Reply to: Has anyone here worked for Logica CMG?

[rootsnall]

flip it... I may just forget the idea and work to old ethos that if I'm only contracting for half the year I'll still be better off than a permie!

It is the only ethos. Permie support work on carp money sounds like a pretty carp idea to me.

[Cowboy Bob]

Don't do it. My brother is a permie manager there and their idea of contractors is very definitely bum on seat, fixed term, low rate, long hours.

[GreenerGrass]

Yes, I did a stint there and much of what is said above sounds about right.
Pay is not great, and in a short period of time quite a few people including myself resigned to go contracting, and they are left with the dross who accept even lower wages than the people that left were on.
They are (were) big on outsourcing, so if you're in one of those positions you could be based somewhere for years rather than flitting around as in a consultancy.
To be honest they are no better, or worse, than many other companies of their type.

I was never "on the bench" but heard of people doing naff all for months, although with their share price heading down maybe they will tighten up on that sort of thing. They seemed to be moving to outsourcing their outsourcing to India whenever they could get away with it, or doing it through the backdoor by bringing people in on work permits who can stay with their cousins in an attic in Bethnal Green or whatever.
The old "ring someone in India to get the bloke who sits 20 feet away from you to fix the printer" always amused me.

I got some PM training and certification out of them, but with hindsight I'd rather have left sooner and paid for my own. You live and learn.

[~Craig~]

left there 9 months ago as a permie. It's all quite laid back and people are nice enough but the money is carp and it's difficult to move on.

The other thing is that they seem to be coming quite incompetent.......I would go back as a contractor but never as a permie!

[Peter Loew]

LCMG are renowned for paying badly. I worked there for 3 years as a permie, picked up what I needed and got out.

You do get lots of exposure to different things... if you're lucky. If you're unlucky you'll just be working on bids and acting as the photocopy boy while the 'real consultants' do the dirty stuff.

They will send you anywhere they like, you don't really get a choice as to where you will end up. Just make sure you agree your base office as close to your home as possible so you can charge expenses when they send you out.

They are just like any other consultancy, they'll charge you out to the client at your contractor rates, and pay you a crappy salary.

P

[gingerjedi]

Feck it... I may just forget the idea and work to old ethos that if I'm only contracting for half the year I'll still be better off than a permie!

[alreadypacked]

Ah I see you're one of these Teflon, lightweight, fly-by-night contractors with no expertise who gives all contractors a bad name.

Sorry to disapoint, we can't all be like you sas

[NickFitz]

Nope this is a support position close to home... or so they're are telling me at the moment, i'll ask the questions and if it's not 100% suitable I wont take it.

I've heard they never lie or exploit people's gullibility so they can get whatever they need out of them and then dump on them from a great height as and when it suits them.

HTH.

[alreadypacked]

Surely as a consultant with them you will be shipped off wherever they win business?

Very true, just had lunch with an old friend who went permie with a consulting company last year. Shipped her off to Oz on third day for 1 year. Came back to london this week, shipping her off to Denmark next week.

Half way across the country, may not seem that far after all

[gingerjedi]

Surely as a consultant with them you will be shipped off wherever they win business?

Nope this is a support position close to home... or so they're are telling me at the moment, i'll ask the questions and if it's not 100% suitable I wont take it.

[Devlin]

I know quite a few people who work there. The common complaint is the very low pay - in some cases ridiculously low! There was a pay freeze on permies for years apparantly.

[sasguru]

And you are a typical Seagull manager.

Swoops in, making a lot of noise, sh|ts on everyone and then buggers off.

buggers off with the glory
HTH

[chef]

from what i've seen, logica employees are the same as contractors but more limited in work choice and far less paid..

-they must find and apply for there own work on projects but obviously they are limited by only having those projects logica are currently involved in to choose from (where as contractors arent limited to just one agency)
-if they cant find a project to work on they are "on the bench" (although still paid), but no one ive spoken to seems to know how long being "on the bench" for is allowed before your team leader/mentor (i.e the boss) has a quiet word and your fired.

[oracleslave]

so being half way across the country for most of the week isn't ideal, it's not as if it's forever.

Surely as a consultant with them you will be shipped off wherever they win business?

[DimPrawn]

Yes go permie.

Leave the contracting to the tough guys (and girls).