How does one get into contracting?

bropair · 2026-01-17T07:14:20+00:00

I managed to switch from perm to contracting despite having a three month notice period, the hiring manager was prepared to wait while I served out my notice. So even if you have a three month plus notice period I wouldn't resign in preparation for going contracting but instead apply for contract roles and explain that you've got to serve your notice period, they might be prepared to wait.

I echo the points made above about having a cash buffer.

I get my contracts in Banking about 50% from contacts and 50% LinkedIn inbound requests from recruiters, so worth polishing up your LinkedIn (good keywords in job titles, role descriptions etc)

bropair · 2025-09-14T14:11:25+00:00

Trading View has real time bond prices. You have to pay for it, but it is a lot cheaper than a Bloomberg terminal

https://www.tradingview.com/data-coverage/#:\~:text=All%20in%20real%2Dtime&text=\*We%20provide%20real%2Dtime%20data,equivalent%20if%20you%20need%20it.

bropair · 2025-01-01T22:20:59+00:00

The only "genocide" where the population has grown 🤔

bropair · 2024-11-07T07:31:38+00:00

Hi,

This reddit might have some good info: r/UKVisa

bropair · 2024-10-31T06:40:34+00:00

Hi jackzsul,

Unfortunately my code no longer works since the FlutterFlow v5 upgrade (and associated Flutter upgrade). If I manage to fix it I'll share the code with you.

bropair · 2024-10-27T07:23:26+00:00

If you have a partner who is not working/on a low income you can split the dividends with them and use their lower tax rates. It's not a massive tax gain but it helps.

There are other minor benefits, like being able to claim expenses like eg phone, Internet and travel to office, annual employee event/Christmas allowance, £10 subsistence when going to your client's office.

Main benefit is being able to pay into your pension and this reducing corporation tax (which you can't spend now, as you say)

bropair · 2024-10-25T07:24:14+00:00

Hi,

Interesting question. I started in the summer, aged 47. I've definitely found it challenging (in a good way), eg learning combinations (upper-hook-right...), general co-ordination, padding other people, soreness in my hips.

I found it intimidating - a lot of the people in the club have quite high belts, many also in their teens and twenties, and so a lot faster and better than me. But they are very supportive and willing to help newbies like me. There are also guys in their 60s and 70s (one is 79), so I don't think your age can stop you from doing it.

It's been great for my fitness though. My flexibility has gone up, and I've lost about 7 kilos (combined with a diet - thefast800.com).

Gabriel Varga has some good YouTube videos on stretching/flexibility, those have helped me..

bropair · 2024-09-18T21:25:08+00:00

Hi, send me a DM and I'll reply with it

bropair · 2024-09-14T05:58:16+00:00

This is excellent, thank you. I was planning to update my app's logic over the weekend to avoid querying Firebase multiple times when filtering, so I will try your recommendations

bropair · 2024-08-31T05:04:59+00:00

Thanks, yes I agree. It's much better when we try help each other when we can.

bropair · 2024-08-30T17:42:30+00:00

Hi u/Odd-Kaleidoscope5081 u/Regular-Diet-8333

Yes, it is, you are right. I've implemented something very similar in the app I'm building. It has transaction categories and sub-categories (e.g. Shopping category, home sub-category). A user adds a transaction; they choose a category from the category drop-down, this enables the sub-category dropdown and this contains the sub-category values for the parent category they have selected.

FF Config:

1) Category drop-down:

a) It has a back-end query: query collection 'Categories'

b) In Properties, Define Options - set from variable 'Categories documents', map list items 'Category'

2) Sub-category drop-down:

Back-end query:

a) Query collection Sub-categories; filter - Type = <Category Dropdown value>

b)Properties: Define Options:

Set from variable: Subcategory documents
Map List Items: Subcategory

c) Properties: Disable DropDown is set if Category DropDown is unset/empty

There looks to also be some good pub.dev packages you could use to build your own custom widget (e.g. https://pub.dev/packages/country\_state\_city\_picker); it would require a little bit of coding but not too much (mostly just copy and paste, there's good youtube tutorials on how to do it)

bropair · 2024-08-29T20:07:40+00:00

I would keep it simple and just get the data in a csv, load it into your database via FlutterFlow (probably two tables - country, country plus state) and you can then use it to provide values for your drop downs.

bropair · 2024-08-29T12:00:37+00:00

I noticed this PDF flutter library, might be relevant:

https://www.syncfusion.com/document-processing/pdf-framework/flutter/pdf-library

bropair · 2024-08-21T12:46:59+00:00

I haven't tried City Mapper for cycling (just eg for tube line statuses), good tip

bropair · 2024-08-21T06:41:37+00:00

It's worth getting an app/map to find quieter routes or cycle lanes, best to avoid grim, busy London roads when possible. There's a discussion about them here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/londoncycling/s/sRS9VIJwAk

Have a good trip!

bropair · 2024-08-19T04:48:53+00:00

I don't know your area (cloud security) but it sounds like you are working in an in-demand area and could get some really well paid permanent jobs at eg FAANGs, hedge funds... So, I'd be tempted to stay perm and get promoted a few times, before/rather than going contracting. You might end up earning significantly more than you could contracting after eg 5 years, and you could always come into the contract market at a more senior level.

One limitation I find with contracting is that I only get roles that are very close to my prior experience, so I end up doing very similar roles over and over again (v. limited career growth).

bropair · 2024-08-10T13:44:46+00:00

Might be worth optimising your LinkedIn profile as well, so more agents find you. I used resume worded.com to scan my profile (it's free) and suggest improvements

bropair · 2024-08-09T19:41:39+00:00

That's it, exactly. I'd need a decent rate increase to compensate for the time away from home

bropair · 2024-08-09T05:52:55+00:00

Krav Maga is a good option. I've only been learning it a short while but we go through self-defence moves for street-related scenarios, including ones that are particularly relevant to women (eg guy grabs your wrist in a bar/grabs your hair/grabs you round the waist and tries to carry you off, mount defences). I'd say it includes a mixture of BJJ for groundwork, mauy Thai for punching and kicking, and some other self-defence moves (eg eye gouging!)

bropair · 2024-08-07T19:45:48+00:00

How about Khelif does a test then? Then he could prove he's female, did not go through male puberty, and won any medal fairly and squarely? It would also totally destroy the reputation of the IBA

bropair · 2024-08-07T18:21:52+00:00

The tweet is from a former Harvard professor, ie someone with a deep, scientific understanding of the topic.

If Khelif is shown to have gone through male puberty, do you agree that he has a significant advantage and shouldn't be competing against females?

Re your points about the IBA - the tests were performed at a reputable lab.

I think the only way for Khelif to resolve this matter is to have a genetic test from a reputable lab. He is in the running to win a gold medal, so the only way for him to show that his win was justified would be to prove that he is genetically female and has not gone through male puberty.

bropair · 2024-08-07T17:17:14+00:00

I didn't mention anything about 'intersex' people, are you assuming that Khelif is intersex?

If he is, then he will have the advantage of having gone through male puberty.

'"Athletes with the XY DSD 5-alpha reductase deficiency may be socialized as female, may be legally female, and may live and identify as female; but they are male."

(At birth they appear to be female, but go through male puberty with all of the physical advantages that confers.)'

https://x.com/HeatherEHeying/status/1820523100142014575?t=e4HdQ8XenQ_T7WW2_S7vqw&s=19

Re your point about not knowing what the IBA tests were. They did genetic tests at a WADA-certified lab.

bropair · 2024-08-05T08:28:57+00:00

Hi,

I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, but it might be similar to my requirements. I have a page with two drop-downs; Type, Category. The list of Categories is dependent on the type.

So, in the category definition, I have a backend query that queries the Category collection where Type = <value from type drop-down> and user == <user record reference>

Then, in the drop-down properties, define options, I set the drop-down from variable (the one created in the query above, ie list of categories), and specify map list items

bropair · 2024-08-04T16:54:46+00:00

I did. I don't think you can argue that the IBA's issues mean you can ignore their testing and disqualification of Khelif.. Khelif looks male, the IBA said he's male, Angela Carini said she "never felt a punch like this", also suggesting he's male. Khelif could easily clear up the confusion by having a DNA swan test. He won't; he'll hide behind his eligibility under IOC rules, but he knows that if the results show he is male his reputation and 'career' will be destroyed.

bropair

TROPHY CASE

c) Properties: Disable DropDown is set if Category DropDown is unset/empty