Reply to: At What Age Did You Feel Most Comfortable Contracting?

[northernladuk]

I fell in to contracting after redundancy but was happy in permie land chasing a career for most of my working time to date. I am sure I would have been somewhat happy on the money years ago but I wouldn't have managed to climb the tree and be the best I could. At time of redundancy I reached where I wanted and wasn't interested in the next steps so perfect time to go in to contracting for me. Best of both worlds, did the career thing and now getting paid off for it. Granted I haven't paid my mortgage off and haven't had flash cars up to now but it isn't all about just that... well it wasn't then

[whoolio]

I am 29 and have been in my first contract for 6 weeks now. Before that I was travelling for a year, so I feel like I've thrown myself in the deep end. I have a lot of catching up to do.

Everyday there is that fear of being chopped (the anxiety the first couple of weeks was insane!!), but I find it easier to take each day as it comes, do the best you can and don't think about it too much.

[PAH]

Cheers I think you just gave me an idea for a plan B....

Just make sure you don't forget where the idea came from when it's a bestseller.

There is already a book knocking around about the ins and outs of contracting, but it was a bit dry and didn't cover real life scenarios if I remember right (is/was on google books so could read lots of it for free), just the how to's rather than how dids. Probably some fantasist wrote it while dreaming of piloting a Tornado jet and eating spaghetti.

Also, to get the biggest target audience possible, may be worth doing an indian language version.

[pmeswani]

I felt comfortable contracting the day I left Every Day Sucks. Best decision I made in my Career.

[TiroFijo]

Of course there will always be a genius sockpuppet somewhere.

But it took sockpuppet to point it out tho!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

For me it's not an age thing but more to do with circumstances, I felt very comfortable when we were childless and wife was earning enough to cover all the bills if need be.

Fast forward a few years and kids + recession = near disaster for our household.

The recession has been one of extremes. Many people had nearly 0% interest to pay on mortgages so were comfortable on 30k permie salaries, on the other hand most people were screwed due to no jobs, high costs.

[gingerjedi]

For me it's not an age thing but more to do with circumstances, I felt very comfortable when we were childless and wife was earning enough to cover all the bills if need be.

Fast forward a few years and kids + recession = near disaster for our household.

[Sockpuppet]

People's experience of "off shoring" is actually quite funny. What normally ends up happening is that a company tries to cut costs by off shoring. Then 2 years down the line the system falls over and needs a load of new changes in a short period of time. Result: Bring contractors in quickly to get it fixed which results in 2-3 years worth of contracting for several lucky people.

I also know companies who tried overshoring and ended up bringing local developers in the end as the trial failed.

One final point is that Indian wages are going up so it is becoming less lucrative to go over there and get things done on the cheap...

ClientCo's accounts are done by one of the big accountancy firms that has promptly gone and sent all of the processing to India in an effort to cut costs. It's worked so well in fact that a few weeks ago they got cut off as the water bill hadn't been paid.

They've now put processes in place to make sure this doesn't happen again.....i.e. they've set up a direct debit.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Really? I see a lot of IT jobs leaving the UK due to off shoring. Current gig has just been off shored and I'm seeing this happening more and more.

The upside of this, for those of use that are currrently contracting, may be that there will be less graduates entering IT and hence a smaller pool of talent for the wrok that remains in the UK.

People's experience of "off shoring" is actually quite funny. What normally ends up happening is that a company tries to cut costs by off shoring. Then 2 years down the line the system falls over and needs a load of new changes in a short period of time. Result: Bring contractors in quickly to get it fixed which results in 2-3 years worth of contracting for several lucky people.

I also know companies who tried overshoring and ended up bringing local developers in the end as the trial failed.

One final point is that Indian wages are going up so it is becoming less lucrative to go over there and get things done on the cheap...

[PrinceNamor]

I am 27 and been at it for 13 months now. Really enjoying it and can't see that the demand going away for contractors in IT in UK industry. Maybe elsewhere but not in the UK.

Really? I see a lot of IT jobs leaving the UK due to off shoring. Current gig has just been off shored and I'm seeing this happening more and more.

The upside of this, for those of use that are currrently contracting, may be that there will be less graduates entering IT and hence a smaller pool of talent for the wrok that remains in the UK.

[SueEllen]

Are contractors meant to be subject matter experts or just people who can do as they are told and follow instructions without pissing people off?

You may just piss people off by simply doing what you are suppose to do to proper recognised standards. It's something not to worry about.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

There are probably others that can be added to the list but those are the main ones off the top of my head. I feel like I'm giving my secrets away but what the hell, I'm too lazy to write a book on it.

Cheers I think you just gave me an idea for a plan B....

[PAH]

Over my time as a contractor I've learnt a few things that seem to me to make the ideal contractor. Age doesn't really come into it if you're good at it.

I think it can be summed up as:

Cost - Not being the most expensive while trying to avoid being the cheapest. This is one of the ways of ensuring you're not first out of the door when they start culling contractors to 'save money'.

Flexibility - Willing to go where the work is, and not needing lots of time off to travel home each weekend. Though some places are ok with you having large chunks of Monday and Friday off, just don't take it for granted before you start.

Initiative - Being able to 'hit the ground running' and get up to speed quickly with the bits you don't yet know or understand fully, with minimal help needed from the permies if possible.

Patience - Don't fall out with the permies when they wind you up by being crap at their job, and don't punch out anyone!

Skills - Getting up to speed on the skills frequently asked for in vacancies for your area of expertise while trying to avoid being jack of all trades master of none.

Savings - When working build up plenty of savings so there's not the pressure to find new work immediately at the end of a contract.

Understated - Leave the ferrari at home and don't piss off the permies by buying champers at the pub lunch, unless they're doing the same.

There are probably others that can be added to the list but those are the main ones off the top of my head. I feel like I'm giving my secrets away but what the hell, I'm too lazy to write a book on it.

[nomadd]

I ve been at it for 2 years and am 29 and not a day goes by when I wonder if I ll be chopped because I m too expensive and not experienced enough..

I've been at it 21 years and 5 months. Have, I guess, what you'd all a "pretty hot" skillset. I still don't feel comfortable, even with a large warchest and substantial (debt free) investments. But hey, that's me: always in a panic.

I guess my attitude is best summed up by Intel's Andy Grove in his book: Only the Paranoid Survive.

That thought has kept me going for many years.

[Spacecadet]

I ve been at it for 2 years and am 29 and not a day goes by when I wonder if I ll be chopped because I m too expensive and not experienced enough

If you're not scared you'll be chopped due to how much you're charging then you're not charging enough

Are contractors meant to be subject matter experts or just people who can do as they are told and follow instructions without pissing people off?

Contractors are meant to do what they're hired to do. If they are hiring you for your expertise then don't worry too much about pissing people off.