Another permie thinking he can do a contractor's job

[malvolio]

Don't listen to the doom mongers mate. I'm a hardworking jack of all trades and had nearly 18 years of contracting, getting by with just a cute smile, make 'em laugh attitude and a much bigger than average whang. Play to your strengths and you'll be fine

I'm not a doom monger, al I'm saying is to apply for jobs where you can offer something of immediate relevance. Going for a job just becuase you've done some bits of it isn't going to work.

I'm bascially a generalilst myself, with a practical working knowledge of almost any area of IT you can mention bar coding (shudder...), but I major in Service Management and/or Programme Management to get me past the agency wonks: even then, I often get kicked back for the lack of some (usually irrelevant)specific technical or vertical knowledge. Once I'm talking to the hirer I can usually persuade them I know what I'm doing.

But going into that market cold, or with unrealistic expectations, is likely to be an unnpleasant experience.

[TestMangler]

I've been hands on all the time that I've been a manager so I have the day to day operational skills but the technology in my current job is so old (MS 2003 server etc) I need to get hands on newer stuff. I will never get that here so If I go it will be an uncertain future with the skillset I have or stay and become totally irrelevant. Not a great choice.

Is there no hope for a hardworking jack of all trades?

Don't listen to the doom mongers mate. I'm a hardworking jack of all trades and had nearly 18 years of contracting, getting by with just a cute smile, make 'em laugh attitude and a much bigger than average whang. Play to your strengths and you'll be fine

[UsefulG]

I've been hands on all the time that I've been a manager so I have the day to day operational skills but the technology in my current job is so old (MS 2003 server etc) I need to get hands on newer stuff. I will never get that here so If I go it will be an uncertain future with the skillset I have or stay and become totally irrelevant. Not a great choice.

Is there no hope for a hardworking jack of all trades?

[oscarose]

WMALS + 1


To improve your chances, you need to have a ‘skill’ that stands out. Focus on something on your CV that is your area of ‘expertise’. If you aren’t currently an ‘expert’ in that area brush up on it and blag it (this could be a problem if you’ve been pushing paper for years ).

HTH

[JoeyD]

Thank you for backing me up Mr UK !!

I learned evrything I know from you

Peace & Regards,

Joe !!

[northernladuk]

You could be more helpful.

And 'Tis not too bad G. There's always work to be found ' is helpful?

Reading the guides is the best piece of advice you can give the OP and others in this situation. It has a wealth of knowledge to go research before asking daft questions.

NLUK didn't know Mal was the winner the 2 years before lol....

But I do agree with Mal, Contracting isn't really a place for generalists. They might be useful when they get in a gig but trying to get the gig first is going to be incredibly difficult.

[malvolio]

From my research, it appears this title is held by a poster known as NLUK.

If you bothered to try using the search facility, you would know that !

What NLUK won't tell you is that for the previous two years it was me.

So clearly being irritating is a key requirement.

As for the OP's question, it's not that clever for generalists. The agencies are awash with candidates, and awash with tits with three month's experience pretending to be agents sifting the applications (the bigger ones have taken this further and use key word searching to select CVs...) If you aren't already doing the specific role now you likely won't get anywhere, no matter how good you are at it. Be very careful about what goes in the CV, and before you call the agent to talk about the role, look them up on LinkedIn, just to check they know enough to blow their nose without a user manual and so may be able to make a decision.

[JoeyD]

I’m unfamiliar with this award. What are the credentials for the candidates?!

Maybe I'm in with a shout.

From my research, it appears this title is held by a poster known as NLUK.

If you bothered to try using the search facility, you would know that !

[oscarose]

I thought that piece of advice might make me 'CUK Forum Personality Of The Year 2013'

I’m unfamiliar with this award. What are the credentials for the candidates?!

Maybe I'm in with a shout.

[JoeyD]

You could be more helpful.

I thought that piece of advice might make me 'CUK Forum Personality Of The Year 2013'

[oscarose]

You should search the newbie guides ------------------------>

You could be more helpful.

[oscarose]

Hello all, another nervous newbie here looking to move back into contracting after too long as a permie. I've started the ball rolling and set up the limited company but I'm leery of jumping, what is the market like for an IT Manager with 15 years generalist skills?

Tis not too bad G. There's always work to be found

[JoeyD]

You should search the newbie guides ------------------------>

[UsefulG]

Hello all, another nervous newbie here looking to move back into contracting after too long as a permie. I've started the ball rolling and set up the limited company but I'm leery of jumping, what is the market like for an IT Manager with 15 years generalist skills?