Reply to: Jealous. Should I be?

[Support Monkey]

This is the point I'm making. The issue with contracting is 'it's like a box of chocolates' you never know what you're going to get.

Having had the creamy strawberry truffle I've now been given the one's with a coffee filling and someone's taken all the best ones out of the box.

so what? they can take all the best ones out of the box, you realy are on a downer today, don't go through life worrying about what could have should have been or what others are doing, concentrate on what you do and yes so you made a mistake going back contracting but thats life, someone once said the only risk in life is not taking a risk, you took a gamble and in your eyes it failed so start working on how you are going to get back to the position YOU want to be in, only YOU can make it happen

[Fred Bloggs]

This is the point I'm making. The issue with contracting is 'it's like a box of chocolates' you never know what you're going to get.

Having had the creamy strawberry truffle I've now been given the one's with a coffee filling and someone's taken all the best ones out of the box.

I know where you're coming from with that. In my experience the majority of contracts fall into one of two categories -

1 the permies find it too hard or too risky to do the work themselves so they look for a contractor to off load it onto.

2 the permies think the job is too boing and mundane for them to bother with.

Contract type 1 can be extremely interesting and to do and can get you big kudos with the client co management (downside is they keep offering you permie jobs that you have to refuse). Contract type 2 is the type where you turn up, think of the money and just invoice.

[eek]

This is the point I'm making. The issue with contracting is 'it's like a box of chocolates' you never know what you're going to get.

Having had the creamy strawberry truffle I've now been given the one's with a coffee filling and someone's taken all the best ones out of the box.

Life's like that.

Given that you seem to want to manage people and can sell try and get a second body in the door and start your own bums on seat consultancy. BI seems like a a very good market for a branded contractor / associate consultancy (current clientco does exactly that for banking).

[MarillionFan]

I know where you are coming from. It is quite nice to be at a level that allows you to influence things a bit more. I was running 2 teams totalling 54 staff a couple of years ago and being asked to contribute at a high level in a smaller co. Quite hard to settle back into the current grunt work at large clientco. It was contract too so can't even console myself with money - that one paid 30% more !!!

This is the point I'm making. The issue with contracting is 'it's like a box of chocolates' you never know what you're going to get.

Having had the creamy strawberry truffle I've now been given the one's with a coffee filling and someone's taken all the best ones out of the box.

[lukemg]

I know where you are coming from. It is quite nice to be at a level that allows you to influence things a bit more. I was running 2 teams totalling 54 staff a couple of years ago and being asked to contribute at a high level in a smaller co. Quite hard to settle back into the current grunt work at large clientco. It was contract too so can't even console myself with money - that one paid 30% more !!!

[Fred Bloggs]

I'm always amazed how much people care about job titles. Couldn't give a flying duck what I'm called.

WHS, it's the money that counts.

[thunderlizard]

I've just clocked his LinkedIn and lo and behold he's promoted to BI Director?!?!? He's only been in his first management role for 9 months!!!

He's just better at it than you.

I've been attending a number of client pitches / presenting them etc, at the same time having to project manager and deliver the other projects using other contractors and shared resource.

...especially at delegating

hth
tl

[vetran]

You are getting more cash, less responsibility and no whiney unmanageable direct reports and you are moaning?

With the difference you earn in the next hour get yourself a fine bone china mug made up with Gold lettering saying.

'I Drink Tea and write reports - I still earn more money than you'

On the other side you have a choice

' My Other Girlfriend is Beyonce'
' I own a Pile in Swindon'
'Tape changing Pays'

Words of wisdom from a reshuffled permie - same amount of cash a tenth of the responsibility!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I'm always amazed how much people care about job titles. Couldn't give a flying duck what I'm called.

WHS Pay me enough and you can put git faced tosser on my business cards (except they're mine anyway) daft beyond belief

[MarillionFan]

Pull yourself together; as DP says you're a bog standard contractor, not some high flying big achiever.

Who cares what the perms call themselves?

I like Muggles.

[MaryPoppins]

WTF. He's a nice fella, and yes I'm bedwetting and jealous. Do I have a right to be?

Pull yourself together; as DP says you're a bog standard contractor, not some high flying big achiever.

Who cares what the perms call themselves?

[Alf W]

Now I'd given up a senior role earlier last year in charge of a team of 20, and even though I was on a six figure salary was still only titled as a senior manager. The offer to move to the US came up and fast track(2 years) into a directors role. For personal reasons I turned it down and went back contracting to which I regret. They know I've been looking for a more senior role elsewhere.

This reminds me. Did we ever get the "Chinny reck-on" smiley?

[TestMangler]

Think I'm having a bad day. Don't even have the energy to insult Test Mangler.

Ahhh.......go on go on go on

[MarillionFan]

I'm always amazed how much people care about job titles. Couldn't give a flying duck what I'm called.

Think I'm having a bad day. Don't even have the energy to insult Test Mangler.

[Clippy]

I'm on more money. They've mentioned a couple of times about me applying for a role but as it would mean a 50% cut in takehome there's never been any need to take it further.

I think I'm just a bit jealous as the actual job/title was what I was supposed to move into when I was perm a few years back and after three years still had to move to the US and wait another 2, while here it's like dolly mixture.

Get some business cards made up calling yourself the CEO and hand them out judiciously.

That'll learn 'em.