Reply to: Oracle Apps 11i Contracts

[carpenteri]

Thanks all for the advice, it's much appreciated.

[barely_pointless]

How did you guys get into Oracle applications in the first place? Do you have any advice for a "standard" Oracle developer to make the leap?

Apologies, I know this is off topic but whilst there is a number of apps people gathered about I though I would ask!

Cheers

What the Fagger and D7V said is correct, take a permie role with a client that has a substantial apps implementation (i.e more than just the basic drop) or take a contract role with a consultancy. All the apps stuff is a no brainer for a developer who knows his stuff, its the Business rules and issues that you need to get across, once you have that experience then it's money for old rope. All you need is a good 6-12 months lookie see at the apps side of it and you'll pick it up.

I am doing that just now (contract though) with a large SAP middleware/Oracle back end site, and to be honest, it's not significantly different from the Oracle apps stuff, just different names, processes etc, they all do the same thing.

[TheFaQQer]

get a client who really, really needs you. work hard and deliver loads of quality upfront and then at renewal time demand ability to work from home on an acceptable schedule (like, monday and friday).

I tend to set the stall out early on - if I'm working away from home, I expect some kind of leeway from the client. If you set expectations that you want to be working from home one day a week right at the start, if you stay there for a few weeks 5 days, then scale back from there.

I've done 5 days in 4 before, with the proviso that they could call me on a Friday in an emergency; I've also worked from home on a Friday a number of times - I tend to work a bit longer on Fridays at home than I would on site, but it's worth it.

Key is to make yourself indispensable while you are there, so they want to keep you.

[TheFaQQer]

How did you guys get into Oracle applications in the first place? Do you have any advice for a "standard" Oracle developer to make the leap?

Apologies, I know this is off topic but whilst there is a number of apps people gathered about I though I would ask!

Cheers

Get a permie job for a year or so, and then wing it from there. It's no different from being a bespoke developer, apart from there are more limitations about what you can and can't do. If you can find a good company putting in a wide range of modules, you should be able to market yourself as someone who knows about all sorts of areas of Apps.

I used to be a bespoke developer, moved into Apps for the money - I find it a lot more boring than bespoke work, but the money makes up for it!

[D7V]

Getting into apps

Got a job with a consultancy then right place right time for the training course.

[carpenteri]

Best way to get into Oracle apps?

How did you guys get into Oracle applications in the first place? Do you have any advice for a "standard" Oracle developer to make the leap?

Apologies, I know this is off topic but whilst there is a number of apps people gathered about I though I would ask!

Cheers

[barely_pointless]

careful with that "work from home" thing, I do it occasionally to look after the kids and I find myself still doing emails at 2100, besides with my disipline I get sod all done and then feel guilty about charging the client (can't believe I said that).

I left being an apps specialist around 8 years ago, last pure apps gig was last year and that was a fluke on a thing called OFA, and before that it was to get a visa to oz (2001) so there is not really a great market here for individual funkies , and if you know your way around the GL structure apps then you'll have no problems at all picking up the datawarehouse blurb it's all guff anyway, get some good industry specific knowledge (like banking/finance/insurance etc) and then marry that with the apps/tech stuff and you'll be fine, I've been a tech/BA now for the last 10 years and touchwood never been out for longer than a month or so..

[DS23]

...by the way i wud love to work from home..how do u get hold onto one such a thing?

get a client who really, really needs you. work hard and deliver loads of quality upfront and then at renewal time demand ability to work from home on an acceptable schedule (like, monday and friday).

UK market seems OK to me, as long as you're flexible.

I was looking 12 weeks ago, and things were great. Decided to take a month off, came back and it was really quiet - took another three weeks to get anything else.

Since then, I've had lots of calls from agents to see if I'm available again...

No doubt, if you give it a week or so, you'll be fending them off again - or go to Europe, and work from home occasionally.

U say Oracle Apps market looks OK!!!...surprised...i agree the general oracle developer market looks ok but not the apps one as far as i have seen in the past 2-3 weeks...by the way i wud love to work from home..how do u get hold onto one such a thing?

[TheFaQQer]

UK market seems OK to me, as long as you're flexible.

I was looking 12 weeks ago, and things were great. Decided to take a month off, came back and it was really quiet - took another three weeks to get anything else.

Since then, I've had lots of calls from agents to see if I'm available again...

No doubt, if you give it a week or so, you'll be fending them off again - or go to Europe, and work from home occasionally.

[DS23]

by the way are u into Oracle apps as well?

er... yes, sorry. didn't think i needed to mention it - it is in the the thread title after all. i'm an oracle apps functional consultant.

family is why i insist on non-standard working practices when working abroad (4 days in 3 or 5 days in 4) plus working from home whenever possible / necessary. means that at least one day a week i can do the kids run. every little helps.

the pipeline doesn't seem any better or worse than usual. i had 3 months on the bench early last year other than that its straight out of one contract into another. mind you i am willing to travel - my current gig is mainland europe.

"something always comes up". thats the motto.

hopefully that next something will be not be 12 rather than 11 'cos it is time to move on eh?

Very True...UK looks very dry and quiet at the moment,but mainland Europe is a nonstarted for me due to family reasons.....

I guess its Wait and watch for the time being........by the way are u into Oracle apps as well?

[DS23]

the pipeline doesn't seem any better or worse than usual. i had 3 months on the bench early last year other than that its straight out of one contract into another. mind you i am willing to travel - my current gig is mainland europe.

"something always comes up". thats the motto.

hopefully that next something will be 12 rather than 11 'cos it is time to move on eh?

Hi AJ,

Sorry , been on hols for a while and tried to reply to your PM, your mailbox is full. I'm certainly interested in discussing trends, I've had recent contracts through this bunch --> oraclecontractors.com and as they are ex apps/techies themselves they are very straight up, my current gig is not apps, it's a datawarehouse 10g (subcontinent-consulting) modelling mess with the apps bit being taken up by SAP which makes life ..........yawn, and worse ........ it's government.

by the way, it's been 6 years since I worked in the UK, i'm OZ based now.

cheers

BP

Cheers Matie...At last someone with a sensible reply!.anyways were u into Apps before u went into DW? How was the transition...looks like DW is red hot in the UK

[barely_pointless]

Hi AJ,

Sorry , been on hols for a while and tried to reply to your PM, your mailbox is full. I'm certainly interested in discussing trends, I've had recent contracts through this bunch --> oraclecontractors.com and as they are ex apps/techies themselves they are very straight up, my current gig is not apps, it's a datawarehouse 10g (subcontinent-consulting) modelling mess with the apps bit being taken up by SAP which makes life ..........yawn, and worse ........ it's government.

by the way, it's been 6 years since I worked in the UK, i'm OZ based now.

cheers

BP