Reply to: What Age Did You Start Contracting??

[thunderlizard]

Started at 20 to pay the rent on my student flat. Now wish I'd got a proper job instead, but regrets are cushioned because I did actually try to get a proper job but nobody would have me.

[Not So Wise]

Started at 22, had just done a two year stint as a permie. After having it pointed out to me one day that that I spent more time at work than out and could basiclly only talk about work because I not have not personal life anymore I stayed awake that whole night thinking it over and handed in my notice the next day and never looked back (12 years at it now)

Wish i had started at 20 and saved myself those two years of hell

[ribble]

Started at 26.... Am 28 now....

Dan

[Churchill]

19 - IBM Research Laboratory, Hursley Park.

[VectraMan]

Started at 34. I had an interview for a contract job when I was about 24, which then didn't happen because the project was cancelled. I don't think I really had any idea what a contractor was, or that I'd earn twice as much otherwise I probably would have stuck with that path.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

It wasn't called contracting when I started...

Freelancing...

...it wasn't called IT either.

[milanbenes]

26 36

Milan.

[Advocate]

Started 24
Now 26

[threaded]

As above and also in hindsight what age do you wish you started contracting??

It wasn't called contracting when I started...

[minestrone]

31 and I though I knew it all.

How wrong I was.

[TykeMerc]

Started at 25, on reflection it was the right decision and age for me, almost 19 years done now.

[BoredBloke]

As soon as I left uni. I did a post grad diploma to get a bit of an IT qualification and worked for Shell through all my summer holidays and for a short time after which took me over 12 months work experiance in an IT related role. I went contracting in late 92 when I was 22 when I left home with some clothes in a bag and headed off from Aberdeen for the bright lights of Swindon!

[nomadd]

I can still remember the female recruitment consultant telling me "have a nice life" and "hope the bottom doesn`t fall out of the contracting market" after her repeated attempts to get me to reconsider came to nothing

I was told much the same by the IT Director in '89 when I left my last permie job to go contracting. His feelings were that contracting in general would die within a year or so, and no, he would never offer me my old job back. Fortunately, I didn't want it, or need it.

Nomadd

[SuperZ]

30 and 27 - considered it a few years earlier when I was stuck in a rut in my permie job when an ex-contractor said I`d be well suited. Having said that I was a late starter in I.T so I probably needed the four+ years I did as a permie.

It`s great, sometimes gets tiring though (don`t always have a lot of spare time). I occassionally consider going permie for a while (to progress career before going contracting again),even though I know I`ll hate it. It`s been nice to apply for the odd permie job just to see what they can offer. Been offered three over the last few years but turned them all down. I felt naughty once as one company cancelled all futher interviews after they interviewed me and offered the job! I can still remember the female recruitment consultant telling me "have a nice life" and "hope the bottom doesn`t fall out of the contracting market" after her repeated attempts to get me to reconsider came to nothing

[kaiser78]

Started contracting at 37.

Did not have the specific business knowledge that I am now making hay with.

If I was a better programmer then would have liked to start at 25, but as a BA / PM then you do need some experience behind you.

Agree - I started out as a PM contractor at 32.