Reply to: Time to start contracting?

[d000hg]

Make it a condition you want to get SAP accredited when your promotion comes up.

[TheFaQQer]

I'm intrigued though, I thought most consultancies got their consultants certified as a matter of course. How come your current employer doesn't?

Depends on the consultancy. Oracle Consulting doesn't, because they rely on the fact that if you work for Oracle, you don't need to be certified.

Me: Can I do an OCP certification?
Manager: No. You work for Oracle. The only benefit of a certification is if you were thinking of leaving and wanted something formal on your CV.
Me:

[kempc23]

We used to certify all of our consultants, but we dont any more. Im not sure why.

Agree with what you say about the paper certificate, it is the training I want really, to build on what I already know is SAP FICO. I also have access to a sandbox environment so can do work in my own time.

All of the companies I have been looking at are UK based, and they all look legitimate to me, but its difficult to tell I guess!

Thanks for the tip on the SDN forum.

[NotAllThere]

Be careful with some of the courses - not all are legitimate. If you go with SAP, you can cheaper courses in Singapore, South Africa etc. even with flights and accomodation included. There are third parties who are legitimate of course - plenty of them in India. If any of them promise a job at the end - avoid. They're almost certainly lying. You might try searching (or asking) in the Certification forum on sdn.sap.com

Certification itself isn't really worth much, though the training is definitely useful. I've been working in SAP for 14 years, and I'm still not certified in anything - it hasn't caused me any problems so far... though it might wrt to setting up a business as a SAP technology partner.

I'm intrigued though, I thought most consultancies got their consultants certified as a matter of course. How come your current employer doesn't?

[kempc23]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I now have a plan of action.

Im going to stay in my job until January at least. I will hopefully get promoted. That way if contracting doesnt work out, when I look for permie roles, I would go for Manager grade roles rather than senior consultant.

Having spoken to my old boss, who has been contracting for four years, he thinks I do have enough experience already. But he agreed with my point 1 above. However he said if I could get another SAP implementation under my belt, that would be great.

He also suggested that I get SAP certified. This would allow me to build on my current knowledge, and help me to get through a technical interview. So over the next 6 months, I will get certified and work as hard as I can to build up my functional knowledge.

Can anyone suggest a good place to do a course to get certified? SAPs own course is insanely priced (£10k+). There are plenty of training providers on the internet that offer 8 days of courses plus all the materials etc for around £1k. Much more like it! I might even be able to get this through work.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

I've now read all of your posts on this thread, and I must say, you are beginning to present a very strong case for contracting. So much so, that I'm starting to consider it myself...

I am glad

[nomadd]

You are very likely to have double the income as a contractor compared to if you were a perm, for the same money over the10 years - would you not prefer to have 5 years off?

I've now read all of your posts on this thread, and I must say, you are beginning to present a very strong case for contracting. So much so, that I'm starting to consider it myself...

[TheFaQQer]

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

Most permies get some kind of pay off when they are made redundant. That doesn't happen when your contract doesn't get renewed and you're out of work for 6 months.....

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

You are very likely to have double the income as a contractor compared to if you were a perm, for the same money over the10 years - would you not prefer to have 5 years off?

[d000hg]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

As a contractor your average 'job' might average 6-12 months before you spend months looking for the next one; you expect the contract will end. As a permie you're unlucky to be kicked out, and being made redundant every year would be pretty unusual.

In any given job you risk redundancy, but over 10 years a permie would expect to find themselves out of work much less often than a contractor.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

So, when would you take a perm role then? Assume you have a turnover of £100K in a year.

Personally I wouldn't take a perm offer unless:

a) Have been out of contract for at least 3 months - Would only use this as a low paid contract until getting a new contract
or
b) Being offered a perm job with a stake in the business so I still work for myself in one way or another

I have been offered perm roles for almost the same money as my contract rate, it is a difficult to turn down but I just can't work for someone else.

[northernladuk]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

Because when you are discussing stuff like this you have to make some assumptions or else you will never get to a reasonable answer. Perms are not always safe but we can safely assume perms are a lot safer than contractors when comparing like for like. A few perms may not agree but the majority will

I don't think it.

I've worked with lots of permies who have been made redundant more than once.

More than once in how many years? I got made redundant 4 times in 15 years but that is better than how many times I have been out of work as a contractor in the last 2

[SueEllen]

I am not sure why people think they are safe just because they have a perm role, but if you are not interested in discussing this I wont either.

I don't think it.

I've worked with lots of permies who have been made redundant more than once.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

I suspect OP has some hot skills that are likely to result in good contract earnings. This contrasts with most on here who will be lucky to do as good as the pay and benefits OP is currently getting !
The answer is that it all depends on the individual but don't get carried away with the headline rate and possible earnings, consider all the points raised, risks (including that you might be living away from home during the week etc), possibility of only being asked to do routine work that you can already do easily - which can lead to stagnation of skills and mind. These risks are much easier to consider when you are made redundant or earning buttons currently, different decision from where the OP is.

Amen!

[lukemg]

I suspect OP has some hot skills that are likely to result in good contract earnings. This contrasts with most on here who will be lucky to do as good as the pay and benefits OP is currently getting !
The answer is that it all depends on the individual but don't get carried away with the headline rate and possible earnings, consider all the points raised, risks (including that you might be living away from home during the week etc), possibility of only being asked to do routine work that you can already do easily - which can lead to stagnation of skills and mind. These risks are much easier to consider when you are made redundant or earning buttons currently, different decision from where the OP is.