State of the Market

[uk contractor]

Different industry but a relative works in an Indian academy school just outside of London (which means state funded but not council controlled), unlike council schools they can hire dirt cheap unqualified teachers inplace of qualified teachers and she said they are taking full advantage of that. Hiring loads of them.

This underhand business practice is going on everywhere now our useless PM empowered them with his new visa deal signed with PM Modi. Anyone in the UK who was born here is doomed & will have little chance of ever buying their own home & paying a large mortgage back as job security simply no longer exists nor do the actual job roles!

[WTFH]

This underhand business practice is going on everywhere now our useless PM empowered them with his new visa deal signed with PM Modi. Anyone in the UK who was born here is doomed & will have little chance of ever buying their own home & paying a large mortgage back as job security simply no longer exists nor do the actual job roles!

You're confusing Fraidycat's made up story with reality.

As for the current PM being solely responsible for putting up house prices over the last 40 years, it makes you sound like you are just a Fraidy-sockie.

[PerfectStorm]

Getting the sense from the last couple of weeks of interest that "the truly hungry are getting fed" and that, for those who held out, the truly derisory rates are being brought back up to something compatible with 2025 (rather than 2015) living costs.

Trying to put a spin on things - when you do start, you'll get to do so having had a long break and won't immediately feel like you need a holiday. Coming in with renewed enthusiasm might be a great way to start the next gig (if you can maintain it before they drown you in methodology bureaucracy).

[Dorkeaux]

Getting the sense from the last couple of weeks of interest that "the truly hungry are getting fed" and that, for those who held out, the truly derisory rates are being brought back up to something compatible with 2025 (rather than 2015) living costs.

Trying to put a spin on things - when you do start, you'll get to do so having had a long break and won't immediately feel like you need a holiday. Coming in with renewed enthusiasm might be a great way to start the next gig (if you can maintain it before they drown you in methodology bureaucracy).

Fingers crossed.

Like other posters here, I'm getting a lot of unsuitable "chancer" roles from Indian agencies I've never heard of.
But screening those out, I am also getting contacted on an increasing number of roles paying acceptable rates.
So you are probably right.

Ah yes, the sweet optimistic smell of the first month in a new contract...

[oliverson]

I'm down. I'd pretty much given up hope and considering staying retired. Then an email comes through from a previous client and can we schedule a call. Immediately lifted and the call gets scheduled for something like 10 days in the future. Day before the meeting and another email to push it back 3 days. No biggie, I'll continue on with this AI stuff I've been doing.

The day arrives and it's 30 mins to the appointment. Convinced it's happening I have a clean shave, put on a freshly pressed shirt and ping, another email cancelling it, with apologies and let's sort something next week (this week). So I respond and.......

Nothing.

Since the first email I'd gotten used to thinking I may be coming out of retirement, may not have to sell the holiday home, etc, etc. Now it seems inevitable.

[ladymuck]

That sucks. Lots of red flags there. 10 days until they can meet? Then pushed back. That sounds like someone is preempting a decision and they don't have anything tangible. Rude to cancel at such short notice and then effectively ghost you too.

[edison]

Not a contract per se, but I got a message from a tech research company that are interested in interviewing me about my thoughts on procurement of outsourced services in the UK.

I get loads of requests like this which I mostly ignore but they're offering £350 for an hour so I've got a brief intro call with them to see if it's a goer.

Bit of pocket money, if nothing else.

[TheDude]

AI rejection from a position 6 minutes after applying.

A new record or can anyone beat this?

[ShandyDrinker]

I'm down. I'd pretty much given up hope and considering staying retired. Then an email comes through from a previous client and can we schedule a call. Immediately lifted and the call gets scheduled for something like 10 days in the future. Day before the meeting and another email to push it back 3 days. No biggie, I'll continue on with this AI stuff I've been doing.

The day arrives and it's 30 mins to the appointment. Convinced it's happening I have a clean shave, put on a freshly pressed shirt and ping, another email cancelling it, with apologies and let's sort something next week (this week). So I respond and.......

Nothing.

Since the first email I'd gotten used to thinking I may be coming out of retirement, may not have to sell the holiday home, etc, etc. Now it seems inevitable.

As a positive spin on this. Around mid 2021 I was contacted by a previous client about a potential role and then nothing happened for a couple of months. Fast forward to early 2022 and meetings were scheduled and re-scheduled, similar to what you're saying. Eventually we sorted a contract out months after the original call about it. Anyway, I started towards the end of Q1 2022 and have only recently finished the contract. The best paying contract I've ever had and at over 3 years a good stint.

I'd say don't lose hope.

However, seeing what the market's like myself, it's utterly brutal for anyone in software development. With the private sector off-payroll rules I thought it was going to be the end of contracting as I'd known it. Agentic AI and the trade deal with India really does appear that it will be hammering that nail further into the metaphoric coffin.

[ladymuck]

AI rejection from a position 6 minutes after applying.

A new record or can anyone beat this?

Surely under GDPR you have the right to not have automated decisions made about you? Or some such, I forget the exact wording.