Reply to: Are there many young contractors?

[sli_gryn]

am just over the 30 mark and have been contracting since 2000. the other day i was told i was too young for a senior role?! go figure...

[ashleymoran]

Just stumbled across this... I am 25, and just going into contract work now. I wish I had done it sooner, didn't realise how much permanent work would suck

[gtr]

In my limited experience at companies which use contractors, they are always more experienced people, say 35 at the youngest but more often in the forties. Of course that's not old, but I wondered if there are many contractors in their twenties on these boards?

I'm 25... am I the youngest here?

I'm 25 too But I feel older than that due to 2 kids, wife and mortgage lol. All good fun. But like you say, I've only ever come across contractors 30+

[beaker]

My way of coping with that was to become a manager where I earn as much as a contractor but with permie benefits. But guess what - I'm sick of the politics and crave the cut and thrust of contracting again. Mind you I've probably lost my techie skills now.
But I was good so it won't take too much time to get back up to scratch

Why do you need to go technical again? Surely you can pitch yourself as a management consultant now? Ie double your annual salary, divide by 48, divide by 5 then charge yourself at that daily rate?

[~Craig~]

1. You could train a chimp to be "tulip hot" at Networks and Firewalls in three years.
2. Network / Firewall experts with soft skills? No. These are the people you sit next to the DBAs.

You know those people you think "what have they been doing for last 20 years" about? Well next time everything goes wrong and turns brown and smelly (which it will) go and ask them for their advice.

You make me smile though.

I'm not saying that 90% of new grads aren't useless (because they are) but there are the odd exceptions to the rule and yes they do have soft skills.

Just because someone is experienced it does not mean they are any good either

[oracleslave]

Let's just say I'm no slave.

I dictate where I work from.

I do not use agencies.

I am paid an above average rate for my skills, qualifications and importantly experience.

So yes I enjoy what I do, I don't do anything I don't enjoy. Hence why I am a consultant running my own business and not a permie doomed to be controlled by others.

Congratulations. Personally I am envious of people who enjoy what they do and are good at it. Whilst I have similar circumstances to those mentioned above (with the exception of agencies to some degree) I can't wait til the day I no longer have to work. Thats why I queried why sas would want to return to contracting, something he got out of a while ago.

[fridge]

Im late 30's and wouldn ever look back, the best decision I ever made was to leave the life of a permi and do it on my own.

[Alf W]

I meant Network/Firewall guys with 3 or so years experience.

1. You could train a chimp to be "sh1t hot" at Networks and Firewalls in three years.
2. Network / Firewall experts with soft skills? No. These are the people you sit next to the DBAs.

You know those people you think "what have they been doing for last 20 years" about? Well next time everything goes wrong and turns brown and smelly (which it will) go and ask them for their advice.

You make me smile though.

[El_Diablo]

So you enjoy what you do then?

Let's just say I'm no slave.

I dictate where I work from.

I do not use agencies.

I am paid an above average rate for my skills, qualifications and importantly experience.

So yes I enjoy what I do, I don't do anything I don't enjoy. Hence why I am a consultant running my own business and not a permie doomed to be controlled by others.

[oracleslave]

I'm not a geek and I don't program.

I get my kicks out of ensuring that my clients ask for me above others.

So you enjoy what you do then?

[El_Diablo]

I can't speak for all you geeks. Some of you get your kicks out of playing with <insert programming language here>

I'm not a geek and I don't program.

I get my kicks out of ensuring that my clients ask for me above others.

[oracleslave]

Yes but don't we all?

I can't speak for all you geeks. Some of you get your kicks out of playing with <insert programming language here>

[El_Diablo]

Whilst I agree with some of the sentiment above it doesn't mean I necessarily enjoy it. Without going into details I do this now so that in the future I don't have to.

Yes but don't we all?

[~Craig~]

Sure you do sonny. Give 'em a laptop, send 'em on a couple of Prince II and Powerpoint courses and bang 'em out at £900 per day.

How are grads going to know anything seeing as how they've been taught by University lecturers who would be doing and not teaching if they were any good and have probably never had a real job?

Listen..

Under 25 - trainees
Under 30 - juniors
Over 30 - fully fledged pros
Over 35 - fully fledged pros with a honed sense of cynicism
Over 40 - no longer interested in the onwards and upwards but more interested in planning how to get out.


Personally, I've fast tracked to Stage 5

I meant Network/Firewall guys with 3 or so years experience.

I think you've fast tracked to useless old git stage

[oracleslave]

Why a step backwards? Being a successful contractor is one of the best things ever. It's something you achieve yourself, not what someone gives you because you of politics.
About Plan Bs, I don't think I'm creative enough.
There's something to be siad for doing what you're good at after all.

Whilst I agree with some of the sentiment above it doesn't mean I necessarily enjoy it. Without going into details I do this now so that in the future I don't have to.