State of the Market

[Protagoras]

Moving into a perm role from contracting isn't easy they are averse to contractors, add on top of that if you are the wrong side of 50 it is nigh on impossible.

It's not just age that's the problem. I took a permy role about 15 years ago and lasted three months. I found the work incredibly stressful compared to contracting and couldn't cope with the permy culture.

But given the current market and economic outlook heading to permieland is probably a sensible move for those young enough to do so.

[SchumiStars]

ATM, there are zero permi jobs and even less contracting jobs. The ones which are there have over 800 applications.

[TheDude]

I've often wondered about some of these hedge funds and how much their permie devs make (and what they have to do for it).

They have to be very smart and work very long hours.

[oliverson]

They have to be very smart and work very long hours.

Rules me out then!

[ladymuck]

Talking of Malta, their nomad visa could be useful for some. Only valid for a year but a good option for people wanting to test out the country prior to going down the permanent residence route:
https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/nomad-eligibility/

[Protagoras]

Talking of Malta, their nomad visa could be useful for some. Only valid for a year but a good option for people wanting to test out the country prior to going down the permanent residence route:
https://nomad.residencymalta.gov.mt/nomad-eligibility/

Last time I was in Malta, and having not been there since the mid-90s, I was shocked at the extent of development and congestion in the Valetta conurbation. It was much less appealing, but still okay in Mdina and the south coast.

It's a sorry state of affairs that people in this country are compelled to relocate because government has destroyed their income opportunities, impacting in particular older and disabled workers where contracting provided the route to earning money.

[oliverson]

Last time I was in Malta, and having not been there since the mid-90s, I was shocked at the extent of development and congestion in the Valetta conurbation. It was much less appealing, but still okay in Mdina and the south coast.

It's a sorry state of affairs that people in this country are compelled to relocate because government has destroyed their income opportunities, impacting in particular older and disabled workers where contracting provided the route to earning money.

100%

[SchumiStars]

I'd love a European or ME role tbh. However I have never even been interviewed overseas. I have applied, perhaps not diligently.

I have worked for Dell, Limerick, which was great fun. Next to the university with a running track and sports facilities.

I always wondered why they would hire from outside their own countries. Software Development is not rocket science and there should be local resources, Shirley?

[ladymuck]

Last time I was in Malta, and having not been there since the mid-90s, I was shocked at the extent of development and congestion in the Valetta conurbation. It was much less appealing, but still okay in Mdina and the south coast.

It's a sorry state of affairs that people in this country are compelled to relocate because government has destroyed their income opportunities, impacting in particular older and disabled workers where contracting provided the route to earning money.

I like Malta. It's gotten much more built up and busy, yes, but then you can't very well expect it to stay preserved in aspic for ever.

[SchumiStars]

I applied for my first European role (and many others) when I was in Canada and heard nothing. When I asked a UK recruiter why nobody was willing to interview me, he told me because I was in Canada.

When I got my UK ancestry permit, I got on a plane and flew to London. I emailed every recruiter I had previously submitted a CV to. A few of them called my new UK number and I had 3 interviews arranged in the first week. One of them in Germany.

The guy in Germany asked me several times that if he offered me the contract, would I really come to Frankfurt on the Monday (this was Friday).

I went to a travel agency and bought a Ryanair ticket for 16 quid. When I arrived in Germany, they told me I could bill through their UK company until I got my visa resolved. That took 3 days. I was legal by Thursday afternoon. I stayed on for 6 years before the money ran out.

I still had my prepaid orange SIM and proceeded to apply for UK roles from Frankfurt (as I had enough of Germany at the time). 6 weeks later, I was in London on contract.

Since then, I have bounced back and forth between the UK and EU a few times. I kept SIM cards and mailing addresses in UK and Germany (the addresses were just rental mailboxes, I used the address but substituted the "PO Box" with "Apartment" or "Flat". The recruiters called me and I got the contracts.

Now that IR35 has happened, I have been in the Eu since COVID. Getting new roles has been dead easy. I am coming up to 4 years at my current client. Having fewer competitors from the UK has made things much easier. Not that I have anything against UK coompetition. I wouldn't be replying to this thread and trying to assist if I did.

Excellent. IR35 has killed us in the UK.

Is the market much better in the EU and how do I apply?