Reply to: Bench beckoning

[Old Greg]

This has been a long haul - 3 1/2 months on bench - but I think it's coming to an end. Have been asked to give a quote for a 6 month contract (direct to client, based at home, part time, working with a great bunch of people that I already know).

Also have an interview for a permie job. Yes I know but I am tempted as it's with a private sector co. and I'm not sure where the future is in public sector contracting.

[Old Greg]

Not CFH is it ? Just been approached by them today myself.

Not CfH, although I have worked for them three times in various guises. Not an IT role, this one.

Are you going to take it?

[Old Greg]

for og

you mention healthcare and nhs as your specialism - can you take your skills into the pharmaceutical market?

I don't have a clinical / scientific background so it probably wouldn't work, but nice idea.

[DS23]

Funny old world. for the first time in 10 weeks, I have a proper sniff of a contract. It's a client I know as well, so don't need to deal with agencies at this stage. Fingers crossed...

for og

you mention healthcare and nhs as your specialism - can you take your skills into the pharmaceutical market?

[Sausage Surprise]

Funny old world. for the first time in 10 weeks, I have a proper sniff of a contract. It's a client I know as well, so don't need to deal with agencies at this stage. Fingers crossed...

Not CFH is it ? Just been approached by them today myself.

[Old Greg]

Funny old world. for the first time in 10 weeks, I have a proper sniff of a contract. It's a client I know as well, so don't need to deal with agencies at this stage. Fingers crossed...

[CheeseSlice]

The difficulty in moving sectors, I think, is that I have a real edge in healthcare over the competition and my CV attests to that. Move outside healthcare and others will have the edge. So, while I agree that I have transferable skills, I struggle to build a convincing 'pitch'.

I was actually thinking of within healthcare. Just looking at the NHS alone, there is supposedly going to be protection of funding 'in real terms' but yet savings will still need to be made (All will be revealed soon)
Plus if you look at the coalition agreement there is a bullet list of 30 key changes that the coalition will make to the NHS, some of which must be something you can get involved with.

[Scary]

Everyone keep on applying!!

No no no!

Everyone please STOP applying for roles.

Thanks

[Old Greg]

I'd have thought that skillset would be quite useful when there's any kind of organisational change going on, whether just reorg or major expansion or cuts. Maybe like you say, there will be more action after <checks calendar>... wednesday next week

I hear mixed messages from familly and friends in the public sector, some are saying that they've already worked out the different waves or redundancies, but the coalition are saying "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" meaning across all departments under review.

The difficulty in moving sectors, I think, is that I have a real edge in healthcare over the competition and my CV attests to that. Move outside healthcare and others will have the edge. So, while I agree that I have transferable skills, I struggle to build a convincing 'pitch'.

[CheeseSlice]

Am also thinking about what else I can do with 12 years' experience of business change, process re-engineering etc. which is all within the healthcare arena.

I'd have thought that skillset would be quite useful when there's any kind of organisational change going on, whether just reorg or major expansion or cuts. Maybe like you say, there will be more action after <checks calendar>... wednesday next week

I hear mixed messages from familly and friends in the public sector, some are saying that they've already worked out the different waves or redundancies, but the coalition are saying "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" meaning across all departments under review.

[wantacontract]

on the bench...

Well officialy on the bench now for 1.5 weeks...

feel quite relaxed at the moment...getting some time to wash the car and bit and bobs that I've been meaning to do....6 months working away from home has meant I am not in a hurry to relocate myself away again especially with the winter looming...

the market is fierce, I have applied for loads of roles that i thought were suited to my exp and skills....too many PMs out there right now!

Everyone keep on applying!!

[Old Greg]

OK - it is officially dead out there in the world of healthcare. I am yet to find an ad which relates to an actual contract, rather than a contract that 'is just waiting for sign-off'. Hoping things get better after the spending review next week.

Am also thinking about what else I can do with 12 years' experience of business change, process re-engineering etc. which is all within the healthcare arena.

Oh well, at least the warchest is sufficient for the long haul.

[Old Greg]

Sorry to hear that. PM me and I will send you my LinkedIn details. I am currently at an NHS trust in London so I can always keep my ear to the ground for opportunities.

Thanks Mustang, have pm'ed you.

OG

[Mustang]

Last ditch attempts by permie colleagues to get me an extension failed so have been on the bench for 3 weeks.

I've joined linkedin and it's not a bad tool, but I'm not convinced I will find a contract through it.

OG

Sorry to hear that. PM me and I will send you my LinkedIn details. I am currently at an NHS trust in London so I can always keep my ear to the ground for opportunities.

[Mustang]

I wish LinkedIn would let you assign various levels of privacy to certain contacts, ie. agents like Facebook does. I want my real contacts to be able to see each other and I'd still like to have some agents connected to me in case they have something useful for me but I don't want them harassing my current and ex-colleagues or friends.

That would be a useful feature to have! At present I only have 2 or 3 trusted agencies that I have linked to.