State of the Market

[SussexSeagull]

He’s logic is that is that he has a chance of a contract if the only option is 5 days a week in London so everyone else rules themselves out.

the irony is I’m quite enjoying 2 days a week in London - I get to go to a show on Wednesday night

I do enjoy a trip into the office but equally I don’t think I have ever done a contract that couldn’t have at least be done on a Hybrid basis, less short periods such as onboarding and go lives.

[SussexSeagull]

Although picking up a post from yesterday, people have to be prepared to take a different route if they're not getting work in the city. I unsuccessfully tried for a while to get work in the city and didn't get a sniff. Then in late 2010 a contract came up at JP Morgan in Dublin which, although I got through the interview fine, ended up having to reject as I got a contract elsewhere. Fast forward 6 months and I tried a similar approach but with BAML instead and got the contract. I worked there on and off for a couple of years and then got transferred to London and worked there for another couple of years. Following that, I've had a number of city based contracts ever since.

The point here is that sometimes you have to take a crappy contract in the arse end of nowhere to put the name on your CV, it can then open doors.

I'm not sure it would work now as I am of the opinion contracting is more on its backside than I've ever seen it, but for anyone wanting to break into a particular sector, take an unconventional route if necessary.

With the city and IB contracts (or jobs), take something in a Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Bournemouth or Birmingham and then see if you can get transferred to London. Even if not, the name familiarity may well open doors.

In the current market and having seen other comments on this thread about to WFH or not, I know damn well that after over 10 years of primarily WFH, a differentiator in the next contract may well be that I have to be prepared to be in the office 5 days a week. I don't relish the idea, but if it means I can get work because someone else is being sniffy about it then their loss is my gain. It's a dog eat dog world.

Likewise on the inside versus outside argument. I don't want to work via umbrella or inside via a limited but if them's the rules of the new game then make the most of it. Max out the pension while you still can if at all possible and try to make sure you get a contract within commuting distance.

I have worked in a variety of sectors but the odds of anyone taking a punt on someone without at least some relevant experience at the moment is remote.

[ShandyDrinker]

I have worked in a variety of sectors but the odds of anyone taking a punt on someone without at least some relevant experience at the moment is remote.

Hard to say categorically. When I went to Dublin for BAML, the rate was crap, but because they were trying to push so much work via Dublin it was worthwhile for me to get the experience and worthwhile for the BAML in Dublin as they could prove they could get people to work there, thus keep the office viable.

To be clear, I had no IB experience either at the time as I'd primarily worked in software houses and telcos to date by then.

If it suits both parties, you'd be surprised.

However, to balance that, I know that, with the amount of offshorers bringing people into the UK it's more of an uphill struggle than it's ever been. I still find it a travesty that the UK IT sector has been sold out to the lowest bidder.

[willendure]

Hard to say categorically. When I went to Dublin for BAML, the rate was crap, but because they were trying to push so much work via Dublin it was worthwhile for me to get the experience and worthwhile for the BAML in Dublin as they could prove they could get people to work there, thus keep the office viable.

To be clear, I had no IB experience either at the time as I'd primarily worked in software houses and telcos to date by then.

If it suits both parties, you'd be surprised.

However, to balance that, I know that, with the amount of offshorers bringing people into the UK it's more of an uphill struggle than it's ever been. I still find it a travesty that the UK IT sector has been sold out to the lowest bidder.

I also think it depends on the role. Worked for IBs twice and both times it was more about the technical skills than anything banking related. You see quite a few AI roles in IBs at the moment, and that could be a route in. I would pursue that myself but they all require 2/3 days in central London and I am too far away to seriously consider that at the moment. Obviously most roles are going to require banking experience.

[edison]

Although picking up a post from yesterday, people have to be prepared to take a different route if they're not getting work in the city. I unsuccessfully tried for a while to get work in the city and didn't get a sniff. Then in late 2010 a contract came up at JP Morgan in Dublin which, although I got through the interview fine, ended up having to reject as I got a contract elsewhere. Fast forward 6 months and I tried a similar approach but with BAML instead and got the contract. I worked there on and off for a couple of years and then got transferred to London and worked there for another couple of years. Following that, I've had a number of city based contracts ever since.

The point here is that sometimes you have to take a crappy contract in the arse end of nowhere to put the name on your CV, it can then open doors.

I'm not sure it would work now as I am of the opinion contracting is more on its backside than I've ever seen it, but for anyone wanting to break into a particular sector, take an unconventional route if necessary.

With the city and IB contracts (or jobs), take something in a Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Bournemouth or Birmingham and then see if you can get transferred to London. Even if not, the name familiarity may well open doors.

+1

From my mid-teens I always wanted to work in financial services. My career after uni was non-IT related till I was 30 but there was always this desire to try it at least once. I too found it to be more or less a closed shop.

Out of the blue, I surprisingly got a contract with a retail bank in Milton Keynes. That opened the door for me to get two further contracts in FS (not IB) including one in Canary Wharf.

The irony is that once I got there, I found out that financial services is very dull indeed. Oh well!

[SchumiStars]

IB are very restrictive on what can be done. Usually working with old or very old tech.

The process for getting in was not easy. I had my CV thoroughly worked through by the agent, having to provide references for the positions and transcripts of courses and attendance.

I did enjoy my time at CW tbh.

[SussexSeagull]

Hard to say categorically. When I went to Dublin for BAML, the rate was crap, but because they were trying to push so much work via Dublin it was worthwhile for me to get the experience and worthwhile for the BAML in Dublin as they could prove they could get people to work there, thus keep the office viable.

To be clear, I had no IB experience either at the time as I'd primarily worked in software houses and telcos to date by then.

If it suits both parties, you'd be surprised.

However, to balance that, I know that, with the amount of offshorers bringing people into the UK it's more of an uphill struggle than it's ever been. I still find it a travesty that the UK IT sector has been sold out to the lowest bidder.

I recall Dublin being quite the hotbed when I started out contracting in 2008. Funnily enough I went for a contract in Ireland recently and got turned down immediately for not being an EU citizen so that actual route is probably closed now.

I think it might have been possible once. It is probably very unlikely now. There is no real incentive to save some money by getting in someone without sector experience when there are probably people with experience relatively cheaply available.

[avonleigh]

I recall Dublin being quite the hotbed when I started out contracting in 2008. Funnily enough I went for a contract in Ireland recently and got turned down immediately for not being an EU citizen so that actual route is probably closed now.

I think it might have been possible once. It is probably very unlikely now. There is no real incentive to save some money by getting in someone without sector experience when there are probably people with experience relatively cheaply available.

Can't say I understand the rules on this anymore. I thought all EU roles are off-limits where they involve any time on site as need a visa. But remote is fine. However, I was offered a role in Holland 2 or 3 years ago, which involved some days on site. Turned it down in the end anyway.

[sadkingbilly]

Can't say I understand the rules on this anymore. I thought all EU roles are off-limits where they involve any time on site as need a visa.

thank all the Friends of Farage for restricting your business to UK only.
EU clients don't want the hassle.

[dsc]

Can't say I understand the rules on this anymore. I thought all EU roles are off-limits where they involve any time on site as need a visa. But remote is fine. However, I was offered a role in Holland 2 or 3 years ago, which involved some days on site. Turned it down in the end anyway.

I actually think a temp visa / entry allowance for business use is probably pretty easy (there's a very valid reason for entry), but as it's been said above, companies in the EU don't want the hassle (which often leads to a blanket ban on UK companies / EU citizens only small print).