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Advice for Quickly Winning and Starting In Contracting After Permanent Hiatus

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    Advice for Quickly Winning and Starting In Contracting After Permanent Hiatus

    Hi All

    I was last contracting in 2007 for a small financial services software house near Tower Hill in London, then I went to a British investment banking as a permanent employee. I got made redundant in 2010, year after the ill-fated merger(!), which the then government approved to save other British investment bank. I spent 10 months looking for another role, living off the compensation, and I though it would be great opportunity to find that #futuretech job that allowed to me the aspiring "ivory tower" lad, go to many tech conference, and just laud it up telling newbies how to set up their enterprise architecture. I thought I learn Haskell or Scala and get a banking job doing that. Unfortunately that great plan did not pan out, because I realised much to much chagrin that the majority banks, the people in their divisions, and departments; they wanted to just fix their current pain. They were not at all interested (yet) in the latest innovation. So I remarketed myself as Java expert, Spring, Hibernate, the usual Java EE bollox. Finally, just when I thought I would be jumping off Westminister Bridge in to the Thames, I ended up in a consultancy late last year 2011, and in September 2012, they kicked me out, because I was not up to mark of being a consultant whilst being on-site. I totally sucked for the being client-facing consultant, in my first time of doing, at least the director told me at the time, he said that I should concentrate on being a subject matter expert. Of course the brother was entitled to his opinion, which leads me to the present day...

    After kicking tyres in October, basically, I am fed up with everyone telling me that I am rubbish developer, a tulip consultant and I am bad communicator, I am not client-facing enough, I am certainly worthy of being *not* a technical leader and I should be aspiring to be a manager, or being told that my years of experience mean absolutely nothing in comparison with new graduates appearing on the scene year on year.

    I just want to develop software, program in Java, Spring, Hibernate or even Groovy or Scala and earn money, very soon. I, certainly, cannot afford to take another 10-12 months kicking around doing nothing. I really would like some kind on advice on getting a new contract in the London city area or central London. I am happy to commute to London Bridge or Victoria stations every day(!).

    Although I have been working investment banking scence since 1999, I too have seen the misery of the recent UBS news. I know ******* well what that is like, because redundancy happening to me in 2001, 2010 and bloody again 2012. I have had enough of it. It sucks to flaming high heaven, and now what it is luck when the bastards (and b8tches) grind you down when the keycard no longer works and you are just standing there in the lift/reception area with the expressionless month #wtf #ffs. I wish I could avoid it forever from now onwards; I think my career has been unfortunately been blighted with being in the wrong company and the wrong time.

    Seriously, I am not looking forward to Xmas 2012 at all, with no money coming in and without the surety of investment bank handing out compensation for months on end, I am very worried now. Thanks in advance for any advice that you may have me.

    +Cheers+

    #2
    Smaller posts.

    There's a quick win.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by rocktronAMP View Post
      ...because I was not up to mark of being a consultant whilst being on-site. I totally sucked for the being client-facing consultant, in my first time of doing, at least the director told me at the time, he said that I should concentrate on being a subject matter expert. Of course the brother was entitled to his opinion, which leads me to the present day...
      Perhaps being a bit more respectful to those who seem to know better would be a quick win.
      ______________________
      Don't get mad...get even...

      Comment


        #4
        Not sure if it's a Bob or a Troll tbh.

        Comment


          #5
          Got be a dedicated troll to sit and write all that...

          This bit interests me..

          After kicking tyres in October, basically, I am fed up with everyone telling me that I am rubbish developer, a tulip consultant and I am bad communicator, I am not client-facing enough, I am certainly worthy of being *not* a technical leader and I should be aspiring to be a manager, or being told that my years of experience mean absolutely nothing in comparison with new graduates appearing on the scene year on year.
          Although not liking the feedback have you done anything about it. No smoke without fire and if everyone says it might be worth thinking about?
          'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

          Comment


            #6
            Just do what I do, lie and bullshiit and get away with it...

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by stek View Post
              Just do what I do, lie and bullshiit and get away with it...
              That's a load of lying bullshiit that is...
              'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by rocktronAMP View Post
                Hi All

                I totally sucked for the being client-facing consultant,


                I am not client-facing enough,
                +Cheers+
                Learn these skills, not being client facing also means that you don't have colleague facing skills and you will not make a good impression on the people that can help you.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Liamxtype View Post
                  Learn these skills, not being client facing also means that you don't have colleague facing skills and you will not make a good impression on the people that can help you.
                  Agree - these are core soft skills if you want to be a successful contractor - it is not always only about technical skills/ability.
                  ______________________
                  Don't get mad...get even...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by kaiser78 View Post
                    Agree - these are core soft skills if you want to be a successful contractor - it is not always only about technical skills/ability.
                    And these skills are not easily Bob-able....

                    Comment

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