When to start contracting? (Node, React)

[malvolio]

That's plenty to perform well in Node/React. I'm assuming this person is quite young? I've noticed the new generation of devs are much more adaptable than many from my generation.

To be fair, nobody is saying he can't do the job well, especially in a fairly new tech area. The problem is the dummy in the agency will look at a short CV and file it immediately. The OP is going to have to make sure his CV emphasises the right things very clearly to get past the junior doing the initial sift. Hence my original comment.

[pauldee]

My hunch is you will get fired for underperformance.

7 months in the skill set you want to contract in? Yeah ok.

That's plenty to perform well in Node/React. I'm assuming this person is quite young? I've noticed the new generation of devs are much more adaptable than many from my generation.

[Smackdown]

My hunch is you will get fired for underperformance.

7 months in the skill set you want to contract in? Yeah ok.

[cannon999]

Don't listen to the naysayers my friend. Node/React etc is so hot right now, you should be fighting off agents with a stick. If you are going for those roles I wouldn't even bother mentioning C++/other frameworks nonsense, stick to the tech stack that you are applying for. If you don't quite have the commercial experience - try dressing yourself up a bit more on your CV. A week is certainly nowhere near long enough time to give up..

[quackhandle]

About ten years ago, I think

In terms of your experience, the biggest issue with contracting is that it's very hard to "level up" while contracting - ideally, that means you want to be moving in to contracting when you're already working at the level you want to (I.e. consultancy, senior dev etc).

There are contracts for every level of experience and I'm sure if you sort your CV out etc then you'll get one, but you may find yourself stuck in junior roles for a lot longer than you would be if you stayed permie.

Start on a Thursday at 11.15, that's the best time.

(sees post is not in General)

Okay, only you can make that decision, you need to know your market for your skill set. However also be aware there will be times when no one requires what you do. That's bench time. How long for? How long is a piece of string? Personally, I would not recommend contracting for anyone in this day and age; stick with your sick pay, paid holiday, pension, etc.

Good luck

qh

[vwdan]

About ten years ago, I think

In terms of your experience, the biggest issue with contracting is that it's very hard to "level up" while contracting - ideally, that means you want to be moving in to contracting when you're already working at the level you want to (I.e. consultancy, senior dev etc).

There are contracts for every level of experience and I'm sure if you sort your CV out etc then you'll get one, but you may find yourself stuck in junior roles for a lot longer than you would be if you stayed permie.

[Mordac]

To be fair, you have average experience in a well used skillset. That may well be a good basis for permie work, where they are buying potential, but not for contracting where they are buying experience and achievement over several years. That may be the problem: we don't get high rates without good reason...

One thing to check - rewrite the CV emphasising what you've delivered and lose all the permie-relevant soft skills and related stuff since they are irrelevant then try again. It may not help since you are still light on experience compared to your competition, but you never know...

Depending on the client, it may well be, that all you have to be, is cheap...and the best advice I can offer is "avoid all such clients like the sodding plague"...

[malvolio]

To be fair, you have average experience in a well used skillset. That may well be a good basis for permie work, where they are buying potential, but not for contracting where they are buying experience and achievement over several years. That may be the problem: we don't get high rates without good reason...

One thing to check - rewrite the CV emphasising what you've delivered and lose all the permie-relevant soft skills and related stuff since they are irrelevant then try again. It may not help since you are still light on experience compared to your competition, but you never know...

[zukias]

Hi, new here, I was recommended here by someone

I have been applying for contract roles in the last week but have had no interview offers, and am wondering if I should bother yet.

I am a full-stack developer with 2.5 years total experience; the first 1 & 3/4 years being C++/other frameworks and the last ~7 months with web; React + Redux, Node, AWS, ES6 etc, with another ~year of personal projects using node/react, though I have found my own projects only help if I get an interview offer, they seem next to useless at the initial application/CV sending stage, judging by how few visits my site gets (where the projects are).

In contrast with contract roles, I get interviews offers for around 70% (guess) of permanent roles with a similar skillset around the 40-50k mark, which (I think) makes me a solid mid-level web dev, so I thought I'd test the waters with contracting since that's where I'd like to end up, but have had no interview offers even with lower paid £350/day rates, so am guessing I just don't have the commercial experience yet. So as the title says, when is enough commercial experience to apply for React and/or Node contract roles?

Any advice would be much appreciated