Not sure what to do next...

[bidme]

Hi all,

So, I have previously been a contractor through an umbrella company. I was a Programme Support Officer in the public sector back in 2010 for a year. After this, I went permie.

Looking to go back into the contracting world but not sure what my next steps should be. Since the above role I have been firmly in a Bid Manager position. I started in a healthcare IT company and then moved with this job role across an FM company and an IT security company. I am now back in IT healthcare as a Senior Bid Manager.

My predicament. I would like to progress in the field of bid management as a contractor OR as programme support > programme managment.

Shall I take the bid management accreditation (Shipleys/APMP) or PRINCE2 or both? Looking for a bit of guidance and any help would be appreciated!

[northernladuk]

Me neither.....

[cojak]

What do YOU want to do? What is your passion?

Alternativelt, out of your possibilities, which makes the most money?

Only you can say what your primary drivers are.

[SimonMac]

My two penneth worth, from what you have said you have had 5 roles in 5 years, 4 permie, this does not bode well for anyone who wants to be taken seriously as a contractor. Contractors are supposed to be war hardened experts in their fields, and it is very hard to develop as a contractor up the food chain (especially in PMO > Project Manager > Programme Manager) as the field is already full of seasoned contractors.

By the sounds of it you hae RIP (Reskilled In Permie) which is a solid approach, but as you are still thinking about PMO etc is that where your heart really is? If so don't start contracting as a Bid Manager if you're not gonna enjoy it.

Long story short, if you don't know what you want, stay where you are until you do

[oracleslave]

What do YOU want to do? What is your passion?

Some very good podcasts on this site - even though it's aimed at permies, there's a lot that applies.

https://www.manager-tools.com/2015/0...passion-part-1

https://www.manager-tools.com/2015/0...passion-part-2

[bidme]

I do know that I want to go contracting. I am asking about the next steps as both professional courses are interchangeable. I didn't know if anyone had been in this predicament or was a bid management contractor and could assist.

I appreciate I have held a few permie roles. However, this has been down to personal circumstances. I became a carer overnight and had to look at my job situation seriously and consider what would be best for the situation I was in.

This situation is now no longer the case, therefore I would like to get back onto the track of what I would like to do. This is contracting in either public sector procurement or programme support.