Reply to: Java Contracting

[anothercodemonkey]

You have not got a bad CV for someone your age but you will have to be flexible on your rate especially as the market is crap at the moment. I wouldn't leap until you have got a contract in the bag. In the meantime add to your skills. You won't get a good contract on pure java alone. Spring, Hibernate, SQL and business knowledge are all important and not to be neglected.

[SueEllen]

Graduated 2.5 years ago with 1st class computer science degree. Then was on a graduate scheme for 18 months doing project managing, systems engineering (bit of consulting), some Java coding etc. Now have 12 months experience in solid J2EE using EJBs, Hibernate etc.

I know I dont have enough experience at present, just wanted a rough idea on when I should start thinking about it...

May I suggest you look at the rates for the different roles you have done if you are that interested in contracting.

[Warren]

Warren, there are Java jobs about. However, all the cheaper end of the market ones are bobbed out. It seems there is still demand for the more specialist, high end work though. Might be worth you adopting a 50/50 blag / learn on the job attitude and shoot for those ?

To be honest, I've never really struggled to find Java contracts, only once and that was back in 2009 during the height of the recession. However I'll take your comments on board, maybe look for a more specialist and higher rate one next.

[knight007]

I've found the following link very useful to find rates: Java Contracts, Contractor Rates for Java Skills
You can filter by region too.

Expect between 300 - 350 in Midlands
300 - 325 - North (manchester, liverpool, newcastle e.t.c)
400+ London
450 - 500 (london banking sector)

2 years experience is enough to get started with contracting, However Agents will obviously put forward the candidate with the greater experience.

Just don't accept a below market rate. It brings down the market rate for everyone else too. I've seen a lot of foreigners come to the UK on work visa's who have accepted tulipty rates. As a result the market rates have come down.

[doesNotCompute]

Not bad, when was that? 10+ years ago?

Warren, there are Java jobs about. However, all the cheaper end of the market ones are bobbed out. It seems there is still demand for the more specialist, high end work though. Might be worth you adopting a 50/50 blag / learn on the job attitude and shoot for those ?

[Warren]

I bought a book on Java which I glanced through on the way to my first contract. Rate was 500 a day.

Not bad, when was that? 10+ years ago?

[nomadd]

Hasn't all the low level Java stuff gone the way of the 'bobs' ?

Not from where I'm sitting/invoicing.

[hugebrain]

I had 3.5 years experience with Java before I went contracting as a Java dev. My first rate was in the mid 300's. I've now been contracting 4 years and my rates have varied between 250 and 400 a day.

I bought a book on Java which I glanced through on the way to my first contract. Rate was 500 a day.

[d000hg]

Hasn't all the low level Java stuff gone the way of the 'bobs' ?

Not all.

Graduated 2.5 years ago with 1st class computer science degree. Then was on a graduate scheme for 18 months doing project managing, systems engineering (bit of consulting), some Java coding etc. Now have 12 months experience in solid J2EE using EJBs, Hibernate etc.

I know I dont have enough experience at present, just wanted a rough idea on when I should start thinking about it...

You could look now, are you proficient enough you can jump in and start churning out code?

[Warren]

I had 3.5 years experience with Java before I went contracting as a Java dev. My first rate was in the mid 300's. I've now been contracting 4 years and my rates have varied between 250 and 400 a day.

[JackMaloney]

Graduated 2.5 years ago with 1st class computer science degree. Then was on a graduate scheme for 18 months doing project managing, systems engineering (bit of consulting), some Java coding etc. Now have 12 months experience in solid J2EE using EJBs, Hibernate etc.

I know I dont have enough experience at present, just wanted a rough idea on when I should start thinking about it...

[northernladuk]

How do you know my age or how much experience I have?

I didn't but as you neglected to tell us and it is a key piece of information I had to make an assumption.

[doesNotCompute]

Hasn't all the low level Java stuff gone the way of the 'bobs' ?

[TheFaQQer]

How do you know my age or how much experience I have?

If you are asking whether going to university counts as experience, it gives an indication of both your age and your level of experience.

HTH BIDI

[ChrisPackit]

I'd say if you have 3 to 6 months experience that would be fine, and if the rate is less than £1000 per day, tell them to shove it up their arse...

Hope this helps