Lack of 'adventure' in the IT Contracting world: Disappointed

[TheFaQQer]

Yes but what are these consultancies doing for months or years? Are they extra heads doing BAU, or are they doing or trying to do something new at their client? Its the BAU aspect of it that I have a problem with, not the duration of the engagement. I've found too often that they want me in there just to do BAU for a few months.

If you don't want to be doing BAU, then why are you going for those roles? Do the project implementation and some short-term post go-live implementation support and then move on if that's what you want to be doing.

[cojak]

If you don't want to be doing BAU, then why are you going for those roles? Do the project implementation and some short-term post go-live implementation support and then move on if that's what you want to be doing.

Yup, that's what I do, don't take extensions just because it's offered - be that international man of mystery and actually leave once the project's finished...

[northernladuk]

I remember moaning about this to my parents when I was younger and as it happens there was a program on TV about these floating eye hospitals. My mum asked me if I thought being an eye surgeon would be more exciting or fulfilling to which I said it would.

I then watched this program where the eye surgeon removed something like 15 cataracts a day.. and that is all he does. Day in day out. Although needing skill it was still a tedious job with little to no 'excitement'. Unless you get a job you love, like teachers or something it is always going to be just a job however skilled. Difference is can you see it through and make it a career or just get disillusioned and hate every minute of it.

[yasockie]

I think what you're after is consultancy rather than contracting in general.
Just find a cutting edge tech, cloud computing, nosql dbs etc.
If you want pilots, prototypes etc, you can team up and maybe do some pre-sales tech or PM work depending on your skills (or lack thereof)?

[SussexSeagull]

When all said and done it is a job (albeit a self employed one) and earning a lot of money out of it isn't to be laughed at. If you have only had days or weeks between contracts you should count yourself lucky in the post crash world, although one might argue you could wait for a more suitable contract.

I have had contracts where basically you turn up and do the same as the permie sitting next to me but had others where you develop relationships and have a say in the bigger picture. You can't pick a winner every time and the mortgage has to be paid!

[bobspud]

Yes but what are these consultancies doing for months or years? Are they extra heads doing BAU, or are they doing or trying to do something new at their client? Its the BAU aspect of it that I have a problem with, not the duration of the engagement. I've found too often that they want me in there just to do BAU for a few months.

Doing some BAU at the end of a role is called good business practice because its where you transition your hard work into operations where it will be abused for the rest of its life. so if you get it right you can fix all the issues nice and quietly before someone uses them to stab you in the back end ensure you never get to comeback...

Have you never come across one of the big boys in action? Or was it that you were not paying attention?

Consultancy 1-o-1

Turn up look at your role .
Find all the broken stuff that you can and drag it out to the attention of the head of the department. (Not before you have already fed the issues back into the consultancy so that they can line up the resources nice and ready to pounce...)
Offer to get more guys in that are as good as you so you can fix the stuff
New consultant joins you and you both repeat step one...

The average pattern of consultant footprint goes something like 1,2,4,8,16. By now you have an account director and programme office in place and the king card comes out to play "We don't think you handle your change process very well why don't you let us put a change management function together for you?"

All the while you remove any contractors or experienced people that can see exactly what you are up to..

Stay until the client is bankrupted. OR more importantly it looks like you will breach your two year rule on expenses. (find contract up other end of country and repeat)

That model is called land and expand and is the staple of the big four and any other company that wants their own money press.

[NDawg]

Oh that is COOL!

I'm putting in for that.

[Kanye]

Agree with the person above who mentioned consultancy.

When I worked for a consultancy, I was doing 1-2 week gigs troubleshooting and the kind of work you describe. It wasn't much fun being so transient to be honest.

Since I turned contractor I've been on the same gig for 3 years and it will probably take me till retirement.

I think its a reasonable comment that the OP made. I also went into contracting for the variety and a bit of risk and didn't find it either.

[Boo]

Unless you get a job you love, like teachers or something

Eh ? Did you go to school ?

Boo2

[Mich the Tester]

What I've found is basically permanent work for shorter durations (but still paying twice as much as permanent work). I am happy with the money but unhappy with the lack of excitement. People outside the IT contracting world like family and friends get excited when I tell them I work on contracts, on a freelance basis. I often find I have to make up stories about high-risk high-reward (or bore them with the truth). There is nothing risky about this, except a few days or weeks now and then on the bench between contracts.

Go permie. You'll be back contracting in three months.