Perm to contracting - Advice needed for Java developer!

[Bazza]

Advice: .Net

HTH

What? Switch from j2ee to .Net?

[_V_]

Learn both and do migrations both ways.

[threaded]

And if the client already does both, introduce them to Ruby On Rails.

[Francko]

What? Switch from j2ee to .Net?

One advice: if you want to be a contractor you should try to be a little technology agnostic. You cannot impose your choices to the customer. And the customer is always right. Furthermore, highly needed skills might not be so in the future and they are not going to crosstrain you (apart from a few exeptions). So if he wants .Net that's what you are good at.

Try to build a wider range of skills (do not underestimate depth of knowledge but don't count on this only).

[gables]

I remember when I was a permie one of the technical guys told his boss he had just accepted a job with the company's main competitor, he was escorted to his desk to pick up his pen and then marched off the site. There was no animosity, the company was just protecting itself.

I think he went contracting

[Bazza]

One advice: if you want to be a contractor you should try to be a little technology agnostic. You cannot impose your choices to the customer. And the customer is always right. Furthermore, highly needed skills might not be so in the future and they are not going to crosstrain you (apart from a few exeptions). So if he wants .Net that's what you are good at.

Try to build a wider range of skills (do not underestimate depth of knowledge but don't count on this only).

I agree with what you are saying - - I work with a java/opensource evangelist who has a big downer on microsoft, I keep telling him that his principles are all very well, but they won't pay the rent. I don't really give a toss one way or the other what I develop in. .Net is one on my list to add to the toolset.

[maverick]

What area of the country you work/live is important. I live and work in the North West around Manchester but tend to find J2EE jobs scarce on the ground and the rates are not as good as darn South. Competition up here is much tougher and hence the rates are lower as people will undercut you to not have to work away from home.

After my current gig I shall probably have to look down South and work away from home. Not good since we have one child and another on the way very soon and I don't like the prospect of being out of contract for 6-10 weeks again which seems to happen every summer.

[Bazza]

What area of the country you work/live is important. I live and work in the North West around Manchester but tend to find J2EE jobs scarce on the ground and the rates are not as good as darn South. Competition up here is much tougher and hence the rates are lower as people will undercut you to not have to work away from home.

After my current gig I shall probably have to look down South and work away from home. Not good since we have one child and another on the way very soon and I don't like the prospect of being out of contract for 6-10 weeks again which seems to happen every summer.

I live in East Anglia, but will be looking for contracts in London - which is where I currently work. Although, I am prepared to work pretty much anywhere really (within reason).