The 5 year plan to £50k

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Diddums said:
Well I just hung up my blues for the last time. This is either gonna be amazeballs or I'm gonna end up in blues again, let's hope it's the former. I'm just so glad to be rid of the blues once and for all, that uniform is seriously degrading and depressing, makes me feel like trash. Now I can wear suits :D

My manager had his last little dig this afternoon, didn't even say goodbye but had me escorted off site like a filthy crim. I think jealousy may be involved :D
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Heh, that's a memory that you won't forget.

I had something similar and the anger level of the guy was so high that I still cannot help but chuckle when I think of it. Whiny little **** hahahaha :D you can just imagine them sat there squirming :D
 
Just getting ready to start my second day, a few quick and random thoughts:

Yesterday the facilities management team went to lunch, we all got taken to Bluebird in Chelsea, lovely place and a cut above what I'd usually expect to be taken to. The atmosphere here is completely different to what I'm used to, the people are so much friendlier and relaxed than the corporate environment I came from. We have a huge TV screen in the canteen with the world cup on it, loads of deck chairs and fake grass in front of it and the best part is it actually gets used rather than just sit there like in most other companies I've worked at, the whole company is much more relaxed and considerably more pleasant to work in (for now, it's only my second day).

Losing the blues was once again the probably the biggest perk of this job, I feel so much more confident and generally nicer to be able to wear smart clothes rather than a crap demoralizing uniform. I can go places after work with my wife now, beforehand we'd have to go home to get changed and freshen up first which often ruled things out, so that's a massive plus as well.

All in all I'm loving it so far, I have my work cut out, make no mistake but I feel this is a job I can really sink my teeth in to and develop myself professionally. This feels good.

We'll see how it goes but the first impressions are fantastic :D
 
2013 - Graduated and started first job as a bid coordinator - £21k
2014 - Change in role name due to company restructure, same job though - £23k
2015 - Moved to a new company, now a bid manager - £35k
2018 - Thought I was goign to get promoted, but didn't. My boss wanted to try and work something out for me, but I decided to look around any way. Ended up taking a "new" job in the same company. Still a bid manager, just a grade up. - £50k (+6k car allowance which I didn't used to get).

Glad to have finally had a pay rise in 2018. I should have looked around in 2017 but I had a pretty horrible first 1.5 years in the company, and I was enjoying my job enough to just want to stay for a while.

Current job is based in Guildford/London, but WFH 2/3 days a week, very flexible. Standard is 40 hrs, sometimes more but I get it back in lieu.
 
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My path

2004 - completed my A levels in the summer of 2004. A few months later my career kicked off working for a small legal firm in Islington. Started out as your general IT guy.

If my memory serves me correctly I started off on around 12k. I remained with the firm for around 7/8 years. In that time, the firm merged with a larger legal firm. And I had become one of their main system developers. By the time I had left I was on around 28k.

2011 - I join another legal firm. This time as a system dev (javasJavaS and SQL). My time here was drastically cut short.. after around a year I had requested a well deserved raise. The manager's response at the time was that there wasn't enough money in the budget..... I began looking for work elsewhere. And it didn't take long to find something.... I eventually handed in my notice some 16 months after joining. Upon handing in my notice they suddenly had the fund to give me a raise lol. Rather than accepting their counter offer. I stuck with my decision and moved on..... BIG MISTAKE!

Started on 30... Left on 30.

2013 - I join a re-insurance tech firm in the heart of London. The job was sold to me as a technical role. In truth it also involved me becoming a salesman. Something I was not too pleased about. But I thought I'd stick it out anyway..... A month or so in the opportunity to head to the employers annual french alps weekend away popped up. I obviously went and had the time of my life lol. A couple weeks after my return I handed in my notice. And moved on... As this wasn't the job for me.

Started on 30. Left on 30.

2013 - I join a very well known national leisure company outside of London. I was so excited to join this company... There was just so much hype around them. I joined as a SQL developer. And it didn't take long to realise that things were not going well.... I felt as though I was being treated like a junior. I really disliked my time thete... This was a real shame as my colleagues were really nice people... A couple months in we both agreed this wasn't the job for me. They gave me a months pay for free and we parted ways.

Started on 31. Left of 31.

2013 - taking time out to find my next roll. Im eventually offered two roles. One from a well known mobile provider (offering 40k) and another from a local law firm (offering 35k). I opted to go back into legal. And enjoyed a busy 2 years there. I left on 40k

2015 - I decide to return back to the heart of London. To join a well know international law firm. With the aim to become a finance Systems analyst. I had spent the last few years working with these systems. And this new employer thought it would be great to turn me into a fin systems analyst.... Again great bunch of people but I grew tired of constantly sitting in the sidelines. 8 months later I called time on this position to join another legal firm. Left on 40.

2015 - I move onto another legal firm to do what I know and love (working with databases). **** Loads of work to do. And loads of people to impress. Loved every minute of it. Until I got talking to some contractors.... It was after these talks that I realised I didn't want to work full-time anymore. I wanted to give working for myself a try. One night me and this contractor met up for a couple drinks.... Long story short. He introduces me to one of his clients. And during the odd day off I ended up doing some freelance work for them in the side!

I eventually leave in 2017 on 55k.

2017 - I'm now an IT Contractor. I'm no longer waking up at 7 in the morning to join a rat race into the middle of London on the tube. I have copies of my clients database at home with me... So I'm now able to jump out of bed, walk into my office and start working in my boxers lol. It's such a liberating feeling. Im now charging by the day (425 iirc).... At the time it felt so wrong being able to earn that sort of money in such a short space of time!

The work with this particular client wasn't a full time agreement. It was more ad-hoc... In fact I'm still on call to them now. Anyway I needed something more lengthy. During this time I secure a contract in Wales. However, before I can start I need to go through a lengthy background check process. The process was expected to take a number of months. Whilst waiting I decide to take on a short three month contract (350 per day). And then I flew out to Australia for a few weeks!

Upon my return I finally receive a start date for the contract in Wales. I'm now earning over 450+ per day.
 
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Interesting career path @DAIR, thanks for sharing.
I wonder if, like me, you now realise that you should've made the move to contracting earlier?! I only made the jump this year, wish I'd done it a couple of years ago!
 
Wow, thats depressing.

I need to sort my shizzle out, should be earning a lot more than I currently do, and the above post makes me wonder how I've managed to not go anywhere in terms of money!
 
Well the move was actually supposed to happen in mid 2016. I handed in my notice and then allowed the employer to talk me out of it (they offered more money and allowed me to work one day from home).

Ultimately I'm happy I made the move.... No point on dwelling on what I could've done.
 
Delvis said:
Wow, thats depressing.

I need to sort my shizzle out, should be earning a lot more than I currently do, and the above post makes me wonder how I've managed to not go anywhere in terms of money!
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I tell you what was depressing. Being without work. Common sense told me to accept the counter offer back in 2012. But my pride wouldn't accept it.

Because of that move the following months were pretty rough. At the time it felt like a big mistake... But thinking about it now... I feel it was one of those experiences that I had to go through.

Anyway. Still plenty of work to do. Going through a minor rough patch now. But will save that for another time lol.

My advice to anyone wanting to move up. Is to just do it (take the necessary steps to progress your career).... Instead of thinking or talking about it. Yes it'll no doubt be hard. But the rewards will most definitely be worth it.
 
DAIR said:
I tell you what was depressing. Being without work. Common sense told me to accept the counter offer back in 2012. But my pride wouldn't accept it.

Because of that move the following months were pretty rough. At the time it felt like a big mistake... But thinking about it now... I feel it was one of those experiences that I had to go through.

Anyway. Still plenty of work to do. Going through a minor rough patch now. But will save that for another time lol.

My advice to anyone wanting to move up. Is to just do it (take the necessary steps to progress your career).... Instead of thinking or talking about it. Yes it'll no doubt be hard. But the rewards will most definitely be worth it.
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And if you don't really know where you are going? And pretty much are a jack of all trades? (IT wise)
 
Delvis said:
And if you don't know what you are best at?

This is pretty much my predicament, I just enjoy solving problems, buy buve no idea where I would specialise
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In answer to your question... You need to get out there and figure that out lol.

Won't know until you at least try.

What's the alternative?
 
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Maccy said:
What do you have skills in @Delvis ?

List them out and then we can go from there :)
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Specifically I don't know tbh :/

I'm an IT Technician basically, I solve everything from end user problems to compatibility problems with software on the network, if there is a problem it comes to me and I try and resolve it, if i cant I ask for assistance from the team leader who isn't at this site.
 
You must know!

SQL? C? Java? Networks? Architecture? Testing? Web design? Just to name a few ;)

Imagine you had a big table on your CV, a skills matrix if you like, and you had to fill it with every bit of tech you've worked with. Do that!
 
Maccy said:
You must know!

SQL? C? Java? Networks? Architecture? Testing? Web design? Just to name a few ;)

Imagine you had a big table on your CV, a skills matrix if you like, and you had to fill it with every bit of tech you've worked with. Do that!
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That's my point,specifically I couldnt list stuff like that because I just take calls all day and deal with them, if I don't know the answer Ill research it or ask for help.

This is kind of why I'm in a rut, as I have no specific experience I wouldn't know where to specialise.

I've dabbled in SQL(hardly at all), I've done some powershell, network support, office support, as said software compatibilty issues, WiFi support, 3d printing, AD, printers. Atm I'm using SCCM quite a lot for product deployment
 
I think you're massively underselling yourself.

It looks like you've got a lot of experience in a wide range of areas, you now just need to go into each of the above and break it down. Network support and AD for instance can be massive areas on their own!
 
Maccy said:
I think you're massively underselling yourself.

It looks like you've got a lot of experience in a wide range of areas, you now just need to go into each of the above and break it down. Network support and AD for instance can be massive areas on their own!
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If I could link my linked.in profile I would, but its kinda frowned upon, but could send via trust if you would take a look.

True enough, the other issue I'm having is I either need more money, or I need to retrain and take a cut, which I can't really afford to do!
 
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