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New tech is a mugs game...

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    New tech is a mugs game...

    Was talking to one of the mainframe guys where I work today, he's been offered another extension and also has an offer of a long contract with another company.

    I asked how long the contracts were for and both were in the 1-2 year range, somewhat different to most I've come across in the more recent tech areas, but which he claimed is normal for his skills.

    So come on all you oldies, is this the case?, do mainframe skills secure you nice long contracts, while most of the newer stuff is just 3/6/9 months?

    #2
    Yep. I've been doing one now for coming up 3 years and at the same time I did another 18+ months one (which I still provide consulantcy for.) I've been working on another one to start soon which is a minimum of a year with extension. I think because we're getting rarer than the proverbial Essex 14 year old virgin that they try to hold on to us.
    Brexit is having a wee in the middle of the room at a house party because nobody is talking to you, and then complaining about the smell.

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      #3
      I managed 2 years on a development contract using C# from the very early days.... 4 x 6 months and some consultancy to this day...
      Vieze Oude Man

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        #4
        I've also managed long contracts mcquiggd, but again like you they were 6 months, then a 3/6 month extension then a 3/6 month ext...

        This guy, like darmstadt, was talking about being offered 18 mth/2 years at the outset and the clients sticking to that. Says he's been doing that for the last 10 years.

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          #5
          Shop 'em to the IR!


          (Or replace it all with .Net 2.0 - lovely jubbly)
          Vieze Oude Man

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            #6
            That'll be the Belastingsdienst then...

            Edit:

            "(Or replace it all with .Net 2.0 - lovely jubbly)"

            We're already facing a potential HO slapdown in a few days time for what we're doing so that might be just a step too far...
            Last edited by Joe Black; 17 January 2006, 21:23.

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              #7
              And for us non Dutch speakers....?
              Vieze Oude Man

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                #8
                You get taxed twice...

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                  #9


                  You should whisper that - El Gordo might hear you.....
                  Vieze Oude Man

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                    #10
                    A friend of mine is into the 3G/4G telecoms game (hardware, firmware, software) and the standard minimum contracts are 12 to 18 months, sometimes 2 years.

                    None of this 3 months rolling bulltulip for shiny stuff like .NET

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