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Finding it too quiet!!!!

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    #11
    Just managed to bag something I wasn't bothered about. I was planning a month or two off but saw something interesting which was advertised 4 days earlier. I thought I had no chance because it was old advert for a start with and not a complete skills match but passed along my CV anyway. As is often the case, the skills in the spec are not necessarily what they're after. Interview was arranged and just been offered it, the day I finished my previous contract. There goes my break, might as well grab the work while it's there.
    So, just keep on applying and keep positive. I found the market quite bad last year when I really wanted something and probably lucky in this case or maybe the market is starting to improve?
    Last edited by SuperZ; 1 May 2017, 11:52.

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      #12
      Originally posted by BlasterBates View Post
      What I have noticed is a dramatic drop in roles in the financial sector. 18 months ago opportunities abounded. Generally looks bleak I would say, so I would advise widening the net and considering permie jobs.
      Banks are killing a lot of IT projects that can be better handled by independent third-parties. There is a drive to turn banks into a platform hidden behind a standard API which will help banks lower their IT costs and promote a rich ecosystem of third-party apps.

      There will be fewer jobs in the traditional financial sector and there will be less demand for the contractors who have the "old" skills. There will be, however demand for people who can combine knowledge of the "old" banking IT systems with new technologies (ROR, Django, serverless, etc.) and make them talk to each other via RESTful APIs.

      I think that's where things are going. If you can understand how RESTful APIs can fit into your existing skillset, you should be OK. If you think it's all bollocks, I hope you have a secondary income stream and only come to work to socialise.
      You're awesome! Get yourself a t-shirt.

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        #13
        I once applied for a role advertised on Indeed that appeared to have expired. Officially it had, but the client hadn't been happy with the people they interviewed, called me in for interview and I got the role. A three monther that kept me busy for about 14 months. I also once applied for the same role with two different agencies, but this was in my early days of contracting when I didn't really know much better because that can be a dangerous game. However it worked out well for me because one of the agents who said they had put me forward actually hadn't; I think they put forward a candidate they felt was stronger than me. I told the second agent who contacted me about the role that I thought I had been put forward by the other agency, but they said they'd take a punt and do it anyway. That resulted in 18 months worth of work.
        I suppose the moral of the story is don't be conventional. Sometimes a role comes up and for whatever reason the client is not ready to go ahead and the role is put on hold. Your CV might land in the right place at the right time. If you are as good as you say you are the agent will be very glad you got in touch as it will save them from wading through lots of other applicants.

        There's also the beauty of a targeted CV that's received early. I have found if they get my CV in the first hour a role goes live, AND it ticks all the boxes, I'll generally get a call back the same day or the next day latest.
        Last edited by Elliegirl; 1 May 2017, 15:41.

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          #14
          Thank you all, the feedback and everyone's current views on the market has been very useful.

          Just to answer some of the questions listed above.

          1) The contract i left on Dec 2016 was my first contract which ran for nearly 2.5years and I am looking for my second.

          2) To be totally honest I have been applying for roles when they get posted on job boards and hoping for the best, recently I have been contacting the agents an hour after posting to introduce myself and that has helped me to be considered to be put foward to the client as agents receive hundreds of applicants.

          3) I have a war chest but that is obviously going down as I currently don't have a steady income.

          4) I have started to be flexible with my rates as I understand the higher rate I enjoyed at my last role role are few and far between.

          5) Honestly I have been submitting the same CV for most of the roles but have started to adapt and amend accordingly for the roles in question.

          6) i am now widening my search And now considering Perm roles as well as contracts as can't keep going burning through my war chest as not sustainable.

          Comment


            #15
            Originally posted by Daplayer321 View Post
            Thank you all, the feedback and everyone's current views on the market has been very useful.

            Just to answer some of the questions listed above.

            1) The contract i left on Dec 2016 was my first contract which ran for nearly 2.5years and I am looking for my second.

            2) To be totally honest I have been applying for roles when they get posted on job boards and hoping for the best, recently I have been contacting the agents an hour after posting to introduce myself and that has helped me to be considered to be put foward to the client as agents receive hundreds of applicants.

            3) I have a war chest but that is obviously going down as I currently don't have a steady income.

            4) I have started to be flexible with my rates as I understand the higher rate I enjoyed at my last role role are few and far between.

            5) Honestly I have been submitting the same CV for most of the roles but have started to adapt and amend accordingly for the roles in question.

            6) i am now widening my search And now considering Perm roles as well as contracts as can't keep going burning through my war chest as not sustainable.
            You do realise you look like a permie who is trying their luck in the contract market?

            In regards to looking wider as a contract unless you have reasons why you can't e.g. your spouse will divorce you if you work away from home, then part of being a flexible resource is working anywhere in the country that is feasible.
            "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

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              #16
              Originally posted by Daplayer321 View Post
              Thank you all, the feedback and everyone's current views on the market has been very useful.

              Just to answer some of the questions listed above.

              1) The contract i left on Dec 2016 was my first contract which ran for nearly 2.5years and I am looking for my second.
              This is your problem. You are a beginner. You have only worked with one client and the job history (as a contractor) section on your CV is too short.
              You're awesome! Get yourself a t-shirt.

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                #17
                The second gig is always the hardest to get. Often you get the first one while still in a job so you can pick and chose without any time pressure. The second one is your only income so appears much more difficult to get. Two months out isn't a long time. We tend to say on here factor for 10 months income a year to be safe. You are still a newbie with only one gig under your belt so even in a quiet market you are sliding towards the end of a queue behind many experienced contractors.

                You are in for a slog at this point I'm afraid. It's just the way it is even without the PS debacle and the general flood of people in to contracting.
                'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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                  #18
                  Where are you based/looking for roles?

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by squarepeg View Post
                    This is your problem. You are a beginner. You have only worked with one client and the job history (as a contractor) section on your CV is too short.
                    I have been a contractor since 2004, worked with many different clients. Never had a gap of more than 2-4 weeks between clients. Since Apr'2017 I have been hunting for a role. Market is very very quiet. If it is dead like this for another 4-6 weeks, I might have to start looking for a permie role.

                    Comment


                      #20
                      Originally posted by Brummie View Post
                      I have been a contractor since 2004, worked with many different clients. Never had a gap of more than 2-4 weeks between clients. Since Apr'2017 I have been hunting for a role. Market is very very quiet. If it is dead like this for another 4-6 weeks, I might have to start looking for a permie role.
                      I'd have thought you'd have a fairly healthy warchest with that history and shouldn't be needing to panic about having a couple of months out

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