SQL vs .net developer?

[zazou]

Hello all,

I'm working my notice until starting in the contracting game and my core skills at the moment are SQL Server (non BI) development with some DBA knowledge.
I've been in and out of .net since its inception but never at a guru level. My current project actually has to do with calling a web service using a CLR Assembly which has been a welcome reunion with .net.

I'm planning on marketing myself as a SQL developer with some .net (back end) knowledge. So my question is if it would be a good move to take a few MS 70-51x tests and subsequently put more focus on the .net part in my pitch?
I do realise that certifications alone won't get you contracts but this would up my confidence in that area as between 2008-2011 I was stuck in Classic ASP land. I do feel comfortable in .net but not to the level that I'd put it down as one of my core skills for contracting right now.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Hello all,

I'm working my notice until starting in the contracting game and my core skills at the moment are SQL Server (non BI) development with some DBA knowledge.
I've been in and out of .net since its inception but never at a guru level. My current project actually has to do with calling a web service using a CLR Assembly which has been a welcome reunion with .net.

I'm planning on marketing myself as a SQL developer with some .net (back end) knowledge. So my question is if it would be a good move to take a few MS 70-51x tests and subsequently put more focus on the .net part in my pitch?
I do realise that certifications alone won't get you contracts but this would up my confidence in that area as between 2008-2011 I was stuck in Classic ASP land. I do feel comfortable in .net but not to the level that I'd put it down as one of my core skills for contracting right now.

I started off life contracting in exactly the same position - my Classic ASP knowledge is second to none and I was focussed on SQL with a good amount of experience in .NET. Problem is SQL Developers are common as muck now so it's about distinguishing yourself either with industry specific knowledge (banking, telco etc.) or by having a more advanced skillset (data warehousing, advanced ETL etc.)

[DimPrawn]

General .NET work has all been bobbed.

****ed either way really.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

General .NET work has all been bobbed.

****ed either way really.

Not necessarily. Maybe for you £300/day is not worth getting up for but others would be happy with that.

[DimPrawn]

Not necessarily. Maybe for you £300/day is not worth getting up for but others would be happy with that.

I'd have to let my butler go on that rate.

An example is Nationwide Building Society in Swindon. HQ used to be a huge employer of IT staff and lots of contractors too. Now it looks like downtown Delhi. All bodyshopped bobs on Call Me Dave work permits.

[jmo21]

Spend ~£30 and get Pluralsite for a month and consume as much of their .Net stuff as you can.

Come up with an application and write it from scratch using Windows Forms, MVC, Asp.Net, WPF whatever area you are targeting. In fact, make it SOA, and have multiple front ends.

Writing code will be much more interesting, and more useful than trying to memorise random namespaces and methods for MS exams.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I'd have to let my butler go on that rate.

An example is Nationwide Building Society in Swindon. HQ used to be a huge employer of IT staff and lots of contractors too. Now it looks like downtown Delhi. All bodyshopped bobs on Call Me Dave work permits.

I think this will change in the long run. Outsourcing will continue but I think companies realise that India is not the way forwards.

You won't need to let your butler go on the warchest you should have by now.

[RedSauce]

General .NET work has all been bobbed.

****ed either way really.

There is still a lot of demand for .NET devs with English as their first language. I have found it is quite a niche in itself being what is loosely termed an "analyst programmer" with a decent mix of soft and hard skills.

[Spacecadet]

I think this will change in the long run. Outsourcing will continue but I think companies realise that India is not the way forwards.

You won't need to let your butler go on the warchest you should have by now.

The quality from India can only go up!

[eek]

The quality from India can only go up!

Not while the business model is to maximize bums on seats while keeping costs low...