State of the Market

[MonkeysUncle]

Was on the bench for the last few months with the market looking tulip.
Ended up taking a short (3 month) gig with a slightly lower pay rate and only 3 days a week doing a more advisory role. Wasn't great but it was something.
Few days after I started had an old PS client call me up saying they needed someone urgently.
Managed to work out that I can 2 days a week there until the new year when current gig finishes up and then move over to 5 days/week, and that's at my normal rate.

All I can say is hang in there people.

[edison]

There has been a lot of debate recently about the merits of going perm until the market recovers post IR35 shakeup in 2020.

It's not going to be plain sailing for everyone to find perm roles judging by the 'Recommended Jobs' I saw on LinkedIn today. One role suggested to me has had, wait for it... 819 applicants already

[PCTNN]

One role suggested to me has had, wait for it... 819 applicants already

I wouldn't be worried by the number of applicants.

On linkedin I see job ads go and stay live for a while, then they disappear and come back live after months. It's for a new role but they use the same job spec/ad, they just bump it up live again.

So when you see a role that was published 24 hours ago and already has hundreds of applicants, all those applications are for the previous roles.

Or at least this is what I think is happening.

Even for jobs in big companies, say facebook/google, there is NO WAY that several hundreds of people apply via linkedin in just a couple of minutes.

[edison]

I wouldn't be worried by the number of applicants.

On linkedin I see job ads go and stay live for a while, then they disappear and come back live after months. It's for a new role but they use the same job spec/ad, they just bump it up live again.

So when you see a role that was published 24 hours ago and already has hundreds of applicants, all those applications are for the previous roles.

Or at least this is what I think is happening.

Even for jobs in big companies, say facebook/google, there is NO WAY that several hundreds of people apply via linkedin in just a couple of minutes.

Interesting theory.

I might not have been clear earlier, the job has already been advertised for three weeks. 800+ seems high though for this role as it's Global Head of of Engineering. Usually at that level, most sensible applicants will at least be in the ball park of skills and experience so you don't get so many that are completely unsuitable.

[BigJohn]

Interesting theory.

I might not have been clear earlier, the job has already been advertised for three weeks. 800+ seems high though for this role as it's Global Head of of Engineering. Usually at that level, most sensible applicants will at least be in the ball park of skills and experience so you don't get so many that are completely unsuitable.

Considering clients give pimps an extremely small window to round up CV’s for contract roles to enter the interview process. I wouldn’t waste my time on anything that has been advertised for 3 weeks.


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[tsmith]

The number of roles listed for what I do "Scrum Master" on job boards is the lowest Ive ever seen.

Barrier to entry is lower compared to other roles out there is part of the challenge for me - the supply demand imbalance is not what it was when being a Scrum Master was relatively rare. Now you see people on LinkedIn saying they are "scrum certified".

Theres other headwinds for contracting that make it more challenging than back in the day

1) 46% Increase in Number of UK Recruitment Agencies
46% Increase in Number of UK Recruitment Agencies – Recruitment Buzz
More agencies = more fragementation of market. Chances of the same agent placing you more than once decreased. Once upon a time agencies had offices and traded on the 'size of the database' of candidates. Now you need a laptop and a LinkedIn premium account and youre a recruitment agency.

2) Move away from Design & Build Agencies to "In house"
Agencies were big hirers of contractors in mid 2000's when many companies - wanted a website/mobile app but didnt have the in house resource.

Now many companies have in have their websites and mobile apps built and have in house resource.

Theres been significant consolidation in the agency space. I worked for a big agency that was consolidating all its smaller agencies into one big building.

3) Move away from external recruitment agencies to in house recruiters
Historically recruitment was largely through external recruiters. Now seeing more and more in house recruiters.

So now you have more leg work to do networking with companies directly through their in house recruiters - as these guys seem less visible through job boards. And as they are in house are more likely to keep hiring back the same pool of candidates. Recruitment agents tend to be ships in the night and dont maintain long term relationships with candidates in the same way as in house recruiters so more likely to come looking for new candidates.

4) Rise of LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a nightmare for a job seeker. Finding a role is like a needle in a haystack. Scroll through 10 minutes of photos of some random dudes 'welcome pack'. which includes a bottle of prosecco and a branded tea mug. OOh theres a job. Now scroll for another 10 minutes of cat videos to find the next role.

The amount of effort it takes to actually get a contract now for the typical contact duration. I would say its becoming increasingly unnattractive to be a contractor for what I do. The number of contracts out there simply isnt high enough. Ive found unless you are the 'perfect candidate' ie you have the exact relevant experience of what you will be doing in the new contract on your CV in the last year- your chance of landing that contract will be slim. And often its some obscure requirement of a technology you've never heard of.

Overall my advice would be to anyone thats been on the bench a while.
1) Have a skill that has a supply demand imbalance. Thats fundamental - without that regardless of anything else you could be struggling
2) Be very good at what you do. Back in the day you could be average and still get away with it. Now for many roles you need to be in top 20% of candidates if not higher.
3) Self promote. Have your own portfolio of products/side projects. I got my current gig because I built a side project that was related to the contract I applied for. That was by luck not judgement though! But you make your own luck sometimes.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

Some really badly paid roles coming in recently. Usual rate for my generic job is around £380-400. Had e-mails for blackpool £230/day, manchester £260/day and bristol £350 inside.

I wonder if people are taking them. Must be, I guess.

[CryingSheep]

Some really badly paid roles coming in recently. Usual rate for my generic job is around £380-400. Had e-mails for blackpool £230/day, manchester £260/day and bristol £350 inside.

I wonder if people are taking them. Must be, I guess.

Inside or outside?

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

Inside or outside?

First two outside, last one inside

Usual rate is £380ish outside

[Paralytic]

Some really badly paid roles coming in recently. Usual rate for my generic job is around £380-400. Had e-mails for blackpool £230/day, manchester £260/day and bristol £350 inside.

I wonder if people are taking them. Must be, I guess.

I hear clients are incentivising agencies with a free Kiss-Me-Quick hat for every CV they submit.