State of the Market

[willendure]

Drove 2 hours from my place in Silicon Valley to Sacramento and met a nice PM at California State Lottery. She looked at my CV and asked me if I was able to start in the first or second week of September. I told her first week and she asked if she could buy me lunch at a nice Mexican place next to the river. We drank so many margaritas she called a taxi, took me to where the contractors apartments were...

I thought this was going to turn into an I got laid story!

[Bluenose]

To add to the misery of searching for contracts in 2025. Gee, thanks Rachel. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjlw4n5d5o

"While President Trump announced late last week that it will make it harder to bring talent to the US, we want to make it easier to bring talent to the UK," Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday.

The BBC understands the government plans to double the number of high skilled foreign worker visas to around 18,000 a year.

[willendure]

"While President Trump announced late last week that it will make it harder to bring talent to the US, we want to make it easier to bring talent to the UK," Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday.

The BBC understands the government plans to double the number of high skilled foreign worker visas to around 18,000 a year.

*facepalm* Get in the sea! you daft cow...

[herman_g]

I thought this was going to turn into an I got laid story!

Unfortunately Helen was a fairly large Texan lady - not quite my type and she had a rather large gun-carrying Texan husband. She was the easiest interviewer I ever met. And, her husband Dave was a big cigar smoker who never tried cuban cigars before. When my parents would come visit California from Canada, they were allowed to bring some cuban cigars for "personal use" despite being strict contraband. Dave would reimburse me for the box of Monte Cristos and just the importation was good for a sameday 6 month's extension. Contracting doesn't get much easier than that.

[herman_g]

"While President Trump announced late last week that it will make it harder to bring talent to the US, we want to make it easier to bring talent to the UK," Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday.

The BBC understands the government plans to double the number of high skilled foreign worker visas to around 18,000 a year.

*facepalm* Get in the sea! you daft cow...

They were interviewing an Indian IT exec in one of the newspapers over there (in India) on Sunday. His reaction to the H1B fee was seomthing like "that's ok, we are doing quite well elsewhwere like Europe right now - in Italy, France and in the UK the market has been quite healthy".

[oliverson]

So, I missed out on a contract because the work can't be done offshore (I'm currently sat out in Spain).

The irony eh?

This latest visa issue with the US and Rachael (from accounts) Thieves, has pretty much nailed the coffin lid on the UK contract market now hasn't it?

I think that's it for me folks. I'm DONE with it.

[WTFH]

So, I missed out on a contract because the work can't be done offshore (I'm currently sat out in Spain).

The irony eh?

I think that's it for me folks. I'm DONE with it.

Is that a promise, or will you be back in a few weeks again?

You made your decisions, and you have to accept and live with the consequences.

[ladymuck]

So, I missed out on a contract because the work can't be done offshore (I'm currently sat out in Spain).

The irony eh?

This latest visa issue with the US and Rachael (from accounts) Thieves, has pretty much nailed the coffin lid on the UK contract market now hasn't it?

I think that's it for me folks. I'm DONE with it.

There will always be roles that can't be done offshore. Flouncing because you tried and failed to offshore an onshore gig is a bit daft.

[Cookielove]

To add to the misery of searching for contracts in 2025. Gee, thanks Rachel. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjlw4n5d5o

Yep Rachel Theives...the gift that just keeps giving....it is stacked against us finding work whereas other countries put their own citizens first for jobs but not here they don't give a fig.

Rates are on the floor if you can even spot a role and even then the volume of applicants is staggering...I saw one yesterday on LinkedIn a guy asking if he can do the job from Pakistan very cheap, it is a holy mess!

Giving up on LinkedIn it is no longer a professional work forum it is like constant births, deaths and marriage stories and sob stories, then some agents slagging off candidates....it is like Facebook now.

Times are grim, worst I have ever known it.

[avonleigh]

You made your decisions, and you have to accept and live with the consequences.

Used to say that a lot during my first marriage :-)