From the CUK front page
I'd like to thank you all who voted, my mum for letting me use her computer and most especially NOT my agent.
Gordon Brown, BT and ‘Test Please Delete’ - an online showcase of soft porn - have scooped a Contractor UK Award for their unique contributions to IT contracting in the past year.
The unlikely bedfellows are winners in three out of eight distinct categories, which droves of CUK readers have been voting on since the awards were announced just days before the PBR.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer was overwhelmingly voted ‘the biggest hindrance’ to IT contractors in the past 12 months, followed at distance by the Labour Party, IR35 & s660A.
One IT contractor said Mr Brown deserved a “lifetime achievement” award for his hindrance to freelance contractors, many of whom use companies his PBR vows to target from April 2007.
More positively, BT plc was voted the ‘best company or client’ for IT contractors, beating off stiff competition from Lloyds TSB, runner-up in the category.
On the sexier side of IT, ‘Test Please Delete’ unanimously won the award for ‘most entertaining forum thread’ – despite some of its 270,000 viewers chanting: “bring back the images.”
However one lone voice of the Bulletin Board, the name of the forum, was less convinced: “Anything except Test Please Delete,” the nomination reads.
“What a boring load of self-indulgent drivel. I mean, I know all posts in CUK are self-indulgent drivel, but at least they all die.”
Other contenders in the category were ‘That bint whats in debt’ – a thread about the troubled diary of a female IT worker, and forum member “SallyAnne declaring herself a fan of Tony Blair.”
Another CUK Bulletin Boarder, who uses the virtual name ‘DimPrawn’ was singled out for witty, worldly and irreverent comments, winning them ‘Forum Personality of the Year.’
The runner-up is ‘Xoggoth,’ who received praise for ongoing contributions, alongside ‘Fortune Green’ for some “sterling work” in the Light Relief forum.
Whispers that another forum member ‘Marillian Fan’ runs a property empire won the board member a few nominations in the category of ‘Forum Millionaire 2007.’
‘Fortune Green’ was another popular vote, but the glitzy title goes to ‘AtW’ – a developer destined to strike it rich with SKA, his distributed search engine.
Voting was markedly more intensive to decide the ‘best contractor recruitment agency’ of 2006 – so congratulations to Elan, which beat off strong competition from Hays, Spring and Hudson.
SJD Accountancy is the ‘best accountant’ for IT contractors, with the company convincingly beating off rival entries from six leading accountancy firms.
Almost equally as unanimous in victory was Giant plc, which was hailed as the ‘best composite/umbrella’ company provider.
As well as asking CUK readers to vote on the above categories, the portal also asked agencies for their nominations for ‘IT Contractor of the Year.’
Agencies were told their nominee should have gone above and beyond the call of duty or proved to be a "cut above" in some demonstrable way.
After careful consideration, Contractor UK has decided to salute Ijaz Ahmed - a delivery manager from Reading, whose client list in the UK includes Ericsson, Siemens and Nokia.
He has worked in IT for over a decade, and came to the UK from Denmark, where he studied at university before taking a full-time job in the industry.
“I tried to settle down in the UK a few years ago but when I arrived I couldn’t find a permanent position, so I found a contracting one,” a slightly surprised Mr Ahmed said last night.
“Today, I’ve got a very broad skill-set and I help clients with anything in their IT environment, like implementing new IT systems.
In their citation, recruitment firm Hudson, which nominated Mr Ahmed, said he has shown flexibility, respect and tireless determination during his contracting roles.
Said Phil Clarke, managing director of the firm’s IT & Telecoms division: “Some weeks he would work seven days a week, 15 hours-a-day with no quibbles.
“Just recently, a month after Ijaz had finished the contract, my client needed some assistance and Ijaz happily gave up a weekend to perform the work.”
Mr Ahmed modestly concurred: “The way I saw it was, the client had a problem and I had the skill-set to help.
“They came and asked me and I said ‘ok, I’m flexible.’ I expected to be paid the following month but I only had to wait until the following weekend.
“I don’t approach a contract role as simply turn up, work and leave when the meter runs out. The way I see IT contracting is that you’re hired for an assignment – and you must fulfill the client’s brief, sometimes it takes six hours, sometimes it takes 12 hours.
Mr Ahmed said for he often feels a sense of “loyalty” to clients, yet he noted such a “commitment is slightly stronger than many other IT contractors” he’s met in the UK.
Asked about working 15-hour days seven days-a-week, he replied: “I have no complaints about long hours, I don’t mind hard-working – it’s just the way I am.”
Contractor UK wishes to thank all their readers who took the time to fill in the Awards poll.
The company hopes the accolades will motivate industry players to improve their performance, while helping newcomers to contracting navigate the perks and pitfalls of the industry.
The unlikely bedfellows are winners in three out of eight distinct categories, which droves of CUK readers have been voting on since the awards were announced just days before the PBR.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer was overwhelmingly voted ‘the biggest hindrance’ to IT contractors in the past 12 months, followed at distance by the Labour Party, IR35 & s660A.
One IT contractor said Mr Brown deserved a “lifetime achievement” award for his hindrance to freelance contractors, many of whom use companies his PBR vows to target from April 2007.
More positively, BT plc was voted the ‘best company or client’ for IT contractors, beating off stiff competition from Lloyds TSB, runner-up in the category.
On the sexier side of IT, ‘Test Please Delete’ unanimously won the award for ‘most entertaining forum thread’ – despite some of its 270,000 viewers chanting: “bring back the images.”
However one lone voice of the Bulletin Board, the name of the forum, was less convinced: “Anything except Test Please Delete,” the nomination reads.
“What a boring load of self-indulgent drivel. I mean, I know all posts in CUK are self-indulgent drivel, but at least they all die.”
Other contenders in the category were ‘That bint whats in debt’ – a thread about the troubled diary of a female IT worker, and forum member “SallyAnne declaring herself a fan of Tony Blair.”
Another CUK Bulletin Boarder, who uses the virtual name ‘DimPrawn’ was singled out for witty, worldly and irreverent comments, winning them ‘Forum Personality of the Year.’
The runner-up is ‘Xoggoth,’ who received praise for ongoing contributions, alongside ‘Fortune Green’ for some “sterling work” in the Light Relief forum.
Whispers that another forum member ‘Marillian Fan’ runs a property empire won the board member a few nominations in the category of ‘Forum Millionaire 2007.’
‘Fortune Green’ was another popular vote, but the glitzy title goes to ‘AtW’ – a developer destined to strike it rich with SKA, his distributed search engine.
Voting was markedly more intensive to decide the ‘best contractor recruitment agency’ of 2006 – so congratulations to Elan, which beat off strong competition from Hays, Spring and Hudson.
SJD Accountancy is the ‘best accountant’ for IT contractors, with the company convincingly beating off rival entries from six leading accountancy firms.
Almost equally as unanimous in victory was Giant plc, which was hailed as the ‘best composite/umbrella’ company provider.
As well as asking CUK readers to vote on the above categories, the portal also asked agencies for their nominations for ‘IT Contractor of the Year.’
Agencies were told their nominee should have gone above and beyond the call of duty or proved to be a "cut above" in some demonstrable way.
After careful consideration, Contractor UK has decided to salute Ijaz Ahmed - a delivery manager from Reading, whose client list in the UK includes Ericsson, Siemens and Nokia.
He has worked in IT for over a decade, and came to the UK from Denmark, where he studied at university before taking a full-time job in the industry.
“I tried to settle down in the UK a few years ago but when I arrived I couldn’t find a permanent position, so I found a contracting one,” a slightly surprised Mr Ahmed said last night.
“Today, I’ve got a very broad skill-set and I help clients with anything in their IT environment, like implementing new IT systems.
In their citation, recruitment firm Hudson, which nominated Mr Ahmed, said he has shown flexibility, respect and tireless determination during his contracting roles.
Said Phil Clarke, managing director of the firm’s IT & Telecoms division: “Some weeks he would work seven days a week, 15 hours-a-day with no quibbles.
“Just recently, a month after Ijaz had finished the contract, my client needed some assistance and Ijaz happily gave up a weekend to perform the work.”
Mr Ahmed modestly concurred: “The way I saw it was, the client had a problem and I had the skill-set to help.
“They came and asked me and I said ‘ok, I’m flexible.’ I expected to be paid the following month but I only had to wait until the following weekend.
“I don’t approach a contract role as simply turn up, work and leave when the meter runs out. The way I see IT contracting is that you’re hired for an assignment – and you must fulfill the client’s brief, sometimes it takes six hours, sometimes it takes 12 hours.
Mr Ahmed said for he often feels a sense of “loyalty” to clients, yet he noted such a “commitment is slightly stronger than many other IT contractors” he’s met in the UK.
Asked about working 15-hour days seven days-a-week, he replied: “I have no complaints about long hours, I don’t mind hard-working – it’s just the way I am.”
Contractor UK wishes to thank all their readers who took the time to fill in the Awards poll.
The company hopes the accolades will motivate industry players to improve their performance, while helping newcomers to contracting navigate the perks and pitfalls of the industry.
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