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

[SueEllen]

Eh ? Did you go to school ?

Boo2

Yep and I also know teachers.

As long as there is one kid they can reach out to/change the life in 3 years they are happy.

[SueEllen]

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

Is it how long it took you? I thought you lasted longer.

[nomadd]

I have now done IT contracting (switched from permanent) for about 5 years, 8 contracts or so. I came here for the money (of course) but also for what I thought would be excitement and risk: genuinely fighting for business, doing pilots and trying to convince clients to keep me on. What I've found for the most part once an "interview" is landed with a client (shouldn't it be "discussion" and not "interview" when we're talking contracts?!), is that most of them are looking for a permanent-type worker who they can only pay for a few months.

Half or 3/4ths of said interview is technical questions of the kind that reminds you of exams in university.

If you 'pass' this interview you are made part of the company's plans for the next half-year or more.

Once on the job they are willing to give a good amount of independence in *how* you get work done. Some of them (some) are even open to suggestions as to *what* you will do there. But for the most part you must get used to the client's pace and the client's ways of doing things.

I guess what I hoped for in the contracting world is clients asking you to come on for a day or two (yes I am advocating initial one or two day contracts), at most a week, where the contractor has to think on his feet, perhaps hit the books/internet at night, come up with ideas, do mock-ups and pilots. Then if they like you they engage with you, otherwise you leave. This is what I expected. What I've found is very different.

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.

I've contracted 25 years. For the first 15 or so, it was terrific. In the last 10 years it's got progressively worse. In the last 5 years it's become unbearable. Your chances of finding an "exciting" contract are pretty slim. Not saying that these don't exist, but they are very few and far between.

Most contracts I get contacted over these days are nothing but a) supporting a pile of undocumented junk that the permies have all run away from; b) cover up the mess The Bobs are making of a project so that the Senior Management don't look like the incompetent idiots they really are.

Taking 6 months off each year is the only thing that keeps me sane. At it's for those reasons I stick to contracting.

In your position, I'd suggest going permie with a consultancy if you want some "excitement" (but be prepared to see your life snatched from under you.)

[northernladuk]

Eh ? Did you go to school ?

Boo2

Eh? What has me going to school got to do with teaching as a profession. My other half is a junior school teacher and loves her job with a passion. She works all the hours gods sends, gets paid a pittance but when she gets a child up a level when he was expected to not move it means the world to her and makes it all worthwhile. She doesn't know how much her yearly salary is at the moment as it isn't her focus.

I watch her and wish I could find a job I had that kind of passion for and can say I enjoy as much even after so much hard work... but am a lazy money grabbing slacker so it's an IT contracting life for me.

[Mich the Tester]

Is it how long it took you? I thought you lasted longer.

Three months. I am back contracting travelling to work each day singing ' I've got no boss, I've got no boss...' and wondering whether my permiedoom misadventure was some kind of mid life crisis. Glad that's over.

[tractor]

Actually BB, I think that he thought it would be more 'international jet setter'; flying in like the Lone Ranger, waving diagrams around, explaining to clients how to fix their broken infrastructure using the latest jiggery-pokery that has only just been developed (in fact the 'book' describing said jiggery-pokery was only published on Monday), have the gratefull clients applaud and throw money at him before tipping his hat with a modest 'My work here is done' and flying out into the sunset with another client-in-distress wailing for his services.

Then he discovered that contracting was more like a jobbing electrician, plumber or plasterer.

Reminds me of the ol' cowboy outfit joke

[NDawg]

Fill 'yer Boots...

For anyone wondering (or if OP's truly interested in getting some action), I just spoke with the agent. Clientco needs 10 people but the agency wants to pay 300 per day. Told them to come back when that figure was above 500 and with a gun included

[bobspud]

For anyone wondering (or if OP's truly interested in getting some action), I just spoke with the agent. Clientco needs 10 people but the agency wants to pay 300 per day. Told them to come back when that figure was above 500 and with a gun included

Just so you know: The going rate is £1k per day + expenses for entering dangerous countries where people may wish to shoot at you. That covers the additional insurance that you will need.

That agent is taking the piss and looking for a green idiot to risk their lives while they steal over 700 a day.

[NDawg]

Just so you know: The going rate is £1k per day + expenses for entering dangerous countries where people may wish to shoot at you. That covers the additional insurance that you will need.

That agent is taking the piss and looking for a green idiot to risk their lives while they steal over 700 a day.

I had a feeling it was around that mark given what private military contractors earned in Iraq/Afghan during the early 2000s. Sure, this is only IT infrastructure, but still, you're right. Danger is danger. The agent's claiming all expenses included (flights, visas-etc) but insurance is a damn good point.

So, as someone interested in actually getting some time in these countries, where would a good place to start be in terms of finding an agent (or preferably a contractorclub equivalent) that offers a fair rate for this sort of contract? Mods, if this is against T&Cs, please let me know or edit accordingly.

[bobspud]

I had a feeling it was around that mark given what private military contractors earned in Iraq/Afghan during the early 2000s. Sure, this is only IT infrastructure, but still, you're right. Danger is danger. The agent's claiming all expenses included (flights, visas-etc) but insurance is a damn good point.

So, as someone interested in actually getting some time in these countries, where would a good place to start be in terms of finding an agent (or preferably a contractorclub equivalent) that offers a fair rate for this sort of contract? Mods, if this is against T&Cs, please let me know or edit accordingly.

The key words that you are looking for are post conflict reconstruction...
Pop them into google and have a wander down the rabbit hole.

If you want to get in to it seriously then relocation to a free trade zone country is needed. This is so that you can't be draged to America through UK extradition treaties for breaching the embargos that the US have in place to make sure that Haliburton and the usual suspects are not beaten to the punch when it comes to stealing all the resources of the country in question.

I have a mate that is doing very well in scary places but at some point he will probably never be allowed back in the UK...

You should think carefully about what you want. It will all get very real when you are looking at the kidnapping insurance and Licenses to carry arms.

I took a look at my house and family and happily bottled it

Good luck