Ruined

[Ignis Fatuus]

Then why off-shore the work at all?

Because the clients think that IT experts are commodities. Because the big vendors have persuaded them so.

[Mich the Tester]

Because the clients think that IT experts are commodities. Because the big vendors have persuaded them so.

Yep, that's why you need to sell yourself differently; don't work through some legion of carbon-copy agents selling commodity coders (no disrespect to coders intended, quite the opposite in fact) as workhorses for big 4 projects. Build a relationship with a couple of agents that specialise in your field and sell yourself as a 'troubleshooter'. Firstly, a specialised agent can get you better gigs and a better rate as he knows how to explain your added value to clientcos. Secondly, you can pick up the pieces when Bob's buggered it all up and clientco's desperate for someone to get things sorted.

There are a few very good agents here in Holland (must be one or two in Britain) and they have contacts at board level at clientco instead of dealing with some junior HR or purchasing squit.

I know it's easier said than done, but it seems to be working for me.

[Ignis Fatuus]

It certainly made some people very rich.

And probably explains why some still think that the Royal family are drug dealers.

They certainly keep some stuff quiet still. Hence the constitutional prohibition on Parliament discussing the sovereign's wealth or business. Hence probably the company Bank of England Nominees Ltd, formed to invest for an especially wealthy client with high confidentiality needs, and a Ltd Co that is freed from all normal disclosure requirements by special act of parliament. I suspect it's our Owner's investment bank.

[d000hg]

Then why off-shore the work at all?

Because "more expensive" is still cheaper, if you're getting people who are actually of decent standard.

I don't know if "we don't have enough good software developers" is a fair argument either, I'd say right now probably not?

[Rantor]

Yep, that's why you need to sell yourself differently; don't work through some legion of carbon-copy agents selling commodity coders (no disrespect to coders intended, quite the opposite in fact) as workhorses for big 4 projects. Build a relationship with a couple of agents that specialise in your field and sell yourself as a 'troubleshooter'. Firstly, a specialised agent can get you better gigs and a better rate as he knows how to explain your added value to clientcos. Secondly, you can pick up the pieces when Bob's buggered it all up and clientco's desperate for someone to get things sorted.

There are a few very good agents here in Holland (must be one or two in Britain) and they have contacts at board level at clientco instead of dealing with some junior HR or purchasing squit.

I know it's easier said than done, but it seems to be working for me.

I’ve managed to build quite a good reputation in my sector and I get all my work through contacts, usually consultancies I’ve worked with before. I’ve not used an agency in 5 yrs.

My current project is being belgobob’d even though they know it will put core systems at risk (1000+ users) and there is no real financial case for off-shoring. It is solely being done on the basis of a board level decision that x % of ICT billable hours must be offshored. I was asked to stay on to assist with the gravedigging but the prospect of an application architect role on a boomedtastic new project won out in the end.

I also have had dealings with the indian coders of certain well-known software suites.

[Doggy Styles]

And hacking up and spitting into same said sinks.

I've seen several Bobs do that, it seems peculiar to them.

I hate the people who wipe bogies on the walls in the traps. Although I can't prove it was Bobs.

[EternalOptimist]

And wiping bogies on the walls in the traps. Although I can't prove it was them.

scumbags.
they should eat them like us civilised westerners

[Mich the Tester]

scumbags.
they should eat them like Gordon

ftfy

[Doggy Styles]

scumbags.
they should eat them like us civilised westerners

I agree. Sorry about the edit by the way.

[Jog On]

Does anyone else keep getting spam Bob emails offering web design, SEO etc written very badly, sent from hotmail/gmail/yahoo addresses with &*&$ing read receipts!?