Rent-a-CIO

There will, inevitably, be periods without work, Jameson says and these should be seen as opportunities to gain knowledge. "Whether you're finding work or not, you must be continuously exposing yourself to new learning."

The freelancer

Neil Andrew has worked for both corporate users and ICT vendors. His most recent full-time post was more than two years ago as head of resources and technology for TVNZ. He was responsible for cameras and other equipment that was a daily part of producing and transmitting television as well as the ICT systems. As part of a TVNZ reorganisation, the role was to be split into two and at nearly 60 years of age, he decided a complete change might be no more difficult.

He describes himself as a "freelancer", a term, he notes, with an honourable tradition in the media business. He has worked in that style before, between fulltime jobs, so it was not an unfamiliar world. "While I do consult, I don't take on any permanent roles [and] I believe this is the way more and more people will work in the future."

He does not perceive a problem of "not belonging" in a client organisation. "If I have been appointed, I have sponsorship from the CIO or the business owner. Teams recognise I have that support and they don't mess me around."