Retraining as IT contractor, starting at the bottom.

[Old Greg]

Hi, I have been working as a contractor in financial services compliance (ie not at all IT) for a few years and have noticed on here that a standard day rate for IT contractors is circa £800 pd, whereas I have never even got to half of that. I am also furloughed.

So, can I retrain as an IT contractor? I don't have high day rate expectations given that my only IT qualification is GCSE. Where would I start to get a basic bums-on-seats position? Would it be good to learn Python on the Harvard Uni site for example?

Thank you

Start off as Psychocandy's Apprentice Keyboard Sanitiser and work your way up. There are no short-cuts in life.

[bingocaller88]

Free Certified Network Security Specialist - Certified by Network Security & Cyber Defence (CNSS) - worth GBP500! - hotukdeals

Thank you, it's up to a heat level of 3531 so clearly a genuine saving.
There seems to be a very useful IT Certification Roadmap from CompTIA on there as well.

[Eirikur]

Ok at the risk of feeding the troll. Beginners IT day rates such as first Line helpdesk are about £100 - £150 per day typically through a temp agency although you see them sometimes advertised as contractor roles.

[clearedforlanding]

Thank you, it's up to a heat level of 3531 so clearly a genuine saving.
There seems to be a very useful IT Certification Roadmap from CompTIA on there as well.

Cool. When you have Cybersec under your belt, you can become an IBM Watson expert.

100+ Free IBM Training Courses: Includes IBM’s Cloud & Watson Platforms, plus IBM Professional Development - Free @ IBM - hotukdeals

[jayn200]

I have no idea what financial services compliance is and have no interest in learning what it is.

I will give you a serious answer though.

Do you have an accounting qualification? If you do then it'll be much easier to make the transition because companies who are looking for IT professionals with accounting qualifications will accept much lower IT experience and still pay decent day rate. Otherwise I think it's going to be a long hard road for you.

I can't help getting to 800 day rate as if I knew the answer for that I would do it myself. You can probably get closer to a 600 day rate if you pick a niche in IT you can learn quickly that is in demand and compliments your existing qualifications and experience. Since you don't have any real experience using your new skill it might help to get a vendor certification if you can. That can help partially overcome the lack of technical experience.

You would probably get a better quality answer if you just went to those people who are earning 800 a day and ask them what you need to do to get to where they are. Maybe take a look at their qualifications and experience and see if it's realistic for you to get there and how long it might take. Also if you can find out how they got that job, can you please tell me as I would love to make 800 a day as well.

[Scruff]

Wave

Accountant, and now IT Consultant here. I'll take a role at £800 per day (not doing too well then, am I?).

[Whorty]

Wave

Accountant, and now IT Consultant here. I'll take a role at £800 per day (not doing too well then, am I?).

Back at ya

Accountant and contractor here too

I tend not to call myself an IT Contractor though, but a Finance Systems expert. I guess you're like me, you bridge the communication and skills gap between IT and Finance/Accountants? I have an expertise around a couple of finance systems, plus BI/Finance reporting, so always in demand.

Never taken an £800 ppd contract - seen a couple but they tend to be Programme Manager roles and whilst I 'could' do them I wouldn't want the hassle. More than happy in the 5-600 range

[Scruff]

Back at ya

Accountant and contractor here too

I tend not to call myself an IT Contractor though, but a Finance Systems expert. I guess you're like me, you bridge the communication and skills gap between IT and Finance/Accountants? I have an expertise around a couple of finance systems, plus BI/Finance reporting, so always in demand.

Never taken an £800 ppd contract - seen a couple but they tend to be Programme Manager roles and whilst I 'could' do them I wouldn't want the hassle. More than happy in the 5-600 range

I am not an IT Contractor either, but operate as a "Consultant" (not in Finance, per se, though I have worked in Financial Services / Banks) in the very "Cloudy" world.

[Platypus]

Cool. When you have Cybersec under your belt, you can become an IBM Watson expert.

That's a very valuable skill right now, because IBM have laid off many of its cloud and most of its Watson people.

[ladymuck]

What role in IT do you want? Those people on £800 pd whose money you are coveting - what are they doing? Not literally, as that'll be close to nothing, but what role are they in?

That will give you a clue as to what skills you need to get to their level in about 5 - 10 years' time depending on your ability to spin no experience but have a bit of paper and the strength of your network to get you into a job you're probably not qualified to do (the latter is the way I manage to get work, I'd still be a waitress in a cocktail bar otherwise).