State of the Market

[eek]

Agent replied within 5 mins and removed it

Nice try lol...

surprised at that - for most agents that's a accept or next candidate clause...

[dx4100]

surprised at that - for most agents that's a accept or next candidate clause...

I have been on quite a journey last couple of years with covid etc... Worked with a few start ups on a mixture of inside / FTC roles. This is my first outside gig since the new rules came in. I was ready for this clause to be an issue going off what others have said...

The reality is in the old world I could take steps to cover / reduce the risk with investigation insurance and survive35 policies etc and now its impossible so its a straight accept the amendment or I am still looking clause

Beyond me how people carry the risk and sleep at night.

[DrewG]

I have been on quite a journey last couple of years with covid etc... Worked with a few start ups on a mixture of inside / FTC roles. This is my first outside gig since the new rules came in. I was ready for this clause to be an issue going off what others have said...

The reality is in the old world I could take steps to cover / reduce the risk with investigation insurance and survive35 policies etc and now its impossible so its a straight accept the amendment or I am still looking clause

Beyond me how people carry the risk and sleep at night.

I think many people don't understand that they are carrying risk, especially if they use QDOS. Can you elaborate further and explain how you are moving the risk?

[JazzyFry]

I think many people don't understand that they are carrying risk, especially if they use QDOS. Can you elaborate further and explain how you are moving the risk?

How is there a risk especially if I'm using QDOS? Last gig was outside and I paid QDOS for the 35 assessment. Am I screwed?

[dx4100]

I think many people don't understand that they are carrying risk, especially if they use QDOS. Can you elaborate further and explain how you are moving the risk?

Sorry not sure what you are asking ?

The clause I had amended said I would be liable if the HMRC investigated and they deem it inside. Now the liability remains with the client / agency.

If the client is small, the old rules apply and I would be responsible. I would be able to fall back on tax investigation insurance and worse case (although some people think its useless) tax loss insurance.

[dx4100]

How is there a risk especially if I'm using QDOS? Last gig was outside and I paid QDOS for the 35 assessment. Am I screwed?

If you are paying QDOS I presume you was responsible for deciding if it was inside or outside ?

There has always the risk of investigation, losing and the insurance for whatever reason not paying out. But that has always been the case and we can't reduce that risk much smaller.

[edison]

With the exception of finance, you never see that kind of thing mentioned much on job adverts eg "Must have deep retail experience" If it really was so important then you would see it more often. I guess it helps as a filter when the client gets a 100 CVs.

I too see it often although I'm not a techie. Somehow I've worked in eight sectors for nine clients in the last 10 years. Based on my experience and what I hear elsewhere, financial services, pharma and retail are the sectors which most commonly prefer industry experience. Industries that are highly regulated often seem to be more picky as well.

[DrewG]

I too see it often although I'm not a techie. Somehow I've worked in eight sectors for nine clients in the last 10 years. Based on my experience and what I hear elsewhere, financial services, pharma and retail are the sectors which most commonly prefer industry experience. Industries that are highly regulated often seem to be more picky as well.

Who cares what the ad specifies? If the client is a chain of supermarkets and they want a Java developer to work on an order management system, at the very top of your CV you should be talking about how you've worked end-to-end logistics and order management processes before you start talking about Java, Spring, and all the other tech you know.

The context of the application you're building is very important and somebody that has that context will often be favoured over someone that doesn't.

I don't understand people in tech that are out of contract for months at a time, I bet those same people have incredibly vague CV's. I never even send a CV until I get to spend an hour tailoring it to the spec. When a recruiter asks for my CV, the answer is "send me a spec first and tell me what industry the client is in".

Nobody cares that you know Java, they care that you've used Java to build a low latency trading platform or used Java to build a high throughput order management system. Understand the verticals in which you want to operate, if you don't have one in mind, I suggest you come up with a couple and base your CV exclusively around those verticals.

In the boom times, any muppet can get a contract. In the lean times, you really need to show value and deep understanding of the clients actual problems. Talking me to death about your SOLID design understanding is great but you really need to map that back to the actual business and its problems.

If you can't sell, you're going to starve in the winter and the snow is certainly falling right now.

[Bluenose]

Burner calls this week: zero and this is peak period for roles. people are starving out there for sure.

Just to throw in 50p on some of the other conversations going on.

a) Working multiple contracts is fine, double billing on T&M work can be a legal grey area but I think its illegal in some countries, for obvious reasons. Yes, people do it, and it works for me as long as the T&M timesheets *correctly* reflect the work you are doing on a T&M gig. I would never double bill on a T&M gig on the basis of ethics.

b) Tailoring CVs is good if you are not throwing the CV into a lottery ball meat-grinder to a Gen Z person who has not got a clue. Spending time tailoring a CV is a waste of time if you are dealing with a drone at the other end who is probably just filtering it on your location and previous work location names e.g. British National who has worked for B.P, Shell or Tesco, Sainsbury etc. Where tailoring is worthwhile is where you have a career veteran recruiter at the other end who's mortgage money depends on you getting an interview. Unless by 'tailoring' you mean, work-out the industry vertical and then lie comprehensively about your work location history. I bet people do that as well, but I am not one of them.

[SussexSeagull]

Who cares what the ad specifies? If the client is a chain of supermarkets and they want a Java developer to work on an order management system, at the very top of your CV you should be talking about how you've worked end-to-end logistics and order management processes before you start talking about Java, Spring, and all the other tech you know.

The context of the application you're building is very important and somebody that has that context will often be favoured over someone that doesn't.

I don't understand people in tech that are out of contract for months at a time, I bet those same people have incredibly vague CV's. I never even send a CV until I get to spend an hour tailoring it to the spec. When a recruiter asks for my CV, the answer is "send me a spec first and tell me what industry the client is in".

Nobody cares that you know Java, they care that you've used Java to build a low latency trading platform or used Java to build a high throughput order management system. Understand the verticals in which you want to operate, if you don't have one in mind, I suggest you come up with a couple and base your CV exclusively around those verticals.

In the boom times, any muppet can get a contract. In the lean times, you really need to show value and deep understanding of the clients actual problems. Talking me to death about your SOLID design understanding is great but you really need to map that back to the actual business and its problems.

If you can't sell, you're going to starve in the winter and the snow is certainly falling right now.

All very well and good but if there are several hundred contractors - or more - chasing each contract it turns into a lottery where you are lucky if someone even reads your CV.

People have been out of work recently because there is a lack of opportunities around. There are people here with decades experience, or as you would call them 'muppets' struggling and to suggest it is a mass failure of job hunting technique by all of them is massively lacking in knowledge of the current climate.