Skill up.

[mall]

So I have been working as an AIX systems person (contractor) for the last 8 year. 8 years as a perm before that.

I want to move up to a TA role, but lack the proven experience that all clients want these days.

I know people will say go back to perm to skill up. But I don't think perm jobs are permanent anymore.

What do other people on the forum think.

Oh yeah and I am honest and do not lie on my CV to get into a role. Most of TA's I have met should not be in the job.

[vwdan]

What experience do they need that you can't demonstrate after 16 years?

[Gittins Gal]

What's a TA?

Edit: d'oh - Test Analyst of course.

Pen testing is where the money is apparently but it's a different ball game entirely. You need to think like / be a hacker.

[Mich the Tester]

Oh yeah and I am honest and do not lie on my CV to get into a role. Most of TA's I have met should not be in the job.

But they are in the job and you aren't. You don't need to 'lie', but you need to think like a business; if you can't do some skill but you can learn enough to blag the interview in a day and enough to do the work in a week before starting, then you can do it. If you have limited experience of something but it was a bit more than the people around you, then tell them you have experience and then spend a week swotting up. If you really know nothing about some particular skill then don't advertise it, but big up some other skill that's relevant.

Blag it, learn it, deliver it, bill it.

You are not selling yourself; you are selling a service that your business will provide. Lots of businesses sell things they've never done before and then work out bloody quickly how to provide them.

[SimonMac]

What's a TA?

Tits and Arse man

[mall]

skill up

For example I have a load of experience with AIX, storage and networks etc as well. But I have not performed as a TA in any of my roles so lack the PROVEN experience.

My question should be how do other people on the forum progress there career staying as contractors.

[eek]

What's a TA?

Would imagine Technical Architect.

Its one of those things I could do, likewise Solutions Architect. However I prefer to produce something rather than paperwork at the end of the day so I stick to what I enjoy. Even though I could charge more if I wanted and went for the paper-trails and job title....

[eek]

Tits and Arse man

yep you have an interest in both of those...

[Scrag Meister]

Would imagine Technical Architect.

Its one of those things I could do, likewise Solutions Architect. However I prefer to produce something rather than paperwork at the end of the day so I stick to what I enjoy. Even though I could charge more if I wanted and went for the paper-trails and job title....

Agreed.

Enjoy your job if you can.

I left my last perm job which ended up transitioning into BA/Project Mangement because it wasn't development, which I thoroughly enjoy.

Could have been earning more, but that isn't everything.

[vwdan]

For example I have a load of experience with AIX, storage and networks etc as well. But I have not performed as a TA in any of my roles so lack the PROVEN experience.

My question should be how do other people on the forum progress there career staying as contractors.

If you're as good and as knowledgeable as you say you are, then I think it's just a case of reworking your roles to reflect where you want to be a little more. Have you tried applying for TA roles? Have you had any direct feedback?