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#8385918 - 10/02/15 07:24 AM WWCSID? Going contract
hyper-s2k Offline
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 14556
Loc: T dot O dot, Canada
Current position: Performance and Operability Testing for Internet and Mobile Applications for a bank
- Project / Work Package Lead
- Workload model, test case design
- Reporting and analysis
- Coordinate environment and project bookings (with service provider, our PMs)
- time in role: 6 years (another 4 years as a developer in the same division) = 10 yrs. total tenure

Current offer: Senior QA Lead for a major courier company - focused on Data Center Migration
- Test planning, scheduling, over-seeing execution (no need to do execution myself) of (functional application tests, integration tests and any tests associated with a data center move / major infrastructure change) -- i've done this recently but focused on Performance and operability (not functional though)
- time of contract: 6 months with possible extension

PROS:
- dat contractor pay doe (close to 50% increase when comparing hourly [not including benefits, pension, etc. -- benefits i don't really use (always have surplus), and can leverage wife's if needs be)
- tired of my current position (6 years bitching at the same mistakes of others) -- would contemplate jumping back into development within the bank
- different industry - could be a good learning experience and put some variety on my resume
- if this epically fails; my old boss (that got canned earlier this year - now works for another bank) -- would take me under his wing again


CONS:
- not a big fan of being "stuck" in QA after this job
- giving up Go train commute (1.5h consistently) and going back to driving (from RH to 'sauga)
- some after hours and weekend work (already doing unpaid OT after hours at current job - so not much difference; but at least now i bill by the hour)
- not seasoned in functional testing
- dealing with larger teams (more people = more unknowns)
- giving up my bonus this year (should be a good one because i delivered a major project -- last year my bonus finally hit 5-figures; so w/ a level up this year - i'm expecting nothing less)
- leaving my comfort zone (it's sort of a mental block for me, i guess)

Job's not 100% mine yet, but the contractor PM that i'm friends with recommended me -- just need to give him my resume and have the bosses give the nod.

If I get the nod - should I jump ship?

_________________________
'08 //M3 - now @ 90,xxx km - wtf did i do?
'13 x1 - now @ 99,xxx km - a2b car
'10 x3 - now @ 123,xxx km - time 2 go?
'03 s2k - now @ 80,xxx km - a2a car
'08 535i - sold @ 149,421 km - cashed out just in time!
'08 impreza 2.5i - sold @ - 64,147 km - smh POS
'01 rav4 - killed @ 155,879 km - RIP old friend

"Driving in the snow is like sex. If you want to avoid accidents, abstinence is the best policy. If you're gonna take her for a spin, use protection." - Rick Mercer

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#8385921 - 10/02/15 07:30 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: hyper-s2k]
Choco 'Nuck Offline
Proud Member of BLM
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 07/10/01
Posts: 17568
Loc: Somewhere out there
I did contract work for 6 months and then jumped back to perm. For me the hours were unpredictable based on having to finish a piece of work for a certain time, and sometimes having to work 17 hour days to do it.

If you don't need the benefits, and have the discipline to continue contributing to RRSPs (double amounts now to match the employer contribution), and also TFSAs, and don't mind meticulously tracking all expenses, you will save a bunch of taxes and make with more money in your pocket.

As long as you don't need the benefits, I'd say try it out.

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#8385926 - 10/02/15 07:40 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: Choco 'Nuck]
Risky Business Offline
Provides a Great Work Environment. he/him
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 05/17/10
Posts: 44789
You already commute 1.5hrs a day and what would the commute become now?
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#8385927 - 10/02/15 07:41 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: Choco 'Nuck]
furball Offline
Post Master Sr


Registered: 09/24/03
Posts: 9483
Loc: Toronto, ON
If you read my long-assed flip-flopping thread a few months earlier, I was kinda in the same boat.

I was stuck in a specific IT vertical (industry, and team), and I was tired of being shit on all the time.

First and foremost, you need to figure out where you are in life, where you want to be, and what you're lacking to get to where you want to be.

If you have kids and just need that regular cheddar, you might want to just stick around where you currently are. Nothing beats taking that 5:20pm train everyday, getting home to the cookie-cut home with mortgage in RHill/THill/MHam...

If you have a bit more flexibility, and are super keen on GingTFO of that vertical you're in, now you need to figure and plan out what you're lacking.

As an example, I was locked in not only from a industry perspective, but also team vertical.
- Industry vertical: I got out by getting hooked up for a 1mth contract in a much larger advertising firm (not really a 'digital' agency) ... From there I was stalked and picked up a longer contract in govt (that chedda) -- I was sourced out based on my extensive experience, and background in agency. Plus I could speak Engrish properly. That, and I'm quintiple-certified(*) in some IT shit.
- Technical vertical: cert, cert, more cert. If your fucking bonus is surpassing $10k/yr, then wtf are you doing with training credits? Get the company to pay *and* cough it up yourself.

You'll probably have to Inc it up. It's not as hard as people make it out to be, but the unknown always makes me wary.

Make the money while you're young. But also be aware the high pay is so you have a cushion in-between contracts. Not everyone has offers lined up out the door.

I haven't been in contracting long enough to know which is better; this is my first 'contract' gig. In the end you do have to 'act' like a contractor ... You're a Mexican, a second-class citizen in some eyes.

I've been extremely fortunate in the opportunities that were offered to me this year ... I've been pretty humble, and just kept my head down and did whatever needed to be done, and more; people recognized. Bring in fruit, bring in donuts, act like part of the team... Don't leave right at 4:59pm... etc.

I'm slowly transitioning out of your type of role, into PM/Scrum Master, and spearheading 2 CoEs, all as a contractor. i.e. they're getting me at a super discount. But at the same time, I'm not exactly a seasoned PM vet. So, I'm stressed out, and wearing at least 3 hats. And, I cannot bill OT unless specifically approved.

(*) no not really, but you get the point.

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#8385930 - 10/02/15 07:43 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: furball]
Choco 'Nuck Offline
Proud Member of BLM
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 07/10/01
Posts: 17568
Loc: Somewhere out there
 Originally Posted By: furball


I haven't been in contracting long enough to know which is better; this is my first 'contract' gig. In the end you do have to 'act' like a contractor ... You're a Mexican, a second-class citizen in some eyes.


That was the other issue I encountered, Red badge / blue badge shit is being second class

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#8386035 - 10/02/15 09:08 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: Choco 'Nuck]
TheRealCSnapper Moderator Offline
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 31954
Loc: Toronto, Canada
having seen your regular Facebook post rants about work, i say you take the jump...without reading the pros & cons you listed.
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#8386040 - 10/02/15 09:11 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: TheRealCSnapper]
furball Offline
Post Master Sr


Registered: 09/24/03
Posts: 9483
Loc: Toronto, ON
Jumping into QA Lead as a contractor, particularly with a DEV background ....

There will be MANY opportunities for you, however you have to work. i.e. hands-on coding, building up of frameworks, initiatives for automation, blah blah blah. You can't just sit back and relax like you are now ...

$10k/yr in bonuses in my eyes is pretty fucking significant, unless ... Your current firm back-loads your overall comp via bonuses...

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#8386552 - 10/02/15 01:02 PM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: TheRealCSnapper]
iamfob Offline
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 09/06/02
Posts: 24697
Loc: Out There
 Originally Posted By: TheRealCSnapper
having seen your regular Facebook post rants about work, i say you take the jump...without reading the pros & cons you listed.


OP's latest rant on FB made him a certified fob. He has good Chinese grammar!
_________________________
FTMFW!!!

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#8389335 - 10/05/15 10:26 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: iamfob]
furball Offline
Post Master Sr


Registered: 09/24/03
Posts: 9483
Loc: Toronto, ON
Update?
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#8389676 - 10/05/15 12:51 PM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: furball]
Screamin Type ARGH! Offline
High Value Poster
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 02/20/01
Posts: 47632
Loc: T.O. - Canaduh
OP you selling your home? I want first dibs and hometown discount! \:D

Wait, does it "smell asian"? mothballs, stinky tofu, tigerbalm and such?
_________________________

"Ban low performance drivers, not high performance cars"

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#8390581 - 10/05/15 09:30 PM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: Risky Business]
hyper-s2k Offline
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 14556
Loc: T dot O dot, Canada
 Originally Posted By: Chocolate Canuck
I did contract work for 6 months and then jumped back to perm. For me the hours were unpredictable based on having to finish a piece of work for a certain time, and sometimes having to work 17 hour days to do it.

If you don't need the benefits, and have the discipline to continue contributing to RRSPs (double amounts now to match the employer contribution), and also TFSAs, and don't mind meticulously tracking all expenses, you will save a bunch of taxes and make with more money in your pocket.

As long as you don't need the benefits, I'd say try it out.


That's the thing that bugs me about my current job. Despite being in a bank - my hours are very unpredictable; solely because of environment instability and incompetent (offshore) service provider. As well, with our test cycle being the last one before Prod, there's some sort of unwritten expectation that we play catch up and save the day.

With being leveled up this year, my OT has been cutoff - so effectively, I'm working with a pay cut when you factor in all the after hours I Citrix into work.

If I'm going to bust my ass - might as well get paid for it.

Re: spendings - I'm pretty frugal; no spending on hookers and blow here so that shouldn't be a problem.


 Originally Posted By: Risky Business
You already commute 1.5hrs a day and what would the commute become now?

No idea on time, it'd be heading to near Airport area -- either I have to leave crack ass early or I'm stuck in traffic all the time. I started to take GO this year and liked the fact that I can sleep / read on the train and no rage-out on idiots behind the wheel.


 Originally Posted By: furball
Jumping into QA Lead as a contractor, particularly with a DEV background ....

There will be MANY opportunities for you, however you have to work. i.e. hands-on coding, building up of frameworks, initiatives for automation, blah blah blah. You can't just sit back and relax like you are now ...

$10k/yr in bonuses in my eyes is pretty fucking significant, unless ... Your current firm back-loads your overall comp via bonuses...


Last year was the first year I raked in that much for bonuses, my then boss at the time really sold me to the management above; since he got canned earlier this year - all bets are off. The current boss is not exactly well liked - so the ones above may not be so inclined to buy in on things.

 Originally Posted By: furball
Update?

Toss my resume over to my referrer (he passed it to management) - initial feedback was good; interview to follow.
_________________________
'08 //M3 - now @ 90,xxx km - wtf did i do?
'13 x1 - now @ 99,xxx km - a2b car
'10 x3 - now @ 123,xxx km - time 2 go?
'03 s2k - now @ 80,xxx km - a2a car
'08 535i - sold @ 149,421 km - cashed out just in time!
'08 impreza 2.5i - sold @ - 64,147 km - smh POS
'01 rav4 - killed @ 155,879 km - RIP old friend

"Driving in the snow is like sex. If you want to avoid accidents, abstinence is the best policy. If you're gonna take her for a spin, use protection." - Rick Mercer

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#8390606 - 10/05/15 09:47 PM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: hyper-s2k]
Hatorade Offline
pheggit
Post Master Supreme


Registered: 11/05/99
Posts: 26894
Loc: Toronto, ON
By the airport? Niqqa you gonna need to leave 6:30a at the latest. Unless you can get off work by 3:30pm you're FUCKED... well there's always the 407

I loved it when I was self-employed...wrote off shit like a boss!!! And now I get fucked in the ass left right and centre... my god man I pay more taxes in 1 year than I ever did in 7 years while self-employed \:\(
_________________________

'07 997.1 GT3
'08 E90 M3
'11 E90 d
'02 Rota Grid - 195-55-16FR (RIP)
'04 Volk GTC - 245-35-19F/275-35-19R (Sold to a farm boi)
I thought Spark was a robot from the old movie and I kind of remember seeing him telling some engineer showing the equation for a clear metal that the guy would event years later - porschetr

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#8390842 - 10/06/15 07:50 AM Re: WWCSID? Going contract [Re: hyper-s2k]
furball Offline
Post Master Sr


Registered: 09/24/03
Posts: 9483
Loc: Toronto, ON
Come to think of it ... I'm doing this bullshit now as a "PM", and I'm so fucking lost. (Migration to production environment, production deploys, etc.)

So many integration points, so many touch points, so many people who want to be 'in the know', and I have zero clue on how all the applications integrate, what they're called, or what they even fucking do \:\| It's pretty bad... Learning as I go. I know what I have to do, but at the same time my boss doesn't want me to 'take it on' since some of it is for the business side to manage, etc. Shit like go-live smoke tests, etc...

This was meant to get my feet wet in PM shit here, but holy fuck is it a fucking nightmare. Trial by fire.

Going back to your situation. All I can say is to stay current. With such a substantial bonus, I'll also have to assume you have a generous training budget/credit from work. Leverage BOTH, i.e. get them to pay for training that's at the 'fringe' of your role/responsibilities, and also pay out of pocket for more. Get the company to supplement your out-of-pocket with 'days-off-for-training' ...

I'd also keep up with the development and/or technology side. i.e. look into the hot areas like mobile, be it technology, or development frameworks.

 Originally Posted By: hyper-s2k

- Coordinate environment and project bookings (with service provider, our PMs)

- Test planning, scheduling, over-seeing execution (no need to do execution myself) of (functional application tests, integration tests and any tests associated with a data center move / major infrastructure change)


Edited by furball (10/06/15 07:52 AM)

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