Reply to: New to contracting.

[Turion]

"!="? Surely "<"....

flip off, it's good Java that

----------------------------------------------------------
I also do C. Worked on the Genome project. Here's the code

The reason why only 30% of human DNA performs any useful function is that the rest of it is comments.

Once we decode a typical human genome, we see that the contents begin as follows:

===
/* HUMAN_DNA.H
*
* Human Genome
* Version 2.1
*
* (C) God
*/

/* Revision history:
*
* 0000-00-01 00:00 1.0 Adam.
* 0000-00-02 10:00 1.1 Eve.
* 0000-00-03 02:11 1.2 Added penis code to male version. A bit messy --
* will require a rewrite later on to make it neater.
* 0017-03-12 03:14 1.3 Added extra sex drive to male.h; took code from
* elephant-dna.c
* 0145-10-03 16:33 1.4 Removed tail.
* 1115-00-31 17:20 1.5 Shortened forearms, expanded brain case.
* 2091-08-20 13:56 1.6 Opposable thumbs added to hand() routine.
* 2501-04-09 14:04 1.7 Minor cosmetic improvements -- skin colour made
* darker to match my own image.
* 2909-07-12 02:21 1.8 Dentition inadequate; added extra 'wisdom' teeth.
* Must remember to make mouth bigger to compensate.
* 4501-12-31 14:18 1.9 Increase average height.
* 5533-02-12 17:09 2.0 Added gay option, triggered by high population
* density, to try and slow the overpopulation problem.
* 6004-11-04 16:11 2.1 Made forefinger narrower to fit hole in centre of
* CD.
*/

/* Standard definitions
*/

#define SEX male
#define HEIGHT 1.84
#define MASS 68
#define RACE caucasian

/* Include inherited traits from parent DNA files.
*
* Files must be pre-processed with MENDEL program to provide proper
* inheritance features.
*/

#include "mother.h"
#include "father.h"

#infndef FATHER
#warn("Father unknown -- guessing\n")
#include "bastard.h"
#endif

/* Set up sex-specific functions and variables
*/
#include <sex.h>

/* Kludged code -- I'll re-design this lot and re-write it as a proper
* library sometime soon.
*/
struct genitals
{
#ifdef MALE
Penis *jt;
#endif
/* G_spot *g; Removed for debugging purposes */
#ifdef FEMALE
Vagina *p;
#endif
}

/* Initialization bootstrap routine -- called before DNA duplication.
* Allocates buffers and sets up protein file pointers
*/
DNA *zygote_initialize(Sperm *, Ovum *);

/* MAIN INITIALIZATION CODE
*
* Returns structures containing pre-processed phenotypes for the organism
* to display at birth.
*
* Will be improved later to make output less ugly.
*/
Characteristic *lookup_phenotype(Identifier *i);
===

...and so on.

[BrilloPad]

James,

I wrote this utility for you. If you run it it will tell you what to do:

if (cv.current_skills + cv.experience != contractor_material) {
call getPermieJob(cv);
}

"!="? Surely "<"....

[alreadypacked]

Thanks for all the replies, I think Im in trouble. I had really bad experience with bullying manager at last permie job, so im not going to put myself in that position again, Just got to keep banging away and try to bend the universe to my will then.

and the ID is beware of people with gold door knobs and nothing in the fridge.

It might be worth it to get someone to do your CV for you. I did, best money I spent

[NotAllThere]

I had really bad experience with bullying manager at last permie job, so im not going to put myself in that position again

You might like to try to make some money out of that by suing for constructive dismissal. I got a settlement of 6 months salary at the end of my last permie stint.

Just got to keep banging away and try to bend the universe to my will then.

Well that's one thing you've got going for you - the right attitude.

[DoorknobAndFridgeTheory]

Thanks for all the replies, I think Im in trouble. I had really bad experience with bullying manager at last permie job, so im not going to put myself in that position again, Just got to keep banging away and try to bend the universe to my will then.

and the ID is beware of people with gold door knobs and nothing in the fridge.

[MrRobin]

Yes you do need experience. That's why contractors are paid more.

Not necessarily... contractors are demanded when a changable or short term workforce is needed

It's true that more often than not these demands are for highly expert skills and lots of previous experience so that they can get on with a job with a minimum of fuss but sometimes juniors are needed too to do some of the grunt work...

[expat]

well it is hard indeed, you DO need experience. ...

the whole IR35 business is really just...urgh, right now. so as a new comer, i wouldn't recommend contracting just yet, otherwise if you do 1 little thing wrong, you pretty much could be taken to court by HMRC - they are tough on this and something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

Yes you do need experience. That's why contractors are paid more.

You can always solve the IR35 problem by not paying dividends. If you pay NICs on all your income then you will not get taken to court. Yes it's unjust and inconsistent and no you haven't maximised your possible net income, but you can get on with your life.

[firehawk]

well it is hard indeed, you DO need experience. I'm 22 and started contracting last year, but before then I was lucky enough and worked for MS as a software dev and also are a C# MVP and have all the experience and more, since it is their technology we are using, so im always in demand but the clients sometimes are the ones that just mess you around and "degrade" you for no reason, which makes it harder to get your next contract

currently the market is VERY poor so with that also in consideration, if I were you I SERIOUSLY would consider going perm, get some GOOD experience, best practices etc... and do some personal projects as a "portfolio" of some sort I guess, some good solid examples, then also by the time you have this, the IT market should be much better than what it is right now...then go contracting

the whole IR35 business is really just...urgh, right now. so as a new comer, i wouldn't recommend contracting just yet, otherwise if you do 1 little thing wrong, you pretty much could be taken to court by HMRC - they are tough on this and something that shouldn't be taken lightly.

[MikeB]

Fco

If you're SC cleared, the Foreign Office nr Milton Keynes are looking for Java bods...

[chewie171]

The problem is there are loads of Java developers with alot of experience, myself being one of them

So your CV is probably going to go to the bottom of the pile unless you can put some really outstanding stuff on it.

I think alot of people will discount you if you havent got 5 years experience.

Thats not to say you cant break into contracting, im a great beliver in:
where there's a will there's a way.

[Sockpuppet]

WHS ...

but to be honest I went into straight from uni!..

Well ok it depends on the person.l I had a mate who started up his own IT company straight from Uni. I.e. the same as a contractor but all direct no IR35 etc.

[someone has my name]

Get some more experiance. 1 year doesn't mean tulip.

Not in the "current climate" where there are far more people with much more under their belt looking for contracts.

GO permie for a few years then come back to it.

WHS ...

but to be honest I went into straight from uni!..

[FiveTimes]

James,

I wrote this utility for you. If you run it it will tell you what to do:

if (cv.current_skills + cv.experience != contractor_material) {
call getPermieJob(cv);
}

That stuff is serious. You must have 2 years experience to write something like that

[Turion]

Hi all,

I am a Java/C# Software Engineer and new to contracting. I'm currently finding it very hard to find any work apart from bits and bobs on sites like rentacoder. I have a years commercial experience as a java developer, and 1 years experience developing games and applications for mobile phones.

I would be grateful if anyone could give me some tips.

James.

James,

I wrote this utility for you. If you run it it will tell you what to do:

if (cv.current_skills + cv.experience != contractor_material) {
call getPermieJob(cv);
}

[ratewhore]

interesting ID though...