Doubts about remote developer contract UK

[lecyclist]

The money is great, environment seems good ...

I am confident in my abilities and I do possess a very special skillset however I am not an expert in all parts of the role (a lot stronger in development than in testing/ CI/CD for example) so my worry is quitting my current job and starting on this contract and being let go shortly after if I can't deliver fast enough

Congratulations, you have a great opportunity to get skilled up further at the client's expense.

Your doubts are characteristic of someone who cares, and indicate you will do your best to deliver what the client requires.

A few more contracts like this, and you will be at the top of your game. Thank me when you've been extended for another 6 months.

[northernladuk]

In all honesty, if you doubt yourself and your skill level that much (nothing wrong with this) then you probably should not accept this contract. In general terms your client/employer will expect you to be pretty on the ball and hard working if you are a contractor. Learn fast and wing it is an option.

This. Clients take contractors on because they are specialists in their fields with oodles of experience and are used to delivering from day one. If it's anything like my last raft of contracts you'll be in to the thick of it from day one and delivering useful stuff a few days later. Contracting isn't just another permie type breeze with tons of money for it. Well it is to some who have the experience and knowledge to deal with whatever the client throws at them, but in general it's not.

IMO the quick interview is just to see if your face fits and you weren't a complete lunatic. They will be assuming you are good enough for the role from your CV and the fact you've gone contracting. More the fool them but that would be my guess.

Being let go is always a worry. Some gigs get pulled before they even start. You have to take each day as a bonus and if it ends early then so be it. If it lasts the three months or whatever initial term is then great, if it gets extended then double great but there are zero guarantees. Just be aware also that if there is a notice period in the contract it's worthless. It will also say you get paid upon receipt of a signed timesheet. If you don't do a days work you don't get paid hence effectively instant dismissal.

[Paralytic]

It seems to me you're not clear what is to be expected of you in the contract and you missed the opportunity to find that out in the interview. That process was just 1 hour because of both you and client, not just the client, as that was the point at which you needed to find out more about how fast they expected you to deliver CI/CD etc. The interview should have been a two-way process.

It will be hard now to go back and ask, so you've just got to make a decision and stick with it

[SussexSeagull]

I have tended to find that contracts with a more straightforward interview process tend to be the better ones.

[courtg9000]

Its not a red flag really.
I have got contracts without an interview even.
In all honesty, if you doubt yourself and your skill level that much (nothing wrong with this) then you probably should not accept this contract. In general terms your client/employer will expect you to be pretty on the ball and hard working if you are a contractor. Learn fast and wing it is an option.

[cojak]

It’s not really a red flag, I’ve got contracts on less. We can’t really give you much advice on this apart from learn fast and get used to the uncertainty of contracting life.

[nfc66]

I am being offered a remote B2B contract with a company in the UK as a developer.

The money is great, environment seems good and all but I have a few doubts as I have always worked with an indefinite contract of employment in the past

The main doubt I have is about my skills and how fast they were to extend an offer after a single 1 hour interview with fairly easy technical questions. On some topics I was simply asked if I know how to do A or B without any follow up questions

Is that a red flag?

I am confident in my abilities and I do possess a very special skillset however I am not an expert in all parts of the role (a lot stronger in development than in testing/ CI/CD for example) so my worry is quitting my current job and starting on this contract and being let go shortly after if I can't deliver fast enough