Serious question for Milan.

[BobHope2]

I know we all know that the future is .Net, etc. but I have a hypothetical question about SAP. I was thinking of a lateral shift in skillset and have been looking at a certain SAP module (I have interfaced with it in previous projects). Anyway, the training courses required to become a "XX Solutions Consultant" take 25 training days @ £9k.

Hypothetically, could one obtain the training information elsewhere at a lesser price? Is it worth doing a couple of the courses (say 5-10 days) and trying to score the the materials for the remainder whilst there?

[MilanB]

ahh Bob,

good question.

I'm not the man to answer.

I've not been on any courses, learn't it all at home with material shared by friends who have been on the courses, books, and a combination of learning on the job.

Flown by the seat of my pants a few times and in those situations life has been tough, but the effort was worth it and these days the .Net area is paying dividends.

Hope that helps.

Milan.

[MarillionFan]

"Flown by the seat of my pants a few times" = "Blagger"

Therefore

Milan = Blagger

[MilanB]

ok, as I get older I get more generous with information, I'll share a gem

a contributor to my continued existence in said area has been that I made a concious decision a few years ago not to try to compete for jobs with the dinosaurs who have been around for years, but to focus on the new areas where it is impossible to find anybody with longer experience, therefore taking advantage of the fact that companies have to consider less overall experienced people anyway as there is nobody around with the skills on the new products

that's enough for today on this subject.

Milan.

[MilanB]

that is true MF and I have never denied that

only, these days, as I have been in the area I originally blagged my way into 7 years ago, I can now confidently say, in certain niche areas I am an expert

and it is a nice feeling, especially being able to do interviews these days talking from real experience instead of making things up !

Milan.

[MarillionFan]

"therefore taking advantage of the fact that companies have to consider less overall experienced people anyway as there is nobody"

Good way to go - means you can charge top dollar and learn on the job. You only need to know a little more than the person interviewing you or the perm techie.

[MilanB]

infact in my experience more often than not the interviewers have no clue, and a couple of techy questions early on in the interview from the candidate to the interviewers enables you to quickly suss the situation out, on one interview which I got a 7 month contract out of, I asked, I was asked how I would develop an app, I asked straight back which language, Java or .Net as the mechanism is different for each, the interviewers said, we don't know !



Milan.

[BobHope2]

I'm thinking more long term here. .net is really more code monkey. I'm looking for "added value consultancy services"

[fiddleabout]

good question.

I'm not the man to answer.

I bet you just pasted that in from your clipboard Milan.

[MilanB]

ahh, well, if you are looking for...

"I'm looking for "added value consultancy services" ",

then you're best off talking to the two chavs MF and Mordy, they're the experts at blagging contracts based upon added value in place of real technical competance

Milan.