Contract Market Melting Down

[suityou01]

I am not sure if I am the only screwed up bloke here. My rate hasnt increased in the last 7-8 years. Have generally been well appreciated at work. and yet contracts have become more difficult to land and now with another recession looming I am wondering if I should pack it all in and do something else, like flip burgers.

It does seem that there is an odd state of market conditions.

Jobserve has been all fairlytales since December. Starting to see some proper (real) roles posted today and tail end of last week.

Chin up and keep slugging away at it.

Why not spring clean the CV?

[SussexSeagull]

Sounds like I have been contracting for about the same amount of time. In that time outsourcing has become the default position for most potential clients, generally with cost the only criteria. Throw in a lot of permanent people fancying a piece of the contracting pie (which it should be said includes most people on here) and you probably have an explanation for flat rates.

As for availability of contracts, other than the blatantly obvious like the recession a few years back I really can't work the peaks and troughs out and have sort of stopped worrying about it. Even if you knock out school holidays and Christmas I can have not a sniff for a month then suddenly three good prospects in a day while doing exactly the same thing.

[jjdarg]

As for availability of contracts, other than the blatantly obvious like the recession a few years back I really can't work the peaks and troughs out and have sort of stopped worrying about it. Even if you knock out school holidays and Christmas I can have not a sniff for a month then suddenly three good prospects in a day while doing exactly the same thing.

Yep, I have four interviews lined up this week alone (waiting to confirm a fifth), and had an offer on Friday. That's more than I had between mid-Oct and December.

[Dark Black]

I'm a dev contractor and actually pulled my best two rates ever last year (+10% and +20%, although the higher one was for a very short duration gig).

On the flip side I've now been benched for 3+ months and it seems very quiet even for the winter period. Go figure.

These days it does seem very much like a case of being in the right place at the right time and I'm increasingly seeing prolonged downtime between contracts. Not good.

I am becoming increasingly disillusioned with contracting (been doing it for 9 years now) and would like to find something else to do, preferably not involving computers or tech in general... just having a mare figuring out what!

In the meantime, hope it picks up again soon as the warchest it depleting rapidly now.

[jjdarg]

I am becoming increasingly disillusioned with contracting (been doing it for 9 years now) and would like to find something else to do, preferably not involving computers or tech in general... just having a mare figuring out what!

In the meantime, hope it picks up again soon as the warchest it depleting rapidly now.

I'm thinking about carpentry, because Jesus was a carpenter...

I know where you're coming from, and there are times I daydream about llama farming or stocking shelves at Waitrose. Luckily the war chest is big enough to see us through July comfortably, and then it's cutting into savings.

[BillHicksRIP]

I'm in month 7 of being on the bench. My skills are quite niche, but I have seen literally one suitable job for my area in the UK since July of last year. Never experienced anything like this.

[sal]

I'm in month 7 of being on the bench. My skills are quite niche, but I have seen literally one suitable job for my area in the UK since July of last year. Never experienced anything like this.

Time to re-skill / branch out?

[SueEllen]

I'm in month 7 of being on the bench. My skills are quite niche, but I have seen literally one suitable job for my area in the UK since July of last year. Never experienced anything like this.

Then as Tebbit said "Get on your bike"

[darrylmg]

Time to re-skill / branch out?

Make yourself adaptable.
It's so en vogue.
The reason we're not still monkeys is because we can adapt to the changing situation. Find a new spin on an old tech. Maybe find a better use for ITIL. :what:

[unixman]

I don't think a recession is coming. UK employment and earnings both up again today.

Since starting contracting in 2006, my pay rates have followed the prevailing conditions, ie:

2006 up
2007 up
2008 waaaaaaay up
2009 waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay DOWN, less than 2006.
2010 no change
2011 down
2012 no change
2013 up slightly
2014 up. More than 2006, much less than 2008.

I am now earning numerically more than 2006, but about the same in real terms (with inflation).

The OP is a business analyst, not sure what to suggest. Perhaps specialize more, or less, if the other is not working. Target special industries or management areas, or become more general, as applicable.