'Pushy' IT contractors compel women to upskill

[cojak]

“And, whilst women may have exactly the same industry experience they feel they often lose out when applying for new jobs or projects as they don’t have the paper to prove it.”

I think there are others on this board who could say that goes for anyone, not just women...

A bit of false logic there on the part of agents and clients alike.

A bit of paper proves you can pass exams, not do the job.

But if you play the game...

[bjayakody]

My wife's a Java/J2EE contractor just like me.

Occasionly we both have been interviewed by the same place.

She gets questioned twice as hard as I do. Even by the recruiters on the phone.

One recruiter even put me forward ahead of her, even though I didn't have the skill required (Swing), which she had 2 years dev in.

And as I worked with her once (where I met her), yes I can say she's good. Better than me in fact.

[TheOmegaMan]

When will you muppets realise the market is not driven by technical skills or training or even apptitude. It is driven by personal profit, ego, prejudice and dogma. Whether you think someone is better than someone else is irrelevant. What matters is whether the interviewer thinks that person is better for them.

When a group of people hire someone it typically takes months because noone agrees on who is best. The reason is that they all think their own characteristics make the best candidate. Eventually they all get bored and hire the next person in the queue of candidates.

This is how it works in a over-supplied market like IT.

[lukemg]

Brilliant assessment Omega ! That is exactly how it works, try doing some interviewing yourself - very difficult not to project your own views onto the candidates.
For virtually every job there are numerous people who can do it, if they like you/you seem to be like them - you have a shot. Same as with a woman - work out what sort of person they want and turn into them - quickly !
Quick example - 2 separate regional offices at one place.
Asian IT manager at one - entire team asian.
White middle class IT manager at the other - yeah, whole team likewise.
Not implying any racism, simply that people hire people like them, even if they try not to !

[TheOmegaMan]

It also works the other way: some managers insist on female staff to keep the testosterone levels down. Because there are far fewer female IT candidates this means it is sometimes fairly easy for a woman to get an IT role.

It also explains why most of the female IT contractors on here get positions. It is not their looks or their skills: they are like a baby's dummy, a sort of pacifier amongst the lions.

[cojak]

Right,

I'll remember to tell that to the next weasel that irritates me (I've been described as 'truly scarey' by senior management when challenged on a point of ITIL - ususally after I've quoted a page number reference off the top my head correctly... )

[Back In Business]

ususally after I've quoted a page number reference off the top my head correctly... )

That's just weird - I've worked with SOX people (managers) that did that. I thought they were weird too - and I told them so. I don't work there any more.

[cojak]

I only use it when someone thinks they can bully me - my laser stare usually just fries them to a crisp.

Normally it's managers who try it on - I do have a 'so fire me' attitude which hasn't backfired yet (mainly because I don't care if they do - I'm right, end of story).

[Back In Business]

Well, whatever gets you through the day . Small-minded, power-mad middle management drive me round the twist anyway. Please feel free to use your death stare on them at will.

[Diestl]

Originally Posted by cojak
ususally after I've quoted a page number reference off the top my head correctly...

I only use it when someone thinks they can bully me -

So when someone tries to bully you, you start quoting ITIL page numbers at them? Why would they bully you in the first place im wondering?