State of the Market

[krytonsheep]

The market, or lack of, continues to shock me.

I do wonder if everything HMRC have done with IR35 and the new legislation has led to reduced tax revenues in the IT sector, because it's inadvertently destroyed the contracting industry.

[Bluenose]

The market, or lack of, continues to shock me.

I hate to say it but big business that is UK centric will be waiting for the Labour conference now and then the budget.

Big EU business will be waiting to see if France implodes.

Leaving the USA to carry on.

[oliverson]

The market, or lack of, continues to shock me.

In my London banking years (2007-18 mainly) I had many interviews, even in the financial crash there were plenty. I remember these times with pain, anguish but fondness. Emails with so many contract. specs attached I had to ask the agents to filter them out and send me only the ones that were a good match. Bulging .zip files of specs, the phone didn't really stop ringing. Imagine that!

After my London years, I contracted mainly in the north and/or fully remote. I'm now reflecting on the last 10 years and it's quite shocking. In that time I've had 6 different contracts with 3 different clients, 1 spell on the bench lasting 17 months over the covid period and this latest spell of 7 months and counting. In all of that time I've only landed 3 of those 6 contracts in a 10 year period. THREE. In fact, flipping from past client to past client repeatedly and I've hardly had any interviews in a decade. But the more worrying thing is the interview requests, well they've basically fallen off a cliff, especially via the old tried and tested JobServe.

If I was going into business today and walked into a bank with a business plan, given the last decade, and especially the last 5 years, well, I'm sure they'd have me escorted from the premises.

At what point will the penny drop for me that my business is no longer viable and my better days are behind me?

[dsc]

5 days a week onsite in some sort of god awful market town where there is nowhere decent to sleep isnt what I had in mind

Hey, some say Barrow-in-Furness is lovely in spring.

[willendure]

5 days a week onsite in some sort of god awful market town where there is nowhere decent to sleep isnt what I had in mind

Not even for the defence of the realm? You work shy deserter!

[Bluenose]

Hoping the news that the government has agreed to spend more on defence might present opportunities for some of us.

5 days a week onsite in some sort of god awful market town where there is nowhere decent to sleep isnt what I had in mind

[financial analyst]

Hoping the news that the government has agreed to spend more on defence might present opportunities for some of us.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2dzlrm0jno

[sadkingbilly]

A bit?

Running a tax efficient limited company wasn't enough for some of the people I worked with. They engaged in questionable tax avoidance schemes whilst bragging about their share in a light aircraft, sports car, ski holiday and that every day was bonus day.

Then they got busted.

not before f**king it up for the rest of us.
greedy barstewards.
and still a lot of them about, as can be seen from some attitudes on here.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

[TheDude]

IR35 coming in was before my time but some contractors were a bit out there with their tax affairs. I suspect that was the main reason it came in.

A bit?

Running a tax efficient limited company wasn't enough for some of the people I worked with. They engaged in questionable tax avoidance schemes whilst bragging about their share in a light aircraft, sports car, ski holiday and that every day was bonus day.

Then they got busted.

[sadkingbilly]

Aye yes - I think that is what happened as IR35 evolved under the tories. Their mates didn't like the competition so made some lovely party donations and had the problem dealt with.

Especially Sunak, that guy was as bent as a nail!

just like all Tory's