So, I was a contractor between 2003 and 2008, mainly doing SQLServer and .NET stuff (cam from an m$ background in permie stuff before that dev up to management). On the side I did some PHP stuff for a chap I know who had a design agency.
just over 3 years ago we had an opportunity to set up a business on the back of a large client project so the sister company to the design company was born, dealing in development stuff. Most of this was PHP/MySQL stuff due to the costs of M$ stuff for smaller businesses. Although I did return to a previous company to do some more ASP.NET webservices and SQLServer stuff in that time.
I quit the company about 4 weeks ago (with plenty of notice to smooth transition) to go back to contracting as I was fed up of being responsible for everyone else and essentially wiping lots of people's arses.
So at a crossroads. The contract market up here in Leeds/Bradford is OK I think. But I'm just not getting the interviews that I used to. I suspect that it's due to my CV being 'all over the shop'.
I have/had a php/mysql 6 months at a very big multinational if I want it, at a good market rate for php/mysql. But I turned it down, because commercially it makes more sense for me to return to SQLServer and/or .net development as the rates are better.
I've been talking to agencies a lot, getting good feedback, but I think that clients are scared of the range on my CV, and agents don't want to risk putting me in the batch of x CVs that they get to send forwards. I also think that they don't understand 'what' I am - i.e. most contractors can be pigeonholed as SQLServer DBA or BI Developer or xxx, whereas I have been looking at the whole range of my skills.
Should I be concentrating on one skill, and aiming for that, and only that? I know that once in a role I will provide value to the business, but getting that first step in is proving hard. (Although I suspect all those bank holidays are partly to blame)
I really want to return to my SQLServer skills as I have a database brain and enjoy it. My CV is oriented towards that, but my 'lingo' is out of date and whilst not forgetting how to do things, I can't reel off a list of SSIS data flow components like I used to as I'm a bit rusty - but nothing that a day of working on the BIDS wouldn't solve. I will not lie on a CV, but I have highlighted certain roles that have the required skills.
When money starts to get tight (shortly, my wife says) should I bite the bullet and take the php/mysql contract - I think that this is the turning point of my contrtacting career as it would indelibly mark me as a php/mysql developer - which is where I don't want to be.
I have thought of taking this contract and doing one of the SQLServer MSCEs ( or whatever they call them these days ) in that time.
Frustrating position - I'm a jack of many trades, and bloody good at more than one of them - but that doesn't seem to occur to agents/clients who just want to see 5 years of nothing but the skill they want to see (regardless of how good the candidate actually is at these skills)
I seem to have rambled on a bit there.
Moosey .
just over 3 years ago we had an opportunity to set up a business on the back of a large client project so the sister company to the design company was born, dealing in development stuff. Most of this was PHP/MySQL stuff due to the costs of M$ stuff for smaller businesses. Although I did return to a previous company to do some more ASP.NET webservices and SQLServer stuff in that time.
I quit the company about 4 weeks ago (with plenty of notice to smooth transition) to go back to contracting as I was fed up of being responsible for everyone else and essentially wiping lots of people's arses.
So at a crossroads. The contract market up here in Leeds/Bradford is OK I think. But I'm just not getting the interviews that I used to. I suspect that it's due to my CV being 'all over the shop'.
I have/had a php/mysql 6 months at a very big multinational if I want it, at a good market rate for php/mysql. But I turned it down, because commercially it makes more sense for me to return to SQLServer and/or .net development as the rates are better.
I've been talking to agencies a lot, getting good feedback, but I think that clients are scared of the range on my CV, and agents don't want to risk putting me in the batch of x CVs that they get to send forwards. I also think that they don't understand 'what' I am - i.e. most contractors can be pigeonholed as SQLServer DBA or BI Developer or xxx, whereas I have been looking at the whole range of my skills.
Should I be concentrating on one skill, and aiming for that, and only that? I know that once in a role I will provide value to the business, but getting that first step in is proving hard. (Although I suspect all those bank holidays are partly to blame)
I really want to return to my SQLServer skills as I have a database brain and enjoy it. My CV is oriented towards that, but my 'lingo' is out of date and whilst not forgetting how to do things, I can't reel off a list of SSIS data flow components like I used to as I'm a bit rusty - but nothing that a day of working on the BIDS wouldn't solve. I will not lie on a CV, but I have highlighted certain roles that have the required skills.
When money starts to get tight (shortly, my wife says) should I bite the bullet and take the php/mysql contract - I think that this is the turning point of my contrtacting career as it would indelibly mark me as a php/mysql developer - which is where I don't want to be.
I have thought of taking this contract and doing one of the SQLServer MSCEs ( or whatever they call them these days ) in that time.
Frustrating position - I'm a jack of many trades, and bloody good at more than one of them - but that doesn't seem to occur to agents/clients who just want to see 5 years of nothing but the skill they want to see (regardless of how good the candidate actually is at these skills)
I seem to have rambled on a bit there.
Moosey .
Comment