So what are the 'in demnad' skills?

[Fred Bloggs]

...all I have to do now is to persuade him to go contracting...

Indeed, though the market does seem to have cooled somewhat after a bit of a pick up in activity a few weeks back. I guess it's because of the summer hols at the moment. Myself, I just got a 10 months contract renewal but at current rate -15%. That simply wouldn't have happened a short time ago.

[dozer]

Maybe, but depends on your location and what additional value you can add... and PROVE that you can add. You won't get a foot in the door with just an MSP and nothing else to support it.

MSP combined with existing experience and solid background skills gained in a consistent market such as finance, banking or utilities for example would make you more attractive.

But the reality about the MSP is that unlike PRINCE2 - it's not that in demand. My experience is that most good programme managers come up through the ranks internally. But that is not to say that roles for externals aren't out there, I just think you'd struggle unless you can show a solid CV of delivery related roles.

you mean i just cant do a week course and waltz into a programme managers role? i was thinking some kind of microsoft upgrade, say exchange 2010, they always releasing new stuffz.

you are correct in that programme managers do require specific 'real world' experience, skill sets are not necessarily transferrable across different programmes.

[cojak]

...all I have to do now is to persuade him to go contracting...

[cojak]

Seriously-

Piping Stress Engineers.
Nuclear Industry Engineers of any discipline, especially Safety Case authors.Process Engineers.
Rotating Equipment Engineers.
Planning Engineers (Primavera).
Reliability Engineers.

Rates have been depressed the last 12 months but it will not take much of a market pick up to boost rates again. The supply side is still tight.

Yep - Mr C is very happy at the moment (Actually, at the moment he's on some NI conference/jolly in Finland...)

[Svalbaard]

do an msp course, they will give you a program, should be at least £600 a day.

Maybe, but depends on your location and what additional value you can add... and PROVE that you can add. You won't get a foot in the door with just an MSP and nothing else to support it.

MSP combined with existing experience and solid background skills gained in a consistent market such as finance, banking or utilities for example would make you more attractive.

But the reality about the MSP is that unlike PRINCE2 - it's not that in demand. My experience is that most good programme managers come up through the ranks internally. But that is not to say that roles for externals aren't out there, I just think you'd struggle unless you can show a solid CV of delivery related roles.

[TriggerHippy]

Ability to spell?

It's right up there, along with the ability to edit the title after you press the button and suddenly notice ....

[tim123]

Option 1: SC/DV/?? cleared.

Option 2: Recent Investment Banking.

Option 3: You know a mate of a mate of a mate...

All the above options pay well. If your cv doesn't state Option 1 or Option 2, agencies throw it in the bin.

I have to disagree with the last part.

I've had four agencies contact me for SC jobs and it's been me who's told them not to bother.

The first three times I said OK, but as these applications didn't result in an interview I took the hint and am not bothering any more.

Though the most recent time I still had the guy pleading with me to be put forward for an SC job in Blackburn (300 miles away FFS). (He gave me some bull about getting an earlier applicant cleared)

tim

[Fred Bloggs]

Seriously-

Piping Stress Engineers.
Nuclear Industry Engineers of any discipline, especially Safety Case authors.
Process Engineers.
Rotating Equipment Engineers.
Planning Engineers (Primavera).
Reliability Engineers.

Rates have been depressed the last 12 months but it will not take much of a market pick up to boost rates again. The supply side is still tight.

[mace]

1. Hairdressing
2. Plumbing
3. Cooking curries

[nomadd]

Is there anything that provides a respectable rate?

Option 1: SC/DV/?? cleared.

Option 2: Recent Investment Banking.

Option 3: You know a mate of a mate of a mate...

All the above options pay well. If your cv doesn't state Option 1 or Option 2, agencies throw it in the bin.

On a lighter comedy note, I just had a call for a Solutions Architect role, with experience of offshore teams, 3rd parties and good technical skills. I mentioned to the agent that the role had been "doing the rounds" for quite a few weeks on jobserve, and that that was a concern to me. She replied, "Yes, the other people they interviewed were no good - they were too technical." I said, "But you are looking for someone who is technical - that's what it says in the job spec.!" At this point, she also decided to mention the rate; and my how we both laughed. And then we went our separate ways.

Nomadd

[dozer]

do an msp course, they will give you a program, should be at least £600 a day.

[TroubleAtMill]

So what are the 'in demnad' skills?

Ability to spell?

[TriggerHippy]

Option 1)

.Net 3.5 / C# Developer
£150 - £200 per day
http://www.jobserve.com/W03D9D003711D9F7E.jsjob

Option 2)

Java Developer, SWT, RCP, Eclipse
£150 - £250 per day
http://www.jobserve.com/W74728DF64AA25DFF.jsjob

Option 3)

Project Coordination/Administration - IT
Exposure to a Project Methodology
Proven experience with Software projects.
IT Project environment
£180 - £200 a day
http://www.jobserve.com/W4372B7B5A584DCB0.jsjob

Is there anything that provides a respectable rate?