Reply to: technical background / previous devs

[VillageContractor]

For a bit of balance, clients are partially to blame for this too.

I have seen people ask to have "multiple hats" on, and as the client is alway right it's just expanded from there

Haha this - I'm doing more dev at this client than agile stuff

[SimonMac]

I moved from a development background to be an Scrum Master then an Agile Coach. I did most of it while being perm.

I've worked with / interviewed a lot chancers who think they can be a BA/PM/SM. Unless you've actually done the role then you will probably underestimate what the role requires and what you have to do or you'll probably do it badly. Everyone thinks they can do someone else's job better.

If you're very good then yes you can do it - if you have an interest in doing a role then I would go back to being a perm and learn to do it properly in lots of companies.

For a bit of balance, clients are partially to blame for this too.

I have seen people ask to have "multiple hats" on, and as the client is alway right it's just expanded from there

[SueEllen]

Went perm, got certified. Nuff said.

Certificates help but only in permie world to show that you've a semblance of ambition to your next prospective employer.

No he was a scrum master as a contractor. Every person I know who has acted as a scrum master as a contractor has eventually got certified. (And a lot of people who have done it a few times refuse to do it again.)

Anyway he used his soft skills from that to help get the perm product management job.

[northernladuk]

I've worked with / interviewed a lot chancers who think they can be a BA/PM/SM. Unless you've actually done the role then you will probably underestimate what the role requires and what you have to do or you'll probably do it badly. Everyone thinks they can do someone else's job better.

Absolutely this. Whenever I see a CV or Linkedin profile that mentions all these terms, and usually with PMO as well my default assumption is they aren't very good at any. I've met people that can actually nail each better than a dedicated person but they have been very few and far between. In most cases they are just pretty average.

[VillageContractor]

I moved from a development background to be an Scrum Master then an Agile Coach. I did most of it while being perm.

I've worked with / interviewed a lot chancers who think they can be a BA/PM/SM. Unless you've actually done the role then you will probably underestimate what the role requires and what you have to do or you'll probably do it badly. Everyone thinks they can do someone else's job better.

If you're very good then yes you can do it - if you have an interest in doing a role then I would go back to being a perm and learn to do it properly in lots of companies.

[LondonManc]

The only dev I know who got into product management went perm. He did it for a lot of money though. He's also certified and acted as a scrum master.

Went perm, got certified. Nuff said.

Certificates help but only in permie world to show that you've a semblance of ambition to your next prospective employer.

[bubbles]

The only dev I know who got into product management went perm. He did it for a lot of money though. He's also certified and acted as a scrum master.

great to hear a success story ... I too am certified and been a scrum master. Yet it's just not happening (even for little money lol)

[SueEllen]

Thanks will also look into BA as it seems like many dev have done this although I'm more interested in product management....how to improve the product etc. but this seems like the most viable options.

The only dev I know who got into product management went perm. He did it for a lot of money though. He's also certified and acted as a scrum master.

[bubbles]

I moved from dev to ba to solution architecture. In all honesty the transitions were not hard due to the development environment I was in before. You had to do elements of these roles as we weren't a huge business to support a full change team.

I did BA training through bcs and spent 3 years applying that before moving into architecture. I feel having a dev background allows you to understand the finer details of requirements elicitation whilst also giving a business perspective around it.

Thanks will also look into BA as it seems like many dev have done this although I'm more interested in product management....how to improve the product etc. but this seems like the most viable options.

[bubbles]

Thanks for the reply guys, I'm currently keeping an eye to see what comes up, either perm or contract whatever the rate might try it out and see. Just have to wait till this dev contract comes to an end and take it from there.

How often are your referenced?

I've had one reference check that I know about only. But as others have said it is risky, especially if you're caught then they'll start questioning everything.

My biggest gripe about titles is that recruiters don't have an idea how it is out there in the field and just use titles and nothing else. They are a pain in the arse.

Does anyone else have their recruiters selling every one of their clients as UKs top leading company "blah blah" and turns out it's a tulipty little agency? They really get annoying sometimes....then they start selling the "I've got a list of jobs that I'll send over" yeah mate ok.

Just found out that this recruitment agency I was dealing with also has terrible reviews on google - senitor recruitment. Steer clear.

[northernladuk]

My references have never checked my last role titles.

I don't doubt it but when you start buggering about faking titles it's always a risk somewhere down the line.

[SueEllen]

Well if you work in financial or SC environments it could be quite a lot. It's just another thing to consider albeit a small issue for most of us.

My references have never checked my last role titles.

[LondonManc]

My current client and my last client have lots of permie staff who have stepped sideways e.g. senior developer who is PM, testers to developers, testers to BA. They are a large company and a medium size company. It's cheaper and easier for them to get current staff skilled up then to find someone from outside who doesn't know the business.

+1

Plenty of training courses available to keep staff happy without giving them too many payrises.

[northernladuk]

How often are your referenced?

Well if you work in financial or SC environments it could be quite a lot. It's just another thing to consider albeit a small issue for most of us.

[SueEllen]

What happens when the reference comes back from the previous client with a different title to the one you said that you were doing?

How often are your referenced?