State of the Market

[edison]

Having said that, a lot of the LinkedIn advertised contractor roles seem to attract a huge number of applications (it shows the number that have applied), not sure if that's a true reflection of genuinely qualified applicants out there or it's a lot of people applying because it's a click-click-done thing on LinkedIn.

I've seen past roles on LinkedIn with over 2000 applications.

If you only apply for jobs advertised online, you probably have less than a 1% chance or less of getting an interview. The brutal truth is that for many IT contractors, there are hundreds or thousands of other contractors just like you. You need to think about how you maximise your chances of getting in front of a hiring manager and applying online is not the way.

IMHO you have to develop multiple 'routes to market' to get in front of potential clients. Developing a network of new contacts, speaking to known agents and new ones, speaking to past clients, marketing yourself etc. Past clients and colleagues can be a great way to get referrals.

There are lots of different ways to network in the IT sector. I once did a public speaking gig and got three job and contract offers as a result. I work as a mentor on a tech mentoring programme run by a big recruiter. I mentor some startups through another programme which brings me into contact with some interesting opportunities. I'm also a member of an online community which has a lot of tech hiring managers.

A lot of us in IT are natural introverts, myself included, but if you can push out of your comfort zone a bit, it's hard but you will find new and often better opportunities.

[SussexSeagull]

I must be looking at a different pool of jobs in LinkedIn as they rarely get to three figures for applications.

[Bluenose]

Two weeks ago, the guy I work with at one place started to get emails from agents with multiple CV's attached.

This does happen during peak market conditions as well, when programmes come to an end etc. but I don't take it as a good sign.

As for numbers of applications, you can't really take a reading off that tbh because for front-end dev roles you will attract many applications from all over the world.

[Pixelpension]

Deader than Liz Truss's chances of becoming the next PM again. Deader in fact. If that's possible.

Had a few phonecalls and even (gasp) an interview back in February. Since mid March, no calls, not even from timewasting eejits looking for leads. Same old roles on Jobserve, few on Linkedin, nothing. Usually some contact - now absolute radio silence. This is worse IMO than when covid hit.

Any upcoming financial news/events that markets are waiting for? Or is it just the recession that we're in but no one's admitting we're in yet, because technically we're narrowly missing it?

It is like this currently in Europe, or are they faring better?

[TheGreenBastard]

It is like this currently in Europe, or are they faring better?

I have two contracts with clients in two separate EU countries, from what I'm hearing both are almost like-for-like with what I understand the UK market to be. Quite fascinating in one way because it's 3 distinct markets with almost identical slow downs in hiring. US is also the same.

[TheDude]

I know it is Easter but this is the first week I can remember for years that I haven't been called by a recruiter

Even the time wasting approaches on LinkedIn are thin on the ground.

[edison]

Contacts from agents I know, even ones who I have a good long term relationship with, have really tailed off. However, referrals and recommendations through my network have never been healthier.

I feel for those who are heavily reliant on job boards - I remember how soul destroying it was for me when I had a very long period on the bench years ago and spent hours scouring every job board and recruiter site known to man with little joy.

[Bluenose]

I know it is Easter but this is the first week I can remember for years that I haven't been called by a recruiter

Even the time wasting approaches on LinkedIn are thin on the ground.

When the Indian recruitment firms go silent you know the market is ****ed.

It is possible that the corporate world have been advised by the usual big-4 suspects that a big crash of some sort is on the way (or, is already here) and they have shut up HR shop, a bit like what they did in the 5 months before the April lockdown for COVID.

That's kinda the problem with the Big-4 'experts' nobody really wants to be the odd one out and so they all say the same thing, at the same time.

[Lance]

When the Indian recruitment firms go silent you know the market is ****ed.

Nah... They're busy working onboarding new contractors to new clients.
It's when they have no work that they ring like crazy. When they have work they only ring people they need and that is short and sweet.

[Fraidycat]

Had a few phonecalls and even (gasp) an interview back in February. Since mid March, no calls, not even from timewasting eejits looking for leads... now absolute radio silence. This is worse IMO than when covid hit.

Based on number of job ads, the job market almost ground to a complete halt in March after the banks failed, but has now (April) recovered back to the level it was prior to the bank fails.

The new tax year bounce in the jobs market supposedly lasts a couple of months, till end of May..