State of the Market

[SchumiStars]

Another 6mths of this tulip. Nothing at all ATM.

[SussexSeagull]

I depends on how long you've been contracting, I've been doing it 15+ years and have a 3-5 year warchest (depending on my spending). Obviously those just starting out aren't likely to be in this position but you should be saving/investing a part of your income in quickly accessable liquid assets (not only SIPP).

If you have been working 15 years solidly with no extended breaks and/or aren't the only earner in the household then having a couple of years buffer is entirely possible. Unfortunately a lot of contractors have had long gaps between contracts in the last few years.

Also rate plays a part. I agree you should be sensible but there is a minimum set of outgoings that can't be got rid of that are going to impact someone used to £250 more than £1000.

[SchumiStars]

I am begining to enjoy the conversations with recruiters. It's been such a long, hard time without them.

[PerfectStorm]

In a classic multi-agency "keep busy" project atm, not feeling very inspired... whole country's running on fumes atm

[fatJock]

Just finishing a DC migration project for a Logistics company but have a few more initiatives that might extend beyond. Given the current climate I'd take an extension despite not massively loving the work post DC migration.

[edison]

I'm currently in a contact but the project has been going south for a while so I've been looking; one interesting chat I had with a recruitment consultant is that closures of IT recruitment agencies have been accelerating due to the state of the market and no one is interested in outsourcing now the covid-era rush to hire permanent jobs is finished.

Going to be a very long year of trying to find gigs.

I've seen a lot of movement of recruiters over the last 9-12 months but not come across more than a couple of smaller agencies that have closed. You'd think there would be more losing their jobs if the market was that bad. Certainly not like 2020 where some agencies I know lost a third or more of their staff.

[SussexSeagull]

I suspect a lot of roles never reach the job boards so, oddly, agents might actually have to do more work.

[Fraidycat]

I suspect a lot of roles never reach the job boards so, oddly, agents might actually have to do more work.

I have been a tracking a few Agent websites, Agents that list their own hot roles on their own websites.

The number of roles on these Agent's websites are down just as much as the big job boards.

[SussexSeagull]

I have been a tracking a few Agent websites, Agents that list their own hot roles on their own websites.

The number of roles on these Agent's websites are down just as much as the big job boards.

Interesting. Is it possible some roles don't get listed anywhere?

I have absolutely no doubt the market is heavily, possibly even historically, at a low. I just suspect that roles that never get advertised are doing slightly better than ones who make it onto the job boards.

Although the one interview and one phone call I have had this time round both came from roles advertised on LinkedIn, which has bucked a trend from the last few years of getting contracts through my network.

[gables]

Interesting. Is it possible some roles don't get listed anywhere?

I have absolutely no doubt the market is heavily, possibly even historically, at a low. I just suspect that roles that never get advertised are doing slightly better than ones who make it onto the job boards.

Although the one interview and one phone call I have had this time round both came from roles advertised on LinkedIn, which has bucked a trend from the last few years of getting contracts through my network.

Yes definitely, my current role went nowhere near a job board, it didn't even appear on the "agency's" own website. And I think other roles (slightly different tech area but same overall team) have been similar.

How many jobs are like this I wouldn't have a clue.