An Agency's View

[WTFH]

An Agency's View

What a load of bullocks. Conversely (and equally nonsensically), a contractor who spans several business areas is a low- to mid-level technician, not a proper expert.

Sorry, I mean client business areas.
If all you have ever done is 20 years work in banking and a chemical company is looking for a contractor, are they more likely to choose you, or someone who has experience in banking, or someone who has worked in banking, medical and construction - doing the same job but for different client business areas.

20 years working in one client business area may make you an expert in that business area for that type of client, but you're narrowing down your expertise.

[sal]

What a load of bullocks. Conversely (and equally nonsensically), a contractor who spans several business areas is a low- to mid-level technician, not a proper expert.

Didn't realise that different business areas are using some special versions of hardware and software, making your experience irrelevant to other business areas...

Gotta love the "Financial services experience is a must" at the bottom of the ads, they love to think they are special, while actually running one of the sh&%iest IT infrastructures out there.

[MrMarkyMark]

Didn't realise that different business areas are using some special versions of hardware and software, making your experience irrelevant to other business areas...

Gotta love the "Financial services experience is a must" at the bottom of the ads, they love to think they are special, while actually running one of the sh&%iest IT infrastructures out there.

Which is why you need FS experience .

I have contracted in the following fields:-

Worldwide News Agency
Large ISP
Large Telecoms provider
Online gambling
Software Consultancy
Management Consultancies
Transport
Retail Banking
Investment Banks

The same primary technical skill set, as a product specialist, in all of those.

[LondonManc]

Which is why you need FS experience .

I have contracted in the following fields:-

Worldwide News Agency
Large ISP
Large Telecoms provider
Online gambling
Software Consultancy
Management Consultancies
Transport
Retail Banking
Investment Banks

The same primary technical skill set, as a product specialist, in all of those.

Contractors should either be product specialists or area specialists. If you're a product specialist in a niche market, then there's a limited market out there for you unless the rates are great and there's little competition.

I'm similar to you in so far as technical specialist with cross-industry experience. Helps when there's a downturn in certain sectors but not others.

[jamesbrown]

20 years working in one client business area may make you an expert in that business area for that type of client, but you're narrowing down your expertise.

The only generalisation I'd make about contractors who have been around for a while is that they're all pretty thick skinned and mercinary buggers. They do what pays the most, for the least effort Enjoying the work is a bonus.

[MrMarkyMark]

The only generalisation I'd make about contractors who have been around for a while is that they're all pretty thick skinned and mercinary buggers. They do what pays the most, for the least effort Enjoying the work is a bonus.

You rang

[eek]

The only generalisation I'd make about contractors who have been around for a while is that they're all pretty thick skinned and mercinary buggers. They do what pays the most, for the least effort Enjoying the work is a bonus.

No thanks. I always take slightly less money for more interesting work and to ensure I have somewhere else to move on to....

As for effort - you mean you want me to actually do some work - next....

[ladymuck]

Either you're an expert or you're not but, like I said, one stupid generalisation doesn't atone for another. The public sector spans a lot of areas, according to FOI. Universities; millitary intelligence etc. Some poor buggers that probably didn't think they were in the PS are going to find that out pretty soon... I'm kinda irritated that RBS and Lloyds aren't officially PS.

Yep...current gig (finishes next week thankfully) is at a University and I only realised this week that it's considered PS. That's two PS gigs I have on my CV now, the last one being in 2005. Does that make me a PS contractor?

[jamesbrown]

Didn't realise that different business areas are using some special versions of hardware and software, making your experience irrelevant to other business areas....

Hardware and software? Since when did contracting become synonymous with IT contracting? If you're selling your engineering, mathematical, scientific, legal, medical etc. skills in a specialist area, you and your clients probably don't give a feck about hardware or software, as it's just a tool for a job.

[northernladuk]

Didn't realise that different business areas are using some special versions of hardware and software, making your experience irrelevant to other business areas...

Gotta love the "Financial services experience is a must" at the bottom of the ads, they love to think they are special, while actually running one of the sh&%iest IT infrastructures out there.

It's not really down to the applications, it's understanding the client, their business and their market. I've worked on a global deployment for a massive pharma, went PS for a gig and back on a global deployment. The PS gig has added very little to me to help me get the global gig. No way would someone that's only got years of small gov work be able to jump in to a large complex business model. In one gig I own it all, the next each element has dedicated teams. That is why they want the experience.

There is also the business culture. A pure PS contractor simply will not understand an investment banking culture where every pound spent most return 1.50 or it gets canned. Your bum on seat permatractor will not be able to deliver.