My contracting prospects?

[mrtuk]

Yeah this is what I am thinking about, java is probably not the right choice for me. Not many kids do now Typescript, REACT and Node and I don't know any of it.... What language & skill would you recommend to learn? Is android a good option? I have some experience with it as well

How about trying to get some experience in blockchain (so implementation rather than specific language) - this seems to be at very early adoption stages at the moment, so you'll be in at the start of something if it takes off.

[LondonManc]

Yeah this is what I am thinking about, java is probably not the right choice for me. Not many kids do now Typescript, REACT and Node and I don't know any of it.... What language & skill would you recommend to learn? Is android a good option? I have some experience with it as well

To be brutally honest, this post shows why you're a long way off being a successful contractor. If you're not aware now of current best skills and pick one, what are you going to be in two years? Someone with two years experience in one skill. Sounds obvious, but take a look at the contract adverts for jobs with your skills. You'll be up against seasoned contractors with a broader, deeper skillset as well as many more years of commercial awareness.

Stick in your perm job and you'll find different doors open along the way. It's not about getting the first contract, it's about the time between that and the second one; with only two years in one skill under your belt, that time could be considerable.

On to another question: why do you want to go contracting?

[freddy1777]

If the skills you have are in demand then you'll be able to secure a contract with your limited experience. I'm not convinced that there is a massive demand for Java developers which cannot be filled by the current market at the moment or in two years time.

I was programming Java when you were two. There are plenty of Java developers out there with 15 - 20 years experience. It's an old language.

You'd have more success learning some other up-and-coming skills that us old-farts haven't. That way you can be the XXX specialist who also does Java, rather than just a still-junior Java developer.

How do you identify the skill XXX? Unfortunately you cannot easily.

PS : I thought all the kids were programming in Typescript, REACT and Node these days?

Yeah this is what I am thinking about, java is probably not the right choice for me. Not many kids do now Typescript, REACT and Node and I don't know any of it.... What language & skill would you recommend to learn? Is android a good option? I have some experience with it as well

[SussexSeagull]

That said, we have had a few years of entire large projects being resourced by contractors which probably allowed less experienced people in.

I personally think that might be changing at the moment so would urge caution.

[MrMarkyMark]

Same.

I earned sweet FA as a perm, around £18K.
I just kept my head down and used the experience gained to land my first contract at £350 PD.

[LondonManc]

Similar to the two above, but a round of redundancies offered me enough incentive to take the money and run.

[northernladuk]

Personally I stayed Permanent up to the point that I thought I had hit my ceiling then cashed in.

Same.

[SussexSeagull]

Personally I stayed Permanent up to the point that I thought I had hit my ceiling then cashed in.

[pr1]

I started contracting at 25 after a similar academic start to you and haven't regretted it yet (2 and a bit years in)

I'm in Engineering though, and I'm awesome at it

[LondonManc]

Hello,
I am 23 years old and I just started working for a Top Tier bank (like MS, GS) in London in technology. I had done a year placement with them before during studies, then graduated from a Russel group uni with 2:1 CS degree and joined them again as a permanent with salary of around 40k. I am planning to work for them for around 2 years as a permie and then start contracting. I mainly do Java now, but have experience with C#, python and etc. I wanted to ask whether my plan sounds realistic to you? Do you think I will be able to secure contracts only after 3 years of industry experience or I need significantly more? If I will be able to secure contracts in the end, what rate can I expect?

I'd climb as high as you can for ten years. Why be "stuck" as a dev contractor on 450 a day rather than be an interim IT director on 1500 a day? Climb high until you get made redundant - don't ever resign to go contracting; make them stump up your warchest.

[tomtomagain]

Hello,
Do you think I will be able to secure contracts only after 3 years of industry experience or I need significantly more? If I will be able to secure contracts in the end, what rate can I expect?

If the skills you have are in demand then you'll be able to secure a contract with your limited experience. I'm not convinced that there is a massive demand for Java developers which cannot be filled by the current market at the moment or in two years time.

I was programming Java when you were two. There are plenty of Java developers out there with 15 - 20 years experience. It's an old language.

You'd have more success learning some other up-and-coming skills that us old-farts haven't. That way you can be the XXX specialist who also does Java, rather than just a still-junior Java developer.

How do you identify the skill XXX? Unfortunately you cannot easily.

PS : I thought all the kids were programming in Typescript, REACT and Node these days?

[squarepeg]

It's not just about you at the moment. Contracting could change significantly in the next two years. With the timescales you are talking if just get your head down and do the two years and then worry later.

IMO 25 years old with only 3 years with one company doesn't scream time served specialist to me and you are going to be up against people with infinitely more experience... But as I say, I wouldn't be worrying about it now. Just do your time first.

^^^ <-- What he said.

[SueEllen]

The answer to your questions is how long is a piece of string.

One question you should ask yourself though is do you want to be doing the same thing (or near enough the same thing) in 10 years time?

[northernladuk]

It's not just about you at the moment. Contracting could change significantly in the next two years. With the timescales you are talking if just get your head down and do the two years and then worry later.

IMO 25 years old with only 3 years with one company doesn't scream time served specialist to me and you are going to be up against people with infinitely more experience... But as I say, I wouldn't be worrying about it now. Just do your time first.

[freddy1777]

delete thanks