided to go into contracting without a plan. You need a plan, then make it happen.

What skill set are you going to use.
What type are you? Bum on seat, consultant, expert, team lead etc.
Where will you be in 5 years.
Will the contract you are applying for help get you there.

HTH

P.S. My plan was to travel the world and get clients to pay for it, also to only work 8-9 months of the year and spend the winters somewhere warm.

**kevinlam** · 30 April 2011, 20:36

Thanks very much for your help.

I am a senior java developer and I have come to a glass ceiling of how much I can earn. To go further, I could either go team lead then architect , or be a manager or go contracting.

This contract is my first one which I really want to give it a go just to see if this is a valid option for me. But the problem with the contract is the task which is very boring, but it is with a big ibank's back office. so I will have the name on the cv as well.

I think the type of contract work will not improve my skill but definitely let me get back to the banking sector. I don't know if that helps in reality as this is a back office role, but I hope so anyways.

Originally posted by alreadypacked View Post

A few questions;
Do you have a skill set you are expert in?
Is cloud in the skill set?
Why do you want to go into contracting?

A few does and don't from my list:
Just because someone offers you a contract you don't have to take it (this may upset the agent)
So don't apply for a contract unless you really want it. You are wasting everyone's time.
Before going into contracting decide what you want to spend you day doing, i.e. don't become a BA if idiots get on your nerves.
What is the future market for your skills, what should you invest your time learning.
Most people get their skill set in the permie world, and when they are no longer paid what they are worth, they go contracting.

I think you have decided to go into contracting without a plan. You need a plan, then make it happen.

What skill set are you going to use.
What type are you? Bum on seat, consultant, expert, team lead etc.
Where will you be in 5 years.
Will the contract you are applying for help get you there.

HTH

P.S. My plan was to travel the world and get clients to pay for it, also to only work 8-9 months of the year and spend the winters somewhere warm.

**cojak** · 1 May 2011, 08:15

Where do you want to be in 5 years time?

As with most things in contracting, this decision is ultimately yours.

**SueEllen** · 1 May 2011, 13:57

Most contracts will be boring.

**thunderlizard** · 1 May 2011, 15:09

Originally posted by kevinlam View Post

My ultimate aim is to go contracting at the banks.

Then you should take the contract at the bank, not the permanent job at the tech company. If nothing else, it will help you decide whether you really want to do contracts at banks or not.

For is it really your "ultimate aim"? Is it not rather an intermediate aim, to help you stash some cash which you can then spend on something that is really your ultimate aim?

**kevinlam** · 1 May 2011, 21:00

Thanks for the advices. I think I will take that contract. :-)

Do I need to bring my own laptop usually? I have a macbook pro, would it be okay or should i get a pc?

**thunderlizard** · 1 May 2011, 21:27

You'll almost certainly be assigned one of the client's PCs. But it creates a good first impression to bring a laptop along on the first day, in case they haven't got a login ready for you but you want to get a head start on the work.

**TykeMerc** · 1 May 2011, 21:32

Originally posted by thunderlizard View Post

You'll almost certainly be assigned one of the client's PCs. But it creates a good first impression to bring a laptop along on the first day, in case they haven't got a login ready for you but you want to get a head start on the work.

I typically do that, although in the client environments I work in I often need permission to bring it in and use it. It shows a willingness to get on with the job which is pretty universally a good thing.

**Ignis Fatuus** · 2 May 2011, 06:35

Originally posted by kevinlam View Post

Thanks for the advices. I think I will take that contract. :-)

Do I need to bring my own laptop usually? I have a macbook pro, would it be okay or should i get a pc?

Some places, esp. banks, do not allow you to use your own laptop. Other place do like it if you do. It's true that it can let you get on with work from Day 1, if they don't have a PC ready for you.

I use a mac and it's no problem. When I have to run something from the Windows side, I use Parallels (need a Windows install too). It seems to run anything.

I did have to get Office for Mac too, and with that I stepped right back into the Microsoft world: first thing it did was download a 520Mb critical security update, then ask me to reboot!

Contract dilemma