300/day IT contract (Requirements)

**northernladuk** · 15 January 2013, 15:53

Originally posted by rurffy View Post

Hi all - Need some advise

I only just started contracting 2 years ago. I have all i need book wise(education wise) - CCNA,MCITP,ITIL,MCSE - Bachelors degree Electronic engineering, Masters Degree Network Professional) ...

Ok that been said, I have not really worked as a 3rd line support.(I work now as a 2nd line support for an IB).

This is the point you need to focus on.... As a contractor you are paid for your skills and expertise in your area. You are perceived as a specialist that can hit the ground running rather than a permie that has to skill up. If you haven't done it before you cannot realistically sell those skills as a contractor. Books and courses can help but with no evidence of application it isn't worth much.

I mainly have Desktop support experience, i receive around 200ish/day

Now the questions is, i would like to earn the 300ish /day rate -

1.what is the possibility of earning this with my current experience .

2.Do i need more experience to earn this kind of Rate? if yes - which?

3.Thinking about doing the Vmware VCP 5 Course- would that be helpful?

Many thanks all. - Your contributions will be very help.

Depends where in the country you work, deepest darkest Yorkshire I doubt it, middle of London possibly... but then the rate isn't the only consideration, the living costs come in to play.

I would say yes you do need more experience and which is up to you. You are the business looking to sell your skills. Do some research on places like Jobserve and see what the skills are for the gigs at that rate.

The course will only be helpful if people are looking for that coupled with your other skills. Again do some research on jobserve and see what people are looking for.

Personally at these rates and this experience I would be thinking about going permie and getting myself a career ladder, moving up it and then jumping off when I am at a level I can earn the right money using the skills I have. You can't do desktop support on 200 a day for the rest of your life and there isn't much chance of improving your skills as a contractor.

**rurffy** · 16 January 2013, 09:45

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

You can't do desktop support on 200 a day for the rest of your life and there isn't much chance of improving your skills as a contractor.

Thanks for your reply, - Important line above... and yes i am at the point im really sick of going under users table to fix cables or trying to make a user understand that IE is different from Chrome ..pffff

I think i have reached that the stage to up my game -

**SimonMac** · 16 January 2013, 09:49

IMHO the list of skills you mentioned are "general" to get the higher paid jobs you need to be seen as a expert specialist in the area that they are looking for, I would have a look at the adverts for the range you want and you will see that they are not after a jack of all trades, they want someone who can do a specific task

**yasockie** · 16 January 2013, 10:38

I got CCNP and higher certs many moons ago and didn't really get as much out of it as I would have thought.
Dealing with networks, you're either setting things up once, which doesn't take that long - therefore you're only charging for a few days or they're looking for someone to do support and maintenance and that's usually permanent positions.
Therefore I got out of that area of IT entirely, it might work out better for you.

**Sausage Surprise** · 16 January 2013, 13:32

Get some testing qualifications and go down the the Test Analyst/Lead/Senior Lead/Manager/Programme Manager route and you'l be on £700 a day in no time.

**rurffy** · 16 January 2013, 16:08

Originally posted by SimonMac View Post

IMHO the list of skills you mentioned are "general" to get the higher paid jobs you need to be seen as a expert specialist in the area that they are looking for, I would have a look at the adverts for the range you want and you will see that they are not after a jack of all trades, they want someone who can do a specific task

SimonMac, Yea... thinking about it again thats true... But that i have a masters degree (i would think employers will take that into consideration and pay more ) But well the case is Nah!! ... I will look for something more specific to learn and be an expert in that line. (However, many companies and agencies will require people with more general skills added to the specific skill needed i think )

**rurffy** · 16 January 2013, 16:09

Originally posted by Sausage Surprise View Post

Get some testing qualifications and go down the the Test Analyst/Lead/Senior Lead/Manager/Programme Manager route and you'l be on £700 a day in no time.

Point!

**stek** · 16 January 2013, 16:10

300/day IT contract (Requirements)

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300/day IT contract (Requirements)