[swalsh]

When you work for a company, like our client Procter & Gamble, they will present you with a problem. “Here,” they will say, “is our problem and a big bucket of money. Please create a solution.” There is no need for guessing.

Ummm i want the best of both worlds... how can I (a person with no contacts in the company) go to procter & gamble, and say "hey I'm pretty good at tech, let me solve your problems"?

[eliot_sykes]

In the UK, you can work as a contractor on a software project for BigCo. If you go as a permanent employee as part of a consultancy company (eg Thoughtworks, IBM) they will take the lion's share of your day rate. As a contractor that changes to your benefit.