State of the Market

[SussexSeagull]

I have had a few phone calls this week so there seems to be a but of a pickup.

[MrMarkyMark]

I have had a few phone calls this week so there seems to be a but of a pickup.

Definitely more testing roles around, good luck!

[perplexed]

I have had a few phone calls this week so there seems to be a but of a pickup.

Same here. Even the Indian callers have increased in volume.

[SandyD]

Yes there is usually a little surge in May/ early June, then it goes totally dead until Sept (if you are lucky) I'd take advantage now, come Sept and if no contract secured you may face the bench until after Xmas.

[SueEllen]

Yes there is usually a little surge in May/ early June, then it goes totally dead until Sept (if you are lucky) I'd take advantage now, come Sept and if no contract secured you may face the bench until after Xmas.

Depends...

[SussexSeagull]

In my experience summer holiday and Christmas time are quite quiet but the rest is more dictated by market conditions at the time.

[Bluenose]

and a few weeks afterwards.... Just because the election is over doesn't mean things that on hold will instantly start up again...

true but I would expect that many companies are wondering whether they can spend a penny on technology programmes or simply stock up on 5 years worth of lube.

[SueEllen]

In my experience summer holiday and Christmas time are quite quiet but the rest is more dictated by market conditions at the time.

August is for September start and up until 22nd-23rd is for January start.

[SussexSeagull]

State of the Market

August is for September start and up until 22nd-23rd is for January start.

I have got stuff during the summer holidays (although not since BSF in school stopped) and a couple of things first thing in January in the past.

I just don't, above exceptions aside, buy into there being flat spots at the same time every year.

[rocktronAMP]

There seem to be squillions more ads on Jobserve than any other site. Case in point - find a very specific search filter, should produce a small number of results (see the numbers next to the filter options) - however if you keep scrolling the jobs just keep appearing.

What insight have jobserve got that jobsite, Monster, CW etc. don't have?

Finding things so quiet that having to do something I swore I'd never do and get back into the "suits, process and depression" world of financial services.

They don't have any insights more than any other contractors. They are just job bulletin boards after all.

Keep your chin up, keep searching, keep networking. Keep your rate up for us reasonably as long as possible. Constantly double check the market rate with itjobwatch and Reed etc. Be flexible in your rate against a client. If client-co offers a new skill e.g. Angular 2 then be prepared to offer/negotiate and/or reduce your rate a little so that you may get a change to use it as a 2018/2019 skill. Exercise plan B - start searching for permanent roles as well as contract ones. Use your precious job search / bench time to study and learn other technology.

All the best.

PS: I assume you left financial services like I did. Well still be open to multiple vertical sectors as much as possible. (Avoid public sector.) Even if you hate it, take the contract job offer even it is appears FS. Take the money, because you can always leave FS again.