Reply to: Question from newbe - the contracting life

[smythw]

I decided not to "re-qualify" in other stacks, stick with MS, and just do a radical move away from traditional .NET to .NET core stack, complement it with stuff like Angular 2 and see what happens.But then, if things don't work out on the contracting front, I'll likely play with my own "garage startup", since I ain't coming to the perm world again.

Contrary to most of the posters, I would be pretty positive about your chances, provided you interview well.

I've been contracting for nearly 20 years now in the midlands, with core skills inside the MS stack, but there does seem to be increasing demand for skills such as Javascript and associated frameworks alongside the .NET stack, especially if you want top rates.

What I would say is that whenever I speak to hiring managers, they all tell me how difficult it is to find good staff. Often it's not an issue with technical skills; it's attitude and personality fit.

Given you sound like you'd be flexible on rate and location, I'd say you'd have no problem. Lots of roles out there which employers are struggling to fill, often because the rate is well below market.

Only way to find out for sure is to try.

Good luck!

[heyya99]

Didn't realise you were an agile coach as well.

It would be wise to tell the client this so you can stop them wasting time and following poor practice in a stand up when it happens.

I have told them, repeatedly. But as I have found out, the longer I contract, most companies only 'do agile' because they think they're supposed to - not because it can benefit them. I find they just do it to tick a box.

[SueEllen]

I am well aware of the process and why stand-ups exist. It's when they're status meetings under the name of agile stand-up meetings that gets my goat. And it's my professional duty to highlight time and money-wasting bad practice to the client.

Didn't realise you were an agile coach as well.

It would be wise to tell the client this so you can stop them wasting time and following poor practice in a stand up when it happens.

[heyya99]

I see his/her/its consistent posting record is unblemished by these recent additions in the professional section of the forum.

Uninformed, ignorant and arrogant, added to the usual level of idiotic and downright ludicrous I'd say that's a full house, impressive.

You mention being professional, well keeping at least a weather eye on the current state of the toolset you profess to sell to clients as part of your contracting package (I don't believe for one second that you manage that incidentally) is not really optional. You're either full of something brown, sticky and reeking or a consummate bullcrap artist. Going from your posting history your bullcrap is terrible quality that no-one has ever believed so I believe it's the first.

Thank you for taking the time out of your Sunday to reply to my post.

[MrMarkyMark]

I am well aware of the process and why stand-ups exist. It's when they're status meetings under the name of agile stand-up meetings that gets my goat. And it's my professional duty to highlight time and money-wasting bad practice to the client.

Yeh, well, the place where I might suggest they start looking would likely to be a hell of a lot different to yours

[TykeMerc]

I am well aware of the process and why stand-ups exist. It's when they're status meetings under the name of agile stand-up meetings that gets my goat. And it's my professional duty to highlight time and money-wasting bad practice to the client.

I see his/her/its consistent posting record is unblemished by these recent additions in the professional section of the forum.

Uninformed, ignorant and arrogant, added to the usual level of idiotic and downright ludicrous I'd say that's a full house, impressive.

You mention being professional, well keeping at least a weather eye on the current state of the toolset you profess to sell to clients as part of your contracting package (I don't believe for one second that you manage that incidentally) is not really optional. You're either full of something brown, sticky and reeking or a consummate bullcrap artist. Going from your posting history your bullcrap is terrible quality that no-one has ever believed so I believe it's the first.

[heyya99]

You got the whole process wrong. I suggest you read up on it. It will take you about 3 minutes after a couple of Googling.

I am well aware of the process and why stand-ups exist. It's when they're status meetings under the name of agile stand-up meetings that gets my goat. And it's my professional duty to highlight time and money-wasting bad practice to the client.

[SueEllen]

Utterly detest them. I raised it recently in a retrospective, how pointless I find them, having to justify my work to our BA-cum-PM. Don't think it went down well but I didn't give a tulip

You got the whole process wrong. I suggest you read up on it. It will take you about 3 minutes after a couple of Googling.

[MrMarkyMark]

Utterly detest them. I raised it recently in a retrospective, how pointless I find them, having to justify my work to our BA-cum-PM. Don't think it went down well but I didn't give a tulip

Hmmm, a really, arrogant, maverick then, who doesn't keep his skills up to date, you must be a real asset

[heyya99]

You don't find stand up scrum meetings humiliating anymore then?

Utterly detest them. I raised it recently in a retrospective, how pointless I find them, having to justify my work to our BA-cum-PM. Don't think it went down well but I didn't give a tulip

[northernladuk]

Yes and considering how successful I am, my approach is working.

You don't find stand up scrum meetings humiliating anymore then?

[heyya99]

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

Yes and considering how successful I am, my approach is working.

[SlipTheJab]

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

Ouch

[northernladuk]

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life. Software development is split into two types; those who'll bore you to tears about the latest book/article they've read and the others who deliver for the client.

Same go for contracting articles I guess?

[MrMarkyMark]

I don't claim to be the best dev in the world, and certainly ain't the type to bore everyone with what I've read, but it's not exactly difficult to read up on the latest tools, techniques in your chosen stack or the industry in general.

The internet has given everyone access to an incredible amount of information and it's all available on a wee device in your pocket 24/7.

It's almost impossible NOT to keep up with the latest relevant stuff in your chosen subjects. And I have a busy life with kids.

Agreed, certainly in the product I do development in, I always keep up to date.
The quality of the advice and problem resolutions given to the client, often means you get extended where others don't.

You can also advise them to upgrade, if appropriate, has proved very lucrative for me.

Yea, I'm pretty tired of claiming I read tech blogs in interviews - never read one on my life.

Each to their own, I suppose