State of the Market

[hairymouse]

52 yo here and feeling the same ennui. Been excited by computers since the age 15. Lately, the excitement seems to be wearing off. Problem is, I have no plan B.

I'm 52 and was starting to feel that way. Then my son got interested in computers and I started doing projects with him. We did a big project with Arduino and LEDs and lately have made our own Minecraft server on a Raspberry pi. That made me feel like I could learn some new tricks, so I've been working on Azure qualifications and it's been great fun. I'd like to think that this kind of enthusiasm is apparent and has helped get the activity levels up in terms of finding a new gig.

[Cirrus]

If it was good you'd have to pay them rather than the other way around

I'd like to think that this kind of enthusiasm is apparent and has helped get the activity levels up in terms of finding a new gig.

I love IT. Always have.

However working in IT? Absolute pits. Always has been.

[eek]

I love IT. Always have.

However working in IT? Absolute pits. Always has been.

I think it depends (as BP stated earlier on in this thread) on whether you are a profit centre or a cost centre.

Profit centres are always treated better

[Bluenose]

A number of banks (the usual suspects) used to have policies that said a contractor couldn't be on site for more than x number of months. So, they'd all get periodically binned off and then rehired a few months later.

Generally speaking they (big corps) fudged this by moving said individual into another role in another part of the bank.

Some of us know people who have been at same company for over 10 years, hopping about within the same place, it is sadly this type of mis-management which has led HMRC to try and do something because they are disguised permies.

I don’t judge anyone who did this, they had their reasons, but change was inevitable eventually.

[eek]

Generally speaking they (big corps) fudged this by moving said individual into another role in another part of the bank.

Some of us know people who have been at same company for over 10 years, hopping about within the same place, it is sadly this type of mis-management which has led HMRC to try and do something because they are disguised permies.

I don’t judge anyone who did this, they had their reasons, but change was inevitable eventually.

It is the age old story that the best business for a company is repeat business (no sales pitch required, both companies very happy with the deal).
But on a personal level what is a good business relationship can also look like an employment relationship if you there regularly.

[PerfectStorm]

One contractor on the client's WhatsApp group asking "Will you tell us all what's happening about IR35, will we all be made inside like they're doing at HSBC"

FFS - stop giving them ideas!

Suggested to the contractor that she probably doesn't understand IR35 very well, and that they're already harming all of our positions by capitulating (or suggesting an avenue of doing so)

Now the rest of us all have to sit there like pricks being party to a conversation that really should be much more private.

[GigiBronz]

Suggested to the contractor that she probably doesn't understand IR35 very well, and that they're already harming all of our positions by capitulating (or suggesting an avenue of doing so)

Now the rest of us all have to sit there like pricks being party to a conversation that really should be much more private.

You might be putting too much thought into it. Most likely client has already a stance but postpones putting it out not to upset people and get few more productive days out of them.
Everyone is risk adverse, unless there is more pressure on them, more clarity from gov on legislation we won't hear about it changing.
I wouldn't be surprised if during a high-ups meeting one of the key people was impressed by the performance of someone from HR or legal and was swayed towards a direction. When actually that person was subconsciously trigged by the word "contractor" which related to an event happening years ago when a "contractor" doing neighbour's patio run over her cat.

[oliverson]

One contractor on the client's WhatsApp group asking "Will you tell us all what's happening about IR35, will we all be made inside like they're doing at HSBC, and will we also not be able to contract as PSC's via the consultancies they use"

FFS - stop giving them ideas!

Suggested to the contractor that she probably doesn't understand IR35 very well, and that they're already harming all of our positions by capitulating (or suggesting an avenue of doing so)

Now the rest of us all have to sit there like pricks being party to a conversation that really should be much more private.

ftfy

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Everyone is risk adverse[sic].

I'm not. In fact I'm not risk averse either, hence I am a contractor.

[GigiBronz]

I'm not. In fact I'm not risk averse either, hence I am a contractor.

Probably I should have expressed myself differently. The risk might not be worth for them.
They are already making lots of money why risk potentially fighting a case(costly) and potential backdated expenses(costly).
The alternative is maybe they'd have a difficulty finding resource, maybe some projects delayed. That is not new to them.

For us the risk is turning into a financially struggling corporate stooge. Worth the risk anytime of the day.