Reply to: How do you create added value?

[Sysman]

Being flexible.

There's always the odd sitation where something that wasn't planned for is suddenly needed tomorrow. ... That gets you noticed by senior people as somebody who can be counted on...

On my second contract I got the client out of a jam and ended up being the only contractor allowed to do overtime.

But:

You could stick to procedure and say it has to be authorised, blah blah, but I'd just do it.

Not always. In a blue chip environment you escalate the problem through the authorisation procedure, and get it signed off first.

HTH

[Troll]

I add value by making sure their internet links are always up and running, could say soak testing.

... and QA the coffee machines

[Gibbon]

I add value by making sure their internet links are always up and running, could say soak testing.

[Gonzo]

I add value by taking on crap projects that the permies won't touch for fear of being sacked.

Don't we all?

[oraclesmith]

I add value by taking on crap projects that the permies won't touch for fear of being sacked.

[wendigo100]

Another thing I do is keep my head down so as not to upset the client's customers.

[Troll]

For me it's being the first to spot stuff. That may be potential problems ("if you're going to rerelease X you should probably integration test Y too")

That's all procedural.. you can easily define a procedure and get the low cost people to execute... some value in being the one who defines a procedure.. but thats the high cost management using low cost resource currently being rolled out to a place near you sometime soon

[thunderlizard]

For me it's being the first to spot stuff. That may be potential problems ("if you're going to rerelease X you should probably integration test Y too") or opportunities ("for very little extra cost, we could get this software to check your Windows regional settings and loudly play the appropriate national anthem every time it starts up!")

[bored]

For me it's:

the ability to solve all kinds of problems, usually faster and more effectively than most people,
the ability to schmooze and charm,
the ability to evalute not only technical but business consequences of decisions/solutions.

[Troll]

In our industry, there are many threats (and opportunities): changing technologies provide new oppos, increased and cheaper competition from abroad seem to be the main threats. There seems to me a few ways of distinguishing yourself and adding value. How do you do it?

Some ways I can think of

- Knowing difficult and arcane technology (high barriers to entry)
- Knowing the vertical markets you work in (business knowledge)
- Knowing the local/national environment (cultural knowledge)
- Knowing how to schmooze and charm (political knowledge)

Any others? What do you do?

1:technology can be taught even arcane.. we all have made a living from a can do mentality - no reason why low cost imports should be different
2:OK but that isn't really a high barrier to entry
3:Most corps have a global culture very little between US &UK ...can't speak for European
4:No barrier at all

Ultimately it comes down to cost, you based in & operating under a UK tax regime cannot hope to compete with low cost onshore imports and maintain your current standard of living


The problem isn't competing with others within a similar trading block... it's competing with third/second world cost base within the UK.. can't do it

[milanbenes]

you mean you cyphered my hashing routine and concluded what was cyphered was racist comments ?

suggest you check your algorithm again

Milan.

[milanbenes]

you @*?":!!* Welsh **%&"#¤%)(/&%¤#""¤¤%&/¤%%&"&&#&¤%#/#%/(¤%/(¤%//¤%&/¤%&/¤%/&¤%/(/&()/&()&/)


grrr

Milan.

[sasguru]

Luke,

what you have written is gold, you should delete it

don't want to give away all the secrets

Milan.

No secrets there.
Most people know what they have to do but can't do it.

[milanbenes]

Luke,

what you have written is gold, you should delete it

don't want to give away all the secrets

Milan.

[milanbenes]

agree with Luke

Milan.