Market very quiet

[BolshieBastard]

Apologies, what is this 'Employed Consultant' model you mention - Fixed Term Contracts?

No, not FTCs.

Its what a lot of big agencies are pushing. They tell client they can supply 'contractors' at lower cost (no change there!). Meanwhile, they sell the contractor this 'semi' contracting model which means less 'pay' and no employed benefits such as paid holidays, pension contributions or importantly employment protection.

Its complete and utter drivel.

[MarillionFan]

I'm looking for a Senior Business Analyst with experience of taking requirements, workflow, mockups, training documents, testing for integrating & rolling out a Telephony / Sales Plug between a Marketing System & CRM in West London.

And filled.

[7specialgems]

At the risk of sounding idealist, as we exit the recession we've also seen a large rise in permies make the jump to become contractors.

A lot of guys I know that have recently done it are doing it because they see everyone else do it and believe that it is the zenith of their careers to become an indie. The problem that I have with that (in these guy's cases) is that they're trying to do it with broadbrush ubiquitous skillsets and for the money alone.

They have no concept of niche skills nor temporary requirements on the part of the client and are diluting the expert field with half-decent capability.

I suppose it cuts both ways - the permie guys are exiting the recession as well and have a bit of cash behind them and feel comfortable giving it a go to chase the better coin.

It was always a risk that the new subbies coming on to the market would flood it.

I really do think we're seeing that now. Rates are easily half what they were 10 years ago and there was always a risk that IT contracting was going to eat itself.

I'm not totally surprised to hear that supply is now outstripping demand in the permie market and that the subbie market is a lot drier.

As we move into the middle and the second half of the decade , I think we'll see a load of "new contractors" get nervous and jump back into permie roles and we'll see a lot more clients partner with larger consultancies for the temps. Short contracts and distant commutes deal harsh realities.

Recent changes in the school curriculum mean that, in the next 10-15 years, kids will be rolling out of school with coding skills. We'll do well to think about that now, too.

[Midland White]

No, not FTCs.

Its what a lot of big agencies are pushing. They tell client they can supply 'contractors' at lower cost (no change there!). Meanwhile, they sell the contractor this 'semi' contracting model which means less 'pay' and no employed benefits such as paid holidays, pension contributions or importantly employment protection.

Its complete and utter drivel.

So contracting at reduced rates, nothing more scientific than that. Rates are surely still generally determined by the market forces. All else being equal it will only work of contractors are prepared to suck it up. Else the agent ends up supplying substandard contractors to the client which any sensible and clued up client will see right through.

[ShandyDrinker]

As we move into the middle and the second half of the decade , I think we'll see a load of "new contractors" get nervous and jump back into permie roles and we'll see a lot more clients partner with larger consultancies for the temps. Short contracts and distant commutes deal harsh realities.

Haven't contractors always required flexibility though? Unless you are (un)lucky enough to be London centric I think there's always been a requirement to be flexible on commutes/staying away from home.

Recent changes in the school curriculum mean that, in the next 10-15 years, kids will be rolling out of school with coding skills. We'll do well to think about that now, too.

But will the kids really be coming out of school with good coding skills? Hell, where I live they're lucky if they can get 50% of kids through school with 5 grades A-C at GCSE. The kids that were always pre-disposed to coding will remain so, the others just won't care.

In my time in the software industry it's become harder and not easier. At the end of the 90s you could probably get away with knowing a little of C++, VB6, Cobol, etc and specialising in any language and perhaps SQL. Now you have to know multiple languages, multiple frameworks and so on just to get by.

I can play a few notes on a guitar or a piano but that doesn't make me a musician; equally there's a world of difference between kids coding at school and become good software developers.

[ElDuderino]

I had a few months out recently, testing some of my own ideas out, learning some new skills.

Needed to get back into contracting, had half a dozen interviews, picked from 3 offers.

I think it depends what your skills are and any niche you've carved for yourself. I don't there is a Market, as such. There is the economy, and our varying skills and specialisms put us in different markets.

Oh, also, I think it may depend how often you are on the market, and therefore how regularly you talk to recruiters. I've seen people doing long stints (and good permies being out of work), then finding it tough to get a role.

I suspect that's because they're not as known to recruiters as those of us who do the shorter stints.

[NickNick]

I'm looking for a Senior Business Analyst with experience of taking requirements, workflow, mockups, training documents, testing for integrating & rolling out a Telephony / Sales Plug between a Marketing System & CRM in West London.

You had me till "London"...

[mk23]

BA Market

Just had a recruiter mention that they only had 1 contract BA role in the last few weeks, not good, my current and first gig finishing in 3 weeks. Will be on the look out for Agile BA roles in the newt few weeks and see how it goes,

[Batcher]

Just had a recruiter mention that they only had 1 contract BA role in the last few weeks, not good, my current and first gig finishing in 3 weeks. Will be on the look out for Agile BA roles in the newt few weeks and see how it goes,

It's always a squeaky bum time when you first start out and come to the end of a contract. Hopefully you'll have squirreled away some cash to tide you over any gap.

[BarbarianAtTheDoor]

I've been benched for 4 months now. Granted, I got married and went on a honeymoon (which, combined, maybe add up to 2 months) after which it was still summer, but the fact that I haven't had a single interview in the last month is not something I'm used to. I'm a Java generalist with 15 years of commercial experience, and I can't even get in for an interview. I keep hearing how there's contractor rate cuts and them being fired everywhere in financial services, but I didn't expect it to be this bad.

I've seen a friend of mine get another role while I was looking (he's a lot less experienced, I suspect he went for a lower daily rate), so I haven seen a counterexample, but all in all, I don't think even 2007 was this bad.

Now, I don't want to whinge, I always assumed that the gravy train that City contracting is (was, for me) is going to come to an end soon, but it still hurts.

Anyway, best of luck to you all.