First contract - what am I doing wrong?

[TheMonkey]

You're saying there is no contract market outside London ? (for unix).

My research indicates there isn't, but then again I don't know how efffective my searching is, since this is my first time.

I worked with Unix contractors at my last employer, near Northampton.

Can I ask you guys - how did you find your current contracts ?

Unixman.

Tried near Nottingham? Pipex communications are there and they take on regular contractors, so are Capital One. Also Egg are in Derby and some other crappy online banks are that still use UNIXen. tulipty places to work but the cash ain't too bad.

[DimPrawn]

What am I doing wrong ?

Unixman.

You are not doing .NET

[kramer]

nothing a good book and the ability to drag and drop won't fix

[BlasterBates]

If you're Unix I'm afraid its banking or Telco, which means London.

If you want to go anwhere but London, then Java, Windows stuff like .Net are the thing to be into.

[Clog II The Avenger]

When I stated contracting I left a good permie job, I was very apprehensive and friends and colleagues were saying it was the wrong thing to do. Once I had left , the first day resulted in a choice of contracts. By the end of the first week I was being pestered to jump ship. The right offer came along and I jumped ship and went contracting in Holland for some years still using my limited company. When I came back to the UK, the phone didn't stop ringing and in between the airport and home I gained another contract in Europe. Now times have changed, It is a hard slog for each contract. "Four times a day on Jobserve" is not enough.

[Spartacus]

Sadly, Berkshire is even harder than London for commuting, from here. All the same, I will add Berks to my search...

WTF?!?!

Milton Keynes Central to London Euston is 40 minutes. Most contractors would see that as virtually around the corner.

[Bitbucket]

Oh sh!tty bedsit in Harrow here we come

[Xenophon]

When I stated contracting I left a good permie job, I was very apprehensive and friends and colleagues were saying it was the wrong thing to do. Once I had left , the first day resulted in a choice of contracts. By the end of the first week I was being pestered to jump ship. The right offer came along and I jumped ship and went contracting in Holland for some years still using my limited company. When I came back to the UK, the phone didn't stop ringing and in between the airport and home I gained another contract in Europe. Now times have changed, It is a hard slog for each contract. "Four times a day on Jobserve" is not enough.

Agreed.

My last gap between contracts lasted almost 6 weeks and I am blimmin great.

[wendigo100]

WTF?!?!

Milton Keynes Central to London Euston is 40 minutes. Most contractors would see that as virtually around the corner.

That's the permie mindset for you.

[bogeyman]

Hi,
I am having real trouble finding my first contract. Perhaps you guys could advise. My skills are good and current. I have been in permanent employment for 15 years, working as a Unix sys admin. Two months ago I was made redundant. Having no dependants, and being reasonably financially secure, I thought it a good time to try contracting.

The problem is I just can't find a contract! I search jobserve and other engines 4 times a day, I am willing to travel up to 1.5 hours from home near Milton Keynes. The contracts just don't seem to be there. I am searching a wide geographical area, but excluding London.

On the other hand, when I search London, there are many suitable contracts. But I would like to stay out of London, for now.

What am I doing wrong ?

Unixman.

Oh! Where to start.

Well, you obviously feel you have marketable skills, and yet you have buried yourself in some dull little UNIX sysadmin enclave while the world has marched on by.

Do you like doing sysadmin? Maybe consider a different career path.

I don't want to know about your wonderful shell scripting abilities. It's all so bloody irrelevant.

Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, but I don't think you can expect to walk into the same job you just walked out off.

Good luck anyway.