Hasta La Vista London

[oliverson]

Talk about making a big mistake. What a backwater!

I must have been on drugs when I posted this. All those 'positives' were just illusions. Either that or I was bigging them up in an attempt to convince myself I was doing the right thing.

Meanwhile, everybody around here is trying to get in on the London investment banking market. Including me (again).

[GlenW]

Talk about making a big mistake. What a backwater!

I must have been on drugs when I posted this. All those 'positives' were just illusions. Either that or I was bigging them up in an attempt to convince myself I was doing the right thing.

Meanwhile, everybody around here is trying to get in on the London investment banking market. Including me (again).

Whereabouts in the Dales are you?

[oliverson]

Whereabouts in the Dales are you?

nr Skipton

[GlenW]

nr Skipton

Just goes to show, it takes different strokes. We love it around here.

[oliverson]

Just goes to show, it takes different strokes. We love it around here.

I love it too, just not the work. When you've spent a long time contracting in the London IB sector, it's hard to adjust to a much slower pace of life. Whether it's shallow or not, there's a feeling of loss of prestige and missing the buzz of the City. Then there's the money! I could work 9 months of the year for the same turnover. Maybe even less.

[eek]

Talk about making a big mistake. What a backwater!

I must have been on drugs when I posted this. All those 'positives' were just illusions. Either that or I was bigging them up in an attempt to convince myself I was doing the right thing.

Meanwhile, everybody around here is trying to get in on the London investment banking market. Including me (again).

By the looks of it you already lived near Skipton so basically you've picked a bad contract.

Mind you I avoid Skipton when the contracts appear. I find it an absolute pain in the rear to get to so don't bother...

[GlenW]

I love it too, just not the work. When you've spent a long time contracting in the London IB sector, it's hard to adjust to a much slower pace of life. Whether it's shallow or not, there's a feeling of loss of prestige and missing the buzz of the City. Then there's the money! I could work 9 months of the year for the same turnover. Maybe even less.

...

[flipFlop]

...I have actually landed a very good contract outside of the London investment banking sector, close to home and on a decent rate. Looks to be some longevity to it as well. Also seems like a very interesting project... I was tempted to say "I'll be back" but I really doubt, hope and pray that's not the case.

What could possibly go wrong?

[flipFlop]

I must have been on drugs when I posted this.

That was patently obvious.

[ChimpMaster]

Oh Oliver what a mistake! And you know, now that you've been out of the London game for 5 minutes it's going to take some effort to get back in!

I contracted in the City for years and absolutely hated the travel (birds eye view straight line 30 miles from home, but 90 minutes travel time), but loved the environment - the good years were before the credit crunch. I made some of my best friends/colleagues and enjoyed socializing with the numerous other contractors in the City. And for the most part, these were good, clever, interesting people who came from a wide variety of backgrounds and had interesting experiences to share. I've got some great memories of my working life in London.

But times changed around 2010 when cuts and layoffs (replaced by offshore) came in, with the City still reeling from the financial crisis that it had helped to create. De-motivation was rife and it wasn't long before the old teams were dismantled and everyone wanted to move on, or were forced to move on. I thought this might have changed now, 5 years later, but from reading these boards it still seems to be the same.

I've been out of London for a while now, and while the working environment isn't great - nothing compared to London - the money is better and I have more family time overall.

I'd still go back to London if I had a chance at some point, though not for the lower rates on offer now.