State of the Market

[CheeseSlice]

This is honestly, a serious issue. When I first went contract my fall back was always "Grab a random, two a penny £30k engineering role" which, at the time I'd have walked into. 6 years on and it just ain't the case - I'm even struggling to get slightly junior contract roles. Which is annoying because tbh the pay isn't far off the senior ones but everybody just seens you as a huge flight risk, a threat or just potential hard work

I interviewed for a senior perm role a couple of months ago.
I made it all the way to a 4th stage interview (3rd if you don't count HR screener), finishing with the FD and my new boss to be.
Everyone else had bought the "why go perm?" story that I'd baked to perfection.
The FD took a look at my CV then asked.. why so many jobs? a contractor?? I don't want a revolving door here!!
..So you can guess the outcome of that.

[Paralytic]

The FD took a look at my CV then asked.. why so many jobs? a contractor?? I don't want a revolving door here!!
..So you can guess the outcome of that.

I'll have a go. Did they replace all their revolving doors?

[vwdan]

I interviewed for a senior perm role a couple of months ago.
I made it all the way to a 4th stage interview (3rd if you don't count HR screener), finishing with the FD and my new boss to be.
Everyone else had bought the "why go perm?" story that I'd baked to perfection.
The FD took a look at my CV then asked.. why so many jobs? a contractor?? I don't want a revolving door here!!
..So you can guess the outcome of that.

Oof, sorry to hear that! Was it a role you really fancied, or were just looking for something to get some cash through?

[CheeseSlice]

Oof, sorry to hear that! Was it a role you really fancied, or were just looking for something to get some cash through?

Both I guess. It sounded pretty good to sit in for a while, in a stable industry during covid. The role gets to transform the IT estate for the business, and with clear progression into a CTO role.
I probably dodged a bullet though, as they started adding line management responsibility to the mix as the interviews progessed. Not a big fan of that tbh.

[CheeseSlice]

I'll have a go. Did they replace all their revolving doors?

Probably, after I was turned around and flung out of it back into contractor land.

[PCTNN]

This is honestly, a serious issue. When I first went contract my fall back was always "Grab a random, two a penny £30k engineering role" which, at the time I'd have walked into. 6 years on and it just ain't the case - I'm even struggling to get slightly junior contract roles. Which is annoying because tbh the pay isn't far off the senior ones but everybody just seens you as a huge flight risk, a threat or just potential hard work

It's very tough. There are plenty reasons a contractor might be okay with actually moving back to permanent employment, even at a lower salary.

In these situations, would be very useful if along with your CV you can send some sort of personal statement in which you explain why you want to move back to permieland. Even that can make a recruiter not bin your CV after 5 seconds.

[edison]

It's very tough. There are plenty reasons a contractor might be okay with actually moving back to permanent employment, even at a lower salary.

In these situations, would be very useful if along with your CV you can send some sort of personal statement in which you explain why you want to move back to permieland. Even that can make a recruiter not bin your CV after 5 seconds.

I'm looking at going back to a permie role early next year and the reason why you want to go perm and especially why now is a question you MUST have a very good plausible answer for (and not because of IR35.)

I've recently been working with a career coach and had a mock interview with a senior level headhunter and this was one of the two most important questions they said I needed to prepare for a real interview situation.

[hgllgh]

I'm looking at going back to a permie role early next year and the reason why you want to go perm and especially why now is a question you MUST have a very good plausible answer for (and not because of IR35.)

I've recently been working with a career coach and had a mock interview with a senior level headhunter and this was one of the two most important questions they said I needed to prepare for a real interview situation.

... but IR35 changes are a good and plausible reason. This along with instability caused by covid should be enough to convince anyone.

[NowPermOutsideUK]

I'm looking at going back to a permie role early next year and the reason why you want to go perm and especially why now is a question you MUST have a very good plausible answer for (and not because of IR35.)

I've recently been working with a career coach and had a mock interview with a senior level headhunter and this was one of the two most important questions they said I needed to prepare for a real interview situation.

And the answer would be

"I have been blessed by having the opportunity to add real value to many significant clients working on projects which truly excite me - This has taught me a tremendous amount - I am now at my stage in life where I want to contribute to the culture management and decisions made on making THIS organisation better then all of your competitors."

I dont think this is the hard part frankly - I think the hard part is being able to find a job that *pays* what you expect - a few posts up talking about 100k++ - Those figures are not far from where I am and I cant find anything at that level .

[vwdan]

And the answer would be

"I have been blessed by having the opportunity to add real value to many significant clients working on projects which truly excite me - This has taught me a tremendous amount - I am now at my stage in life where I want to contribute to the culture management and decisions made on making THIS organisation better then all of your competitors."

I dont think this is the hard part frankly - I think the hard part is being able to find a job that *pays* what you expect - a few posts up talking about 100k++ - Those figures are not far from where I am and I cant find anything at that level .

It's easy making up the words - saying it in a way that's believable and convinces people is a different prospect. My "long term" contracts are 12 months, it doesn't exactly scream "this guy is gonna hang around for a few years!"