State of the Market

[Paralytic]

But my point - and I think everyone here knows this - is that mitigating that risk, while remaining outside of IR35, is free, if you choose to do so.

Make your roles Outside in contract and in reality, and you'll get better candidates for the same money. Who wouldn't want to do that

I completely disagree - any client who think it is "free" to ensure a contract starts, and remains, outside, is very naive. The entity that owns the risk (the organisation) is not the same as (and often very far removed from) those who are most likely to cause things to go awry (the local manager who is working with the contractor). This is the very reasons the banks did blanket bans on PSCs - because the corporate side the business could not trust the local managers to ensure working practices stayed outside.

[KentDogWalker]

Back on the boards and finding things a little slow. No end of calls about "Job opportunities" from "IT Solutions Tech Sys Info Solutions Tech Systems", though.

frontend board CW jobs pretty dry atm

[hungry_hog]

Does anyone actually use the job boards with success?

I think the last time I had a job through them was 2014.

Since then:
2017 one job through friend (University) client X
2019 one through previous client
2019 back to client X
2021 another one through another University friend
2021 via LinkedIn

In 2018 I was out of contract for about three months and hammered the boards. All I got was phone calls from chancers and dead ends.

The worst one is one called e f*******l careers. Looking at that you would think there are thousands of contracts at each client. It's mostly made up or old data.

[PCTNN]

Does anyone actually use the job boards with success?

I got what turned out to be my worst professional experience through a job board.

The job board was jobserve, the agency was AMS, the end client was Natwest.

More than me finding contracts it's more often been a case of contracts finding me. I get regular messages on LinkedIn from recruitment agencies to which I reply whenever I'm looking for a new role and ignore otherwise.

[ensignia]

I got what turned out to be my worst professional experience through a job board.

The job board was jobserve, the agency was AMS, the end client was Natwest.

When was this? I did a stint there as a designer for about 9 months.

[SueEllen]

When was this? I did a stint there as a designer for about 9 months.

Different projects, different people.

[Bluenose]

No idea, I could ask but the person answering would just read the next line off their script.

At the minute (and it changes month to month) many of the 'Jabbappatunity' calls, the end client is CapGemini onsite at various clients of theirs.

[CheeseSlice]

Does anyone actually use the job boards with success?

I think I only once got a gig by applying for it via JS.
The rest are a result of having my CV on a number of database and getting calls, occasionally via contacts or repeat customer.

I would say the job emails are the most useless and are effectively spam. Its fun to read the ads from low balling high-expectations chancers though

[SueEllen]

I think I only once got a gig by applying for it via JS.

I once applied to a gig on JS but most importantly didn't read the date. Next thing I got a phone call and got the role. Just luck as they were looking for another contractor.

The rest are a result of having my CV on a number of database and getting calls, occasionally via contacts or repeat customer.

I would say the job emails are the most useless and are effectively spam. Its fun to read the ads from low balling high-expectations chancers though

Same...

[DitchTheBox]

Everything seems quite dead right now. The boards and direct approaches have dropped off considerably for my skill set (not dev). Time of year with the school holidays?

Had more 'interviews' than ever for gigs but no offers. Not sure if that says something about me personally - too many random skills (e.g. not specialist enough in for spec), too expensive (top of the market day rate as I've been doing this a long time), bad at video meetings, or more client demands due to things being inside IR35 across the board. I've had fully remote jobs switch to wanting hybrid in a remote location during the initial video meeting and other off spec requirements.

I've been contracting for a long time and it's gradually gotten harder in recent years. How is everyone else finding things? At this stage the money is what drives me in this kind of role as it's more than perm or going completely freelance, and if the money, gigs and easily reachable locations (London) are becoming scarce then I might just attempt a career change and do what I'm really excited by (on the cards at some point anyway). Honest (but gentle) responses always appreciated :-)