A good place to find short-term (1-2 years) contracting jobs?

[bard84]

Hi all,

I am wondering if the people on here knows of a good place to be looking for 1-2 year contracting jobs for Electrical Engineers? More specifically in the energy/power field with a Masters and only a couple years of high level experience in the industry. Thanks for any help here!

-Brad

 

[desertfox]

Hi bard84

If your in fulltime employment my advice would be to stay there, two years experience is not a lot and the contracting game can be harsh.
When you go contracting you don't always get the help you might need, or the assistance to develop your experience, because people expect you to know and they are not there to teach you.
Reason I say this is I have been contracting for the last 15 years and I have seen a lot in that time,
Imagine going into a place on X dollars per hour and the fulltime staff percieve your rolling in money (even if its not true)and then you ask one of them a basic question or what they believe to be a basic question, how do you think some might react to that.
Take my adivce get some more experience first.

regards

desertfox

 

[bard84]

Thanks for the advice. The reason I am looking for a contract job is I have just graduated and would like to live abroad for some time. To do this, I would like to work for 1-2 years, save up money, and then go do this. I would hate to work for an employer for 2 years and then quit. A contract job would allow this to be known and expected up front.

 

[waross]

The heavy oil patch is slowly recovering in Northern Alberta. Many of the positions are project driven you may find that at the end of a contract, leaving is not a problem. Contractors and consultants "Man up" for the projects and lay off or transfer on completion The project owners tend to hire also but may want more of a commitment. Do some googling. As it becomes more difficult for employers to fill positions with Canadian workers, work visas become easier to obtain. Normally, an employer who wants to employ you will submit the application for your work visa.
Expect cold weather, isolation and excellent pay. Still there are buses planes and highways. The Athabaska region is not the high arctic.


Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[rasevskii]

for bard84-

Try some of the engineer placement agencies in the UK such as Shanahan or NESCO. But be prepared to accept globalized conditions, that means competition with TCNs -third country nationals- working at rates Westerners would not consider.

Basically it is more or less hopeless for Westerners to get work at good rates abroad except maybe in the Oil and Gas fields but the TCNs are the norm.

On a site in the Mideast 10 years ago, we Westerners were getting around 7 to 8K Dollars on a 10 hr day 6 day week, as OEM reps. but already then engineers from E. Europe were being brought in at 1.5k dollars at the same work week and same qualifications.

The Thin End of the Wedge as it were.

Since then it has only gotten more shifted in favor of TCN rates which today maybe are a bit higher than 1.5k but still very cheap.

When dealing with agencies do not believe much of what they say, they will not tell you anything about the site or the client until you sign the contract. Same applies to food and accomodation. Best forget Hotels, you may never see one except when arriving or leaving...

El Cheapo is the norm...

rasevskii

 

[ASimmons23]

I've had alot of interviews/calls from a headhunting agency, think energy group. You might google them and sign up to receive alerts about job postings. Many of the jobs are contracting positions that require travel. Like others have said, if you don't have alot of experience contracting jobs are not the best way to learn as you are typically on your own as the lead of the assignment. My advice would be to stay in a permanent job, find your niche, and gain all the experience/knowledge you can before venturing out on your own.

 

[waross]

Look at;

http://www.infomine.com/careers/

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter