Newbie Question about skill level

[icw]

I don't think I am defeatist, I am reading and studying constantly at the moment, and I'm sure that I'll have those data cubes sorted soon. Currently i am getting my head round sql server 2005 and sql reporting services.
But as Gable said in an earlier post in this thread "jobs are advertised stipulating an almost unimaginable array of skills ", and without really any experience of the market place personally i am a little unsure as to whether I am up to the mark.
I'll probably find that once I am in there and have experienced the ccontracting world first hand for a while, i will relax a bit more about it.

[Spacecadet]

I'm doing SQL Server 2005 reporting services on my current contract
2 points about this

1. I've never done any proper reporting type stuff before, let alone SQL Server reporting
2. It was never brought up before i took the contract, either in job specs or the interview.

I'm spending every spare minute in the day (after posting on here) messing around with a test install and seeing what it can do.
The clients urgent need for it is not for another 3 months but I know that when time comes, I need to have to answers for them.

As a contractor you need the attitude that what ever comes up you can get on with it and deal with it. Never ever complain that something can't be done or its too difficult. You come across a problem? You give the client a range of possible solutions, with costs, pit falls, pros cons, time scales whatever. They're paying you for your expertise as well as your time.

[MarillionFan]

"I don't think I am defeatist, I am reading and studying constantly at the moment, and I'm sure that I'll have those data cubes sorted soon. Currently i am getting my head round sql server 2005 and sql reporting services."

Any idiot can read a book. Contracting is not necessarily about skill, but what almost what 100% of contractors have will be savvy.

Savvy to make recommendations, savvy not to get bogged down, savvy to understand the business, savvy to make out more than we know and savvy to deliver, hit targets, not whinge, not get involved in politics, savvy to deliver.

Thats what you need, not reading a book.

[icw]

Ok , with that all in mind, tomorrow I am going to look in the contract job ads in Jobserve for something matching my skill set and send off my (tailored) CV.
Cheers Guys

ICW

[Back In Business]

Give the "Contract Search" under CUK Navigation a try (top left). Searches a couple of boards at the same time, including JobSwerve

[EqualOpportunities]

That must be very reassuring for the people who employ you as a DBA

Indeed it must