Reply to: Banking Boomed

[Fronttoback]

WHS.

I had a permie interview for a financial company a couple of years ago. It wasn't even in that tulip-hole city in the South East but in leafy Surrey. The interview went well; I think I'd have got it, but I told the agent no straight away because quite frankly I wanted to throw myself off the nearest bridge at the thought of having to do that.

Part of me wishes I could put up with anything for the cash, but in reality I'd rather use my powers for good.

This comes down to self discipline. Solve boring problems in interesting ways. Above all you will be working with people, and people are always interesting once you get to know them. Work is work. Much higher paid work is better but it takes discipline to manage the downside and make it enjoyable.

[MrMarkyMark]

WHS.

I had a permie interview for a financial company a couple of years ago. It wasn't even in that tulip-hole city in the South East but in leafy Surrey. The interview went well; I think I'd have got it, but I told the agent no straight away because quite frankly I wanted to throw myself off the nearest bridge at the thought of having to do that.

Part of me wishes I could put up with anything for the cash, but in reality I'd rather use my powers for good.

Depends what rocks your boat (that term again).

I had a lot of fun, in the last few years, when I put together a team of 8 and could choose most of the the people myself.
Major project got delivered and my selected contractors and myself all enjoyed a lot of well paid work after it.

As with everything you just can't generalise

[VectraMan]

Sounds like Hell on so many levels.

I've got the greatest respect for contractors who work in the financial sector. For me, aside from all the aforementioned issues, I couldn't hack (no pun intended ) what must be pretty dull work - no disrespect intended if that's not the case but I've always assumed it's all number-crunching and databases?

Have always tried to work on interesting projects which is why I've always stuck to the (admittedly lower paid) engineering sector.

WHS.

I had a permie interview for a financial company a couple of years ago. It wasn't even in that tulip-hole city in the South East but in leafy Surrey. The interview went well; I think I'd have got it, but I told the agent no straight away because quite frankly I wanted to throw myself off the nearest bridge at the thought of having to do that.

Part of me wishes I could put up with anything for the cash, but in reality I'd rather use my powers for good.

[MrMarkyMark]

Cheers folks, looks like I should be OK.

@Mordac

It's not an agency in the traditional pimp sense, they help companies with regulatory issues and so they put their staff on the clients floor. My interview was with one of their senior technical guys and a HR person.

@chopper

Sorry I've had the interview and accepted over phone.

@MrMarkyMark

I've worked for a public sector client, so I've worked with incompetent winkers, so I'd imagine RB are one level above these.

Good man, awaiting contract, then. Well done .

[OwlHoot]

...what must be pretty dull work - no disrespect intended if that's not the case but I've always assumed it all number-crunching and databases?

I imagine it is pretty dull work, until it's time to prepare your fortnightly invoice - Then it gets a lot more interesting!

[Lambert Simnel]

...what must be pretty dull work - no disrespect intended if that's not the case but I've always assumed it all number-crunching and databases?

Depends what rocks your boat, I think. I've always been interested in Finance, and the problems around areas such as regulatory oversight are pretty challenging. Equally, if you enjoy data architecture then there are quite significant challenges in an IB, certainly enough to keep one's interest going.

[Dark Black]

What to expect in banking you say?

• Being treated like you're a curse by permie management.
• Always being surrounded by the threat of offshoring.
• Rate cuts every few months.
• Having to work with tw@ts in IBs.
• A good drinking culture in the City if you're up for it.

Sounds like Hell on so many levels.

I've got the greatest respect for contractors who work in the financial sector. For me, aside from all the aforementioned issues, I couldn't hack (no pun intended ) what must be pretty dull work - no disrespect intended if that's not the case but I've always assumed it's all number-crunching and databases?

Have always tried to work on interesting projects which is why I've always stuck to the (admittedly lower paid) engineering sector.

[Lambert Simnel]

I'd add that in IBs you can sometimes get to work with some very bright people. They pay top $ to try to attract the best and the brightest. They occasionally succeed.

[ChimpMaster]

What to expect in banking you say?

• Being treated like you're a curse by permie management.
• Always being surrounded by the threat of offshoring.
• Rate cuts every few months.
• Having to work with tw@ts in IBs.
• A good drinking culture in the City if you're up for it.

[radish2008]

I find accountability is much lower in retail. When things go wrong nobody gets shot. In IB if you mess things up you are sidelined quickly because money is lost sooner. It's more a survival of the fittest environment whereas in retail they will bear with it and nobody gets punished. It's a 30 year career environment rather than "10 years and retire" environment of IB.

I have come across a number of psychopaths in IBs, I don't think that is an exaggeration. In retail they don't get away with it.

Lot more outsourcing in retail banks and that is reflected in the personnel you deal with.

What tech are you referring to? Middleware or user apps?

I've only ever worked in one bank, a number of times and in a global non banking function. The tech is old (although SQL 2012 at present) and everything takes an age.

[MrMarkyMark]

Great to hear different perspectives.

Reporting is keeping a lot of banking contractors employed these days.

I'm an independent consultant on one of the big trading platforms you probably source data from. Kept me gigging for over a decade.

You didn't work at Bearings Bank before it went down did you?

Indeed it is.

Good for you. Repeat business is the way forward, I have had around 5 years in total from this current one.

Nope, that was prior to me being recommended into the wonderful world of IB. I did know a couple that were when the cluster feck hit



I would suggest it is more than likely we source data from you

[Mordac]

Cheers folks, looks like I should be OK.

@Mordac

It's not an agency in the traditional pimp sense, they help companies with regulatory issues and so they put their staff on the clients floor. My interview was with one of their senior technical guys and a HR person.

@chopper

Sorry I've had the interview and accepted over phone.

@MrMarkyMark

I've worked for a public sector client, so I've worked with incompetent winkers, so I'd imagine RB are one level above these.

But only just...

[Fronttoback]

Cheers folks, looks like I should be OK.

@Mordac

It's not an agency in the traditional pimp sense, they help companies with regulatory issues and so they put their staff on the clients floor. My interview was with one of their senior technical guys and a HR person.

@chopper

Sorry I've had the interview and accepted over phone.

@MrMarkyMark

I've worked for a public sector client, so I've worked with incompetent winkers, so I'd imagine RB are one level above these.

What about me?

[rl4engc]

Cheers folks, looks like I should be OK.

@Mordac

It's not an agency in the traditional pimp sense, they help companies with regulatory issues and so they put their staff on the clients floor. My interview was with one of their senior technical guys and a HR person.

@chopper

Sorry I've had the interview and accepted over phone.

@MrMarkyMark

I've worked for a public sector client, so I've worked with incompetent winkers, so I'd imagine RB are one level above these.

[Fronttoback]

Its funny at the moment, as the lack of accountability where I am is actually quite shocking.
Also, mega offshoring - my floors almost empty.

Quite often its actually me doing the "shouty" bit
However, I'm not working with the FO this time around

DW and Enterprise Reporting.
Boring, but has kept me contracting for around 17 years, now.

Great to hear different perspectives.

Reporting is keeping a lot of banking contractors employed these days.

I'm an independent consultant on one of the big trading platforms you probably source data from. Kept me gigging for over a decade.

You didn't work at Bearings Bank before it went down did you?