Project Manager or Developer?

[wendigo100]

I went from ABAPper contractor into permiedom as a team lead, to Head of Development in a multinational, managing a team of technical project managers/team leads in various countries. It was fun. ( Taking the team out, and then calling my boss from the Buddha Bar in Paris at 10pm, getting his agreement to sign off the expenses, was a notable achievement that doesn't appear on my CV... ).

However, the politics eventually got to me, and I went back to contract ABAP development. ( Now OO in BW and SEM). And frankly, I love it. I wish I'd never gone up the management tree. Though having been there, I've got excellent high level contacts that are very useful for keeping me in work.

And I think I'm getting a slightly higher rate than your pm rate. ;-)

NotAllThere

Well done NAT. I just wish I understood what you do.

[sli_gryn]

The downside is that it can also turn out into an "all responsibility" if both techies and PMs are not doing their job well and they both come to you when the sh1t hits the fan.

too true! if you can see that one coming, raise your concerns with the Programme Manager and start getting your resume in order!

[ASB]

The downside is that it can also turn out into an "all responsibility" if both techies and PMs are not doing their job well and they both come to you when the sh1t hits the fan.

Tell me about it. All the responsibility and precisely no authority. By the time it gets to me the tulip has already hit the fan.

[Zorba]

Well done NAT. I just wish I understood what you do.

It's simple - you get the .net training manuals and you're off...

[kesm]

Well, I do a mix of contracting and permie. I go permie when I have to learn new skills for a few years, then milk it for a few years after and so on. Yes, it's only big consultancies where you can have some respect in these positions. However, the road is still very slow. They are trying, as you said, to value people in the technical progression but still the opportunities are not that many and people who are on the business side gets unfairly most of the credit and bonus opportunities. So you are right, contracting is really the only option (going permie only when you need to refresh your skills).

That's an interesting approach. What do you say to the interview for your permanent role, when they see that you were permanent and left and did the same thing again?
How do you convince them that you will not leave this one and go back to contracting a few years later?

[~Craig~]

I really don't understand why your average code-monkey thinks he'll make a good Project Manager.....most of the developers I've met are social lepers who you wouldn't dream of putting in front of a client.

Project Management is it's own discipline which requires a different skillset, not something you can work your way up to.......

rant over :-) I'll get me coat.......

[~Craig~]

It amazed me when some pimp suggested something similar once...

maybe he was right ;-)

[Francko]

That's an interesting approach. What do you say to the interview for your permanent role, when they see that you were permanent and left and did the same thing again?
How do you convince them that you will not leave this one and go back to contracting a few years later?

Just tell them what they want to hear. They hire you because you have the skills. Of course they would prefer people who stay 10-15 years in the same company who would even sink with the same stinking boat. But then normally these people do not have that many skills as they sticked for a long time on just a few subjects. So whether they like it or not, they must hire you.

[sasguru]

...most of the developers I've met are social lepers who you wouldn't dream of putting in front of a client.

.....

I see you know Francko. His new employers are using the mushroom theory of management: put him in a dark room, feed him tulipe and watch him grow.

[Francko]

I see you know Francko. His new employers are using the mushroom theory of management: put him in a dark room, feed him tulipe and watch him grow.

The fact that it works for you doesn't mean that it works for everyone else. Some of us prefer not to be full of sh1te, you know...