Skill up.

[mall]

Skill up

It is OK saying Blag it!!!!

But what if the client says proven experience as a TA. And want references from previous gigs, were you worked as a TA.

I suppose my other issue is most AIX roles have been shafted by the Indian outsource companies like WIPRO. So I am looking at new avenues Or Flipping burgers

[Mich the Tester]

It is OK saying Blag it!!!!

But what if the client says proven experience as a TA. And want references from previous gigs, were you worked as a TA.

I suppose my other issue is most AIX roles have been shafted by the Indian outsource companies like WIPRO. So I am looking at new avenues Or Flipping burgers

Then prove you've done the things you claim which are part of the TA job and otherwise apply for something else and wait until the opportunity comes along, perhaps at an existing r previous client that knows you. But don't waste your time trying to get contracts you won't get even with a good blagging session. Or find one that doesn't ask for as much experience and blag that one instead.

[vwdan]

It is OK saying Blag it!!!!

But what if the client says proven experience as a TA. And want references from previous gigs, were you worked as a TA.

I suppose my other issue is most AIX roles have been shafted by the Indian outsource companies like WIPRO. So I am looking at new avenues Or Flipping burgers

Well, in that case, you're screwed - I'm not sure what answer you're after there. You're not a TA and haven't been a TA so you can't pretend to have been - you just need to catch a break and try and find someone that will let you in.

[stek]

When you say AIX admin you mean just that or frame builds, VIO's, LPAR's etc?

I have moved from that to a TA role (twice) both times I was bored rigid!

[Mich the Tester]

You have to use a long gig to cleverly manouevre into areas where you want to gain experience. I am, as you may have noticed, a tester, right now testing so-called 'high level control' software in an industrial company that makes factory and airport transport systems. However, I'm studying for an industrial automation qualification and learning PLCs; I don't have experience with low level controls, but I'm gaining textbook knowledge. Later in this project I will be executing tests together with 'low level' engineers and I can grab that moment to get some experience with the low level controls, maybe not much experience, but perhaps enough to make the difference in some selection process between 'no, inexperienced' and 'yes, worth talking to'.

[mall]

Skill up.

Thanks for all the replies.

I guess I am just suffering "bench time madness".

[reddog]

You could go for TOGAF certification, and then use that to angle for design work on your "normal" AIX Admin Contracts

As an aside it is not just offshoring that is killing AIX. I know of a few massive Bluechips have plans underway to completley eliminate "tradional" Unix (AIX, HPUX, Solaris) and replace with Linux over the next few years. IBM's anouncement to sell their x86 diversion made me laugh, from what I am seeing the trend is to use many cheap nodes with redundancy on the software level, rather than a mega expensive RISC system with redundancy via HACMP/Serviceguard/Veritas Cluster.

[bobspud]

There's a whole raft of 'BS' surrounding Architecture.

Once upon a time an Architect Role came when you turned into a senior sysadmin, designing systems came with the job. But now there is so much more stakeholder management and bulltulip filtering. Its hardly a role I would recommend. In your position I would be looking at a move to Linux and then swiftly into AWS for a much better return and far more enjoyment.