State of the Market

[SueEllen]

There's little doubt the market is contracting and it doesnt matter what your specialism is. Sure, if you're in work you will not notice it and if you are in London \ South East, you shouldnt really be out of work but elsewhere, things are a lot tougher.

Mistake you are making is just because people are in London and the South East their client(s) are.

[uk contractor]

London and South East also has the highest concentration of available candidates due to the FS sector dumping high calibre IT staff for most of this year so if anything its harder than ever to get a contract role as the competition is ridiculous and fewer roles. Its now up to 750-1000 Cv's per common skillset role received within 2 hours or so on Jobserve for London & SE (according to experienced agents I keep in touch with). Employers are more picky now they know the 110% candidate is most likely waiting for them and rates are plummeting rapidly as well due to over supply and under demand.

[Elliegirl]

London and South East also has the highest concentration of available candidates due to the FS sector dumping high calibre IT staff for most of this year so if anything its harder than ever to get a contract role as the competition is ridiculous and fewer roles. Its now up to 750-1000 Cv's per common skillset role received within 2 hours or so on Jobserve for London & SE (according to experienced agents I keep in touch with). Employers are more picky now they know the 110% candidate is most likely waiting for them and rates are plummeting rapidly as well due to over supply and under demand.

Someone I know currently on £600 a day and looking for next role was approached by an agent with a £250 a day role. Plummeting? more like collapsed.

[SueEllen]

Someone I know currently on £600 a day and looking for next role was approached by an agent with a £250 a day role. Plummeting? more like collapsed.

I got sent one of those.

I pissed myself laughing the 7th time I got the email from a different agency.

Some clients are trying it on.

[SueEllen]

London and South East also has the highest concentration of available candidates due to the FS sector dumping high calibre IT staff for most of this year so if anything its harder than ever to get a contract role as the competition is ridiculous and fewer roles. Its now up to 750-1000 Cv's per common skillset role received within 2 hours or so on Jobserve for London & SE (according to experienced agents I keep in touch with). Employers are more picky now they know the 110% candidate is most likely waiting for them and rates are plummeting rapidly as well due to over supply and under demand.

Since I'm not looking for permanent work between contracts I don't care if employers are picky.

[Andy2]

.the real problem is what you touched on a contracting market then the political uncertainty, offshoring, savage cost cutting etc etc all means less work more applicants in an already shrinking market due to globalisation & way too many tier 2 visas being issued!!

Tell me about it. At my last client, they used to bring in 2 double decker buses full of ICT and tier 2 visa people every morning from the town centre to the client site. All the big companies are outsourcing like there is no tomorrow.

[Big Blue Plymouth]

I hit the bench last autumn worse for me!!! I know others out for even longer and agents say its not uncommon for 6-9 month cv gaps right now!

6 months on the bench for me. Having to deal with agents is exhausting.
They are employing all the dirty techniques like not putting the CV forward but saying that they have,
Sending other CVs along with my cv but at a lower rate due to which my cv gets rejected,
asking for references after wasting 20 min talking about a fictitious role.
I have had enough.

Well I hope it all comes good for you soon.

In the meantime, keep the bench warm for me

[uk contractor]

Tell me about it. At my last client, they used to bring in 2 double decker buses full of ICT and tier 2 visa people every morning from the town centre to the client site. All the big companies are outsourcing like there is no tomorrow.

Sorry to hear about that but sadly its not going to change anytime soon UK companies are simply addicted to cheap import labour no matter what the long term ramifications are. Its not just IT many other sectors are crammed to bursting with a cheap import workforce. UK Government are only going to take action when they see a noticeable increase in unemployed or economically inactive (its already just under 10M not sure how high it needs to climb before they take any action). Many people currently in IT perm or otherwise will be affected sooner or later as the imported cheap labour force reaches more and more UK businesses when they look to contain rising costs.

[washed up contractor]

Mistake you are making is just because people are in London and the South East their client(s) are.

You dont half chat some bollocks se.

London and the SE has the highest density of people and jobs. Therefore, if you live in London and the SE you have a near never ending supply of work.

People from all over the country gravitate to London and the SE to join (or just stay in) the market and the generally higher rates on offer.

Sure, some people in London and the SE will seek jobs north of Watford Gap but, as you come further north, rates tend to be lower and fewer.

Some years ago, I worked in Newcastle with a guy who lived in Chelmsford. I asked why he worked so far from home when there must be no shortage of jobs? He said the role appealed to him and he wasnt bothered by the lesser money on offer.

That was a few years ago and I very much doubt he'd find much work in the NE now.

[SussexSeagull]

You dont half chat some bollocks se.

London and the SE has the highest density of people and jobs. Therefore, if you live in London and the SE you have a near never ending supply of work.

People from all over the country gravitate to London and the SE to join (or just stay in) the market and the generally higher rates on offer.

Sure, some people in London and the SE will seek jobs north of Watford Gap but, as you come further north, rates tend to be lower and fewer.

Some years ago, I worked in Newcastle with a guy who lived in Chelmsford. I asked why he worked so far from home when there must be no shortage of jobs? He said the role appealed to him and he wasnt bothered by the lesser money on offer.

That was a few years ago and I very much doubt he'd find much work in the NE now.

It was probably the case once but the City is in retreat at the moment and is taking the rest of the market down with it.

There is no endless supply of contracting work in London, South East or anywhere anymore.