Should I jump now

[Notascooby]

On point 4 I left a bank as a permie for a contract which was titled as a BA role but I was upfront and told the agencies I'd need 4 weeks notice from the point of accepting.

Yes this can limit the roles but things don't tend to move that quickly, I'm sure there's lots of cases of interviews on Friday and starting on Monday but within finance there's usually 2 weeks worth of checks to be done before you can step through the door.

If the client likes you then they'll be prepared to wait, the advantage of a BA over a coder is that you're needed when the project has time to spare. The developer is usually drafted in with a month to go live on the pretence that you can throw bodies at a problem to meet an unrealistic date.

[alreadypacked]

1. Warchest not big enough;

1> Reviewed my situation with other half and we could last max of 6 months on shoe-string. Both of us gunning for this, which is good. Does this change the advice you have given?

One of the reasons for a big warchest is so you are not desperate, agents can smell desperate a mile off. What they can't tell is why, are you desperate for the role because you have lied on your CV and you may not be able do the role but you want the rate. Or you are running out of money because you are so long on the market and no one else will touch you, or some other reason. They may not take a chance on desperate.

Or the other problem if they smell desperate they may offer you a low rate and keep the rest. Once you are on a low rate it is sometimes difficult to get a much higher rate, the lower you start the longer the climb to a high rate.

When some agents call me with a low rate I do a Linda Evangelista on them: “I would not get out of bed for that rate” Even if I have not worked in months. Most of the time I will contact agents on Skype and tell them I’m on holiday somewhere (Lucky for me this is usually true) you need to get your contractor head on.

[BlasterBates]

Don't jump whatever you do. The market looks like its deteriating. Looks like the banks are gearing up for layoffs, I'm hearing that hiring freezes are now in place.

[teabag]

Six months warchest isn't enough. I'd want to have at least a years right now. You need to have finance experience otherwise the market is dead..Even that is tailing off... Competition for BA roles in London seems quite stiff at the moment..Rates outside finance are depressed..

[rd409]

If you think that you can manage 6 months on the bench, then by all means go ahead. I started my contracting career without any sizeable savings. The only assurance was the other half's job that was sufficient enough to pay almost all rents, and then we could use the credit cards for the rest of the times.

Fortunately, I have since been in the contracts, and have managed to increase the warchest all the time. Do not be discouraged by the savings you have got to fall upon. If you are young enough to learn from your mistake, and have a long career, and if you can switch your skill set frequently at the drop of a hat, then there is nothing stopping you to take a dip into contracting.

[Ranger]

It seems more people are saying 'do not jump'. Plan is to update and upload my C.V. maybe apply for a couple of jobs as well just to test the water. I am thinking I can always go back to a permanent role if I do not succeed within around 4-5 months.

The advice has been useful in any case, so thanks.

Ranger

[cojak]

I think that only you can really decide Ranger. I think that lukemg's advice is good. You have a reasonable warchest and a supportive partner, and although we don't know your BA CV and experience, your replies are thoughtful, measured and give a very good impression of your BA skills.

We try to put people off who look as though they will jump into contracting without thinking, this doesn't apply to you.

Good Luck