Contracting straight out of uni. Is it doable?

[cannon999]

Thanks for all the interesting opinions on the matter. I shall start budgeting for setting things up

[DodgyAgent]

I'm a C# developer with a pretty high first class degree in computer science from a very good uni (also 94+ in all modules related to software engineering). I have worked for 3 IT companies already (roughly 2 years in total now, all .NET related experience). Rather than going for a permie job after graduating - is it feasible to attempt to swim the contractor waters? I have a bit of money saved up so could potentially survive upto 6 months of no pay/set up costs etc. If this is possible - what kind of challenges should I expect/research? Thanks!

The first thing you will need is an agent. As you are so young it is best you give him 50% of your income to look after for you. email your CV to [email protected]

[MrMarkyMark]

50% of your income

Special offer for beginners, then

[b0redom]

Please call time on this thread.

It's clear the answer is a big fat 'NO', if its good money you're after.

Not long ago I met a 'consultant' as they called themselves after leaving graduating a year earlier. We're doomed I tell yeh.

Was it a recruitment 'consultant'? The number of those guys who press you to connect on LinkedIn, and have their previous position as 'Chicken Flipper at Nandos' or similar is incredible.

[SpontaneousOrder]

It's very likely (obviously i can't know for certain your own circumstances) that what you've learned at uni is mostly 10 years out of date and for the most part void of all real world pragmatism.

So I don't really see why you'd want to go contracting? If you have a good degree from a good university, then that is worth a lot more to a company hiring graduates. People paying well for contractors want (real world) experience.

[DimPrawn]

So I don't really see why you'd want to go contracting? If you have a good degree from a good university, then that is worth a lot more to a company hiring graduates. People paying well for contractors want (real world) experience.

Which is why most UK companies look to India. Where else can you find a Masters Degree educated young chap with 10 years experience of 5 year old technologies for giveaway rates?

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Which is why most UK companies look to India. Where else can you find a Masters Degree educated young chap with 0 years experience of any technologies for giveaway rates?

[BigRed]

If you hire a contract programmer with a first class maths degree and no long term experience at a company you run a grave risk of being left with software that no-one can support. They need the junior position with regular code reviews to dumb down to the average level.

[DimPrawn]

If you hire a contract programmer with a first class maths degree and no long term experience at a company you run a grave risk of being left with software that no-one can support. They need the junior position with regular code reviews to dumb down to the average level.

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-L)   :0;e(x,y);if(m[x][y]&64)break;}while((c=getch())!=-1);endwin();cu(Q);
printf(Q,v);} 

Come on, own up your clever little Oxbridge chunt, who wrote this? It's like trying to work your way through a maze!

[MrMarkyMark]

Come on, own up your clever little Oxbridge chunt, who wrote this? It's like trying to work your way through a maze!

No, you are mistaken, those codes were written by someone on the offshore team.
I was wondering where they had got to.