Market very quiet

[dack]

My attitude towards contracting has certainly changed over the last year or so. It certainly is a lot harder to get roles nowadays unless you have niche skills. The rates are also getting lower all the time. So much so I am seriously thinking of going permie as I don't see contracting being that rewarding anymore not when you consider all the stress and hassle.

I intend to give it more time to see if things improve but I am not confident it will ever go back to how it was.

Come round to this way of thinking myself. Been cointracting 19 years and first 15 years or so was flat out, gigs back to back. Seen this slow down over last few years with my biggest bench time (5 weeks) ending last week.

Always said I'd switch permie at some point, looks like that day is getting closer than ever.

[edison]

Perm market seems very busy, contract less so

A few good headhunters and agents I know have told me in the last 5-6 weeks that the perm market has been very strong considering it was August/September. I've never seen so many perm jobs in my (niche) field advertised as in the last few months. However, the knock on effect seems to be fewer of the good and better paid contract roles.

I've gone for three contract roles in the last few weeks where the client eventually seems to have decided that they actually want a perm role. I had a headhunter tell me exactly the same thing this morning.

I believe that a combination of increasing offshoring and the 'employed consultant' model peddled by the likes of Hyphen will lead to a very different contract market within the next five years for a lot of skillsets.

[Midland White]

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

[cherhill]

A few good headhunters and agents I know have told me in the last 5-6 weeks that the perm market has been very strong considering it was August/September. I've never seen so many perm jobs in my (niche) field advertised as in the last few months. However, the knock on effect seems to be fewer of the good and better paid contract roles.

I've gone for three contract roles in the last few weeks where the client eventually seems to have decided that they actually want a perm role. I had a headhunter tell me exactly the same thing this morning.

I believe that a combination of increasing offshoring and the 'employed consultant' model peddled by the likes of Hyphen will lead to a very different contract market within the next five years for a lot of skillsets.

Hyphen have done this at a place I used to work. Basically everyone has to go through them now to work there and there is a big contract prescence. Upshot is the role I did there is now £280 a day through them when it used to be £400 before.

Sadly this is going to happen more and more as you say.

[CheeseSlice]

It does make me chuckle when I hear of contractors losing faith in the market when suddenly faced with 3 or 5 weeks on the bench, and they've never known it so bad in decades.

Those are happy days for me. 1 or 2 months is fairly ordinary bench time in my market, but then I'm not usually benched more than once per year.

[cherhill]

It does make me chuckle when I hear of contractors losing faith in the market when suddenly faced with 3 or 5 weeks on the bench, and they've never known it so bad in decades.

Those are happy days for me. 1 or 2 months is fairly ordinary bench time in my market, but then I'm not usually benched more than once per year.

I don't think people are moaning about bench time, not me anyway. My point is roles are getting harder to find and rates are getting lower all the time.

[I just need to test it]

EDIT: Not directed at anyone in particular.

Five weeks out is barely enough for me to catch my breath.

Since 1998 I have had periods of 10 months, 5 months, plus several of 3 and 4 months out. Not to mention innumerable shorter ones.

The 10 monther was a heart-breaker. Almost cleaned me out. And most maddeningly of all I spent most of that time fretting.

[MarillionFan]

Suity is your man....

If he ever turned up to the interview.

[Peter Loew]

What are some of your skill sets? Are you mostly devs and testers that are complaining about the lack of contracts, if so what is your specialism?

[killerbackhand]

CH/Europe not much better

Hi all,
After a 3.5 year contract in Zurich then a stint in Munich at BMW, things are not much better in Europe.
CH is massively outsourcing in India/Eastern Europe as the banks pay fine after fine for breaking the rules.
Rates too are dropping as short term "savings" are realised.

However Financial Regulation projects will be the buzz sooner rather than later.