Newbie cracking the market

[Scratch It]

First contract you often get while serving notice. Second contract you need to find after finishing the first - so you have a limited war chest that is rapidly depleting while everyone around your panics... Meanwhile your CV will not be of a clear-cut contractor at that moment...

As an aside, personally, the best time to go contracting is with a new technology that you know more about than anyone else. Yes it limits the contracts you are going for but given that you won't have much competition it should be far easier for you to get it (less competition) and it should also pay well (less competition again). So don't go just yet and get those Azure items on the CV first....

Thanks for this Eek - appreciate the strategic advice and makes perfect sense to me.

[Scratch It]

Similar.

Full end-to-end DW design, ETL, BA, PM etc., but more experience with BusinessObjects and Cognos as the reporting tools. I've worked with SSRS and PowerBI but to a lesser extent. In terms of database techs, I've seen most over the 20 years I've been in BI; mainly SQL Server and Oracle with occasional other stuff like DB2 and Netezza. ETL similar - mainly DTS/SSIS with projects using other tech like Ab Initio.

As you've probably realised by now, project-based work is far more interesting in our line of work.

Thats all I have done to be honest. I've worked with BAU guys - no idea how they do it, not for me!

[LondonManc]

Thats all I have done to be honest. I've worked with BAU guys - no idea how they do it, not for me!

Build something that won't break, then sit there hoping it does. Not for me either!

[Bee]

Are you sure you're cut out to be NLUK ?

Boo2

LOL

Interesting, I thought exactly the same.

[Bee]

Hi,

How many years of experience do you have in BI?

UPDATED - SEE PAGE 2

Hi all,

I'm new here. As a slight introduction I want to make it clear that I have read the newbie guides, I've read pages and pages of the contracting forums, done my research on the benefits of umbrella vs limited etc. What I am trying to say is that I havent found a post that answers my question.

Basically I was hoping for some advice. The best way I can describe my situation is that I have been manipulating my permie career with the aim of eventually cracking into a contractor job as soon as I can. My speciality is Business Intelligence, particularly Microsoft BI stack. By manipulating my career I mean taking the jobs that will give me the best experience to eventually be able to contract (sacrificing salary in my current position - I am underpaid). I have a wife and son who are both on board and are fully aware, as far as they can be, about the lifestyle choice this means.

Basically I was hoping to get advice on what my next move should be. In my current BI role (within financial services), I am managed from within a standard business function (operations) as opposed to managed by IT professionals. Therefore in my organisation I am by far the most experienced in BI and the BI stack (so if I run into a problem, google is my friend). I know, (realistically) that I could do with another year or so before I move to contracting, though I dont know whether to improve my CV by moving to another permie position before moving on to contracting. As things stand I would only be able to provide one reference from an IT professional (or two within the same company). I think it is possible that if I was working for a senior developer in BI then I could accelerate my journey to contracting. Would this community recommend that I move to another 'job' before moving into contracting? I am also part ways through an MSCE in bi.

I have struggled to find junior developer contracts - otherwise I would seriously look into jumping ship earlier. I want to make sure that my transition to contracting is a successful one, without realising too late that I needed an extra reference or a little more experience with mdx etc.

I appreciate any and all help, and acknowledge that newbie threads can be frustrating for some (sorry).

I await NLUK telling me I am not cut out to be contractor!

[northernladuk]

Hi,

How many years of experience do you have in BI?

Maybe reading the thread might actually help..

Anyway, I'm at the point now where I have 6-7 years experience in BI

Also you should quote first to give context and then put your reply. Not the other way around.

[Bee]

Maybe reading the thread might actually help..



Also you should quote first to give context and then put your reply. Not the other way around.

Ok, it's in the update post.

[Scratch It]

UPDATED - SEE PAGE 2
I know, (realistically) that I could do with another year or so before I move to contracting

Nearly four years later, finally made the shift. Boomed today!

And yes, I understand why my timing is pretty poor!

[oliverson]

Nearly four years later, finally made the shift. Boomed today!

And yes, I understand why my timing is pretty poor!

I bet Richard Branson is 5hitting himself with the speed of your execution. I'm tipping back in a permie role within 6 months, sacked by his client.

[Lambert Simnel]

I bet Richard Branson is 5hitting himself with the speed of your execution. I'm tipping back in a permie role within 6 months, sacked by his client.

Grief, there's no pleasing some people!

Looking through the thread I got the impression of someone consciously and carefully making the jump into contracting, with a decent awareness of what skills and connections he needed to make it work. So much better than the typical thread on the lines of "I've been a permie for two years, how do I get my first £600 pd contract, please send links".