First contract - what am I doing wrong?

[Captain Jack]

That's the permie mindset for you.

Maybe he should ask his potential client to give him a relocation allowance and pick up his pension contributions?

Unixman, you said you were prepared to travel up to 1.5 hours but aren't prepared to go to London, which is where all the contracts (and the decent money) are and is only 40 minutes away. Is there any reason for this or have you been paying too much attention to articles in the Daily Mail about how the streets of London are littered with stabbed bodies and crackheads?

[threaded]

unixman: can you do korn scripting, 'cause they're looking for some HP/UX guys on Jutland.

[bogeyman]

unixman: can you do korn scripting, 'cause they're looking for some HP/UX guys on Jutland.

I can do that - gissa job!

[AlfredJPruffock]

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.

Come gather round Contractors
And lets talk of the days
When jobs where aplenty and rates were OK

Did you gather your rosebuds whilst you may ?
For now ...
The Times they are a-changing

[sasguru]

... streets of London are littered with stabbed bodies and crackheads?

Yes they are, but I find that wearing a good pair of sturdy brogues keeps most of the gunk away.

[bogeyman]

Come gather round Contractors
And lets talk of the days
When jobs where aplenty and rates were OK
And Did you gather your rosebuds whilst you may ?
For now
The Times they are a-changing

Wise words as ever Alf.

Spoke to a client this morning who couldn't understand why his lunch was being eaten by competitors when "the product has sold well for so many years without any changes!".

The times are indeed changing for us software hacks.

[Captain Jack]

Working in Olde Londinium Towne

Yes they are, but I find that wearing a good pair of sturdy brogues keeps most of the gunk away.

Have you seen the old man
In the closed-down market
Kicking up the paper,
with his worn out shoes?
In his eyes you see no pride
And held loosely at his side
Yesterday's paper telling yesterday's news

So how can you tell me you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind

Have you seen the old girl
Who walks the streets of London
Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags?
She's no time for talking,
She just keeps right on walking
Carrying her home in two carrier bags.

In the all night cafe
At a quarter past eleven,
Same old man is sitting there on his own
Looking at the world
Over the rim of his tea-cup,
Each tea last an hour
Then he wanders home alone

And have you seen the old man
Outside the seaman's mission
Memory fading with
The medal ribbons that he wears.
In our winter city,
The rain cries a little pity
For one more forgotten hero
And a world that doesn't care

[Bagpuss]

Don't believe all this rubbish about London. Remember 'Tickle on the Tum' with Ralph McTell. That was a factual documentary based on London life. As soon as you arrive the friendly natives will burst into song and go out of their way to help you settle in.

[bogeyman]

Don't believe all this rubbish about London. Remember 'Tickle on the Tum' with Ralph McTell. That was a factual documentary based on London life. As soon as you arrive the friendly natives will burst into song and go out of their way to help you settle in.

Oh yeah! - those Pearly Kings and Queens! Couldn't get away from them!

[Xenophon]

As soon as you arrive the friendly natives will burst into song and go out of their way to help you settle in.

That happens to me every morning when I arrive at Kings Cross.