I don’t really give a tulip any more

[Mich the Tester]

One example is the guy next to me is refining the company’s agile process for the last 2 months but he has an OO Basics print out on the wall beside his desk, he is group architect as well.

Oh please. Tell him you can’t ‘refine an Agile process for two months’. You agree with each other that something you’re doing isn’t working, agree on an alternative approach and try it. That takes about 10 minutes if you have the right people. Otherwise, it just isn’t agile.

[minestrone]

Oh please. Tell him you can’t ‘refine an Agile process for two months’. You agree with each other that something you’re doing isn’t working, agree on an alternative approach and try it. That takes about 10 minutes if you have the right people. Otherwise, it just isn’t agile.

It aint agile, nowhere near it, they just think it is because they have been on a course and have a whiteboard with cards on it, or as it is called in here an 'information radiator'

[Shimano105]

I got to this stage after about 12 years as well - the itch perhaps?

When I realised that I could do nothing else without severely retraining for a number of years I decided to skill up and keep on doing so, almost daily.

So from chancer to nerd - and I'm now enjoying it more than I used to, but it does seem so much harder to make money these days.

[darmstadt]

Forgot to mention. Why I go to initial client meetings I often ask what they use for a code repository, found it a fail-safe way of determining their ****ed-up-ness.

If it's CVS they're OK, if it's Subversion they've got a few too many anal types, if it is Clearcase, oh boy hold on to your hats as they're being reamed by at least one major consultancy and it's Contractor Rodeo!

In fact I would agree with another poster here who suggested Clearcase is an anti-pattern for a failed project.

You forgot SCLM, but thats for us real professionals

[SantaClaus]

I worked in IT development for 20 years, about 12 years of that was contracting. Some of it was really interesting at the start, developing automated trading systems, but a lot of it was downright boring.

My last client co. (Brillo knows the one! ) finally made me realise that I'd had enough of this business. It was the usual development role that turned into yet another support role on an ageing system. Happens every time.

It was so boring, it was literally killing me. I absolutely hated it.

I'd also had enough of the recruitment circus that I had to deal with every 2 years when I looked for another contract. Oh yes, plus the outsourcing, politics, permie jealousy, having to swot up on the latest greatest skill. And I dont need to see another downturn, I have already been through 2 in my working life.

So I used my spare time to work on Plan B which is trading the forex markets.
It took me 2 years to get consistent and profitable. Its not an easy business to learn, dont kid yourself! But I knew sucessful traders who have made it.

So here I am now trading the market from home and loving it. My study looks like NASA mission control

I choose my hours and will be able to spend more time with our new baby when she is born.

Life is so different now and in a way, clientco did me a very big favour!

[DieScum]

This week I'm happy with IT. Last week, and maybe next week, not so much.

The thing is the money. I've got a mate who is smarter than me, better class of degree, more charming, but not really ambitious or a go getter. He's been working in admin for the NHS since he graduated. Probably earning low 20s. Every time we catch up he is always 'fed up' with the job.

Got a mate who dis a post-grad LLB, then all that training stuff, is now working as a solicitor. Works very hard. I earn comfortably more than him.

Today, I got up at 9:15. Did a solid couple of hours work, Watched an episode of the Wire. Put out a fire for a client. Went for a walk. Now I am sitting and eating crisps. This is what I do for a living.

[rootsnall]

I got to this stage after about 12 years as well - the itch perhaps?

When I realised that I could do nothing else without severely retraining for a number of years I decided to skill up and keep on doing so, almost daily.

So from chancer to nerd - and I'm now enjoying it more than I used to, but it does seem so much harder to make money these days.

I had the 2,4,6,8,10, and 12 year itch, then I went thru the reskilling nerd phase. I then saw the next light and decided to milk things for aslong as possible with as little effort used as possible until it could be milked no longer, then think again.

[SantaClaus]

I had the 2,4,6,8,10, and 12 year itch, then I went thru the reskilling nerd phase. I then saw the next light and decided to milk things for aslong as possible with as little effort used as possible until it could be milked no longer, then think again.

I think that rings true with many people.

It's more or less what I did. Just thought sod this, I cant be bothered to learn the shiniest, newest, most fashionable programming lanugage any more only to find someone in India can do it for the price of a bowl of rice a day.

So I just milked current skills supporting boring ancient system at last client co. for 2 years whilst preparing for Plan B.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

+1, but what other job could you do where you would get paid this well, and have such an easy life? I put up with 2.5 hour meetings by mumbling the contractors matra under my breath:

Ker-ching....
Ker-ching....
Ker-ching....
*Invoice*

I agree only here to get the cash to do more interesting stuff

[expat]

I had the 2,4,6,8,10, and 12 year itch, then I went thru the reskilling nerd phase. I then saw the next light and decided to milk things for aslong as possible with as little effort used as possible until it could be milked no longer, then think again.