State of the Market

[SussexSeagull]

yep. - retired three times, so far

That's more Frank Sinatra than Michael Caine!

[SussexSeagull]

Then tell them what they want to hear. And say you did it that way in your last role.

I am out of the game now and am doing something else.

I suspect the tipping point with me is when I became the generation before the people interviewing me and once they saw the greying hair they just assumed I was past it and had nothing to contribute. The absolute core skill in testing is identifying what needs to be tested in the time allowed and executing those tests. If you can't do that (or someone else does it for you) then all the testing tools and frameworks in the world won't help. Testing is part science and part art and the latter has been forgotten about.

I don't even get angry about it anymore. The industry moved on without me, which isn't to say their aren't other factors such as outsourcing and the benefits of AI, both actual and perceived, in play as well.

[sadkingbilly]

As Michael Caine once said about acting, you don't retire the industry retires you. .

yep. - retired three times, so far

[Fraidycat]

the old way of looking at requirements writing tests then executing them to measure the software against requirements seems to have become old fashioned..

Then tell them what they want to hear. And say you did it that way in your last role.

[SussexSeagull]

As Michael Caine once said about acting, you don't retire the industry retires you. I do appreciate he is now retired from acting but it is still a relevant point.

I think you reach a certain age, especially if you have a long career as a contractor, where employers/clients think you aren't flexible enough and they would rather get some in they can mould. Certainly in my field, testing, the old way of looking at requirements writing tests then executing them to measure the software against requirements seems to have become old fashioned.

A similar thing happened with Business Analysts a few years ago and with AI it is beginning to happen with developers.

Is it a good thing? Answers on a postcard but it doesn't actually seem to have lead to faster delivery or better products in my experience.

[avonleigh]

My advice:
At this stage, I would be using trusted friends to cover a long gap between your last role and now. I'm saying I would lie. I would lie through my teeth and use friendly chat with agents and interviewers to show I'm human and bag the next role.

Fine, go for a permie role, get the SC clearance. You can always leave and use your SC on a contract within 3 to 6 months. Do not lie on any clearance form, use a professional reference to cover the gap. On my CV, the lie would definitely be there. Worked for a friend's company, worked on a couple of projects, whatever is necessary to get my foot in the door.

Plenty of people here will tell you not to lie, but I would look after number 1 - you - and lie through my teeth. Good luck.

Hard to lie nowadays though. Most gigs now they do proper screening. And yes definetely do not lie on SC application. That's mainly what they are interested in. Not if you have made some mistakes / indiscrepancies in the past but whether you are an honest character.

[sadkingbilly]

ZOMG. Face to face interview. So 2019! Home assignment test. 13 positions. So theere are a lot DotNet C# fake contractors out of there in London just waiting away to be recruited from the bench. Whoot Whoot! You go girl Alexander! YAY!

If you are desperate, out of work since 2024, then go for it. Get it and immediately make plans to leave whilst earning the doe.

WTF?? - and, in English? 'earning the female deer'?? - oh, deer deer.

[rocktronAMP]

[TABLE="cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"][*]Location: Canary Wharf[*]Hybrid: 3 days onsite per week[*]Rate: £415 per day (Inside IR35)[*]Duration: 6 months initial contract with potential extension up to 2 years with a Permanent conversion option[*]Positions Available: 13 positions[/LIST]Interview Process: 2 rounds of interview - Face-to-face interview only,and Technical assessment -Home assignment to be completed as part of the selection process

ZOMG. Face to face interview, so 2019! Home assignment test, terrific. 13 positions, beautiful. So there are a lot of DotNet C# fake contractors out of there in London just waiting to be recruited immediately available off the bench. Whoot Whoot! You go girl Kate! YAY!

If you are desperate, out of work since 2024, then I'd say go for it. Get it and immediately make plans to leave whilst earning the doe.

[agentzero]

The job description doesn't mention experience level, so its a ok salary for a Junior developer with just few years experience.

Now if they are getting people like you with 20+ years experience applying then they are lucking out..

This is why so many Junior developers cant find work, its not just AI, its is out of work Senior Developers stealing their roles.

The ladder rungs have shifted. It isn't "stealing their roles", it's a shift in hiring by employers. Can't blame the candidate for this. The candidate would ideally not be doing a role well below their capability.

[agentzero]

State of market. 50k SC .net developer. And, yes, I did apply

My advice:
At this stage, I would be using trusted friends to cover a long gap between your last role and now. I'm saying I would lie. I would lie through my teeth and use friendly chat with agents and interviewers to show I'm human and bag the next role.

Fine, go for a permie role, get the SC clearance. You can always leave and use your SC on a contract within 3 to 6 months. Do not lie on any clearance form, use a professional reference to cover the gap. On my CV, the lie would definitely be there. Worked for a friend's company, worked on a couple of projects, whatever is necessary to get my foot in the door.

Plenty of people here will tell you not to lie, but I would look after number 1 - you - and lie through my teeth. Good luck.