Here's my tuppence worth from looking for a week or so. I'm 15 years contracting in exactly the same role end to end. My average gig is around 18 months and tend to get the first gig I interview for in the past. Only been on the market twice before now in four years... and boy has it changed. Only had one interview so far with about 5 or 6 applications in.
Finding Work
Tons of specialist sites like Public Sector and OutsideIR35 job boards but not a sniff from any of them. Jobserve and Linkedin are all I've found anything on so far. Jobserve still top of the pile, more gigs, better response from recruiters but linkedin not so far behind, just not as slick as jobserve. Couple of gigs a week so it's not a bad market.
Getting hold of recruiters is a mare. Last time I was out, a gig popped up, usually with recruiters number on, called them within 5 mins and sent my CV 10 mins later. Top of the pile. Now next to no recruiters put their contact details in and are had to track down by ringing the office number. Very slow to read messages and accept on linkedin in the main appears to be apply and forget. This linked with the comment below is frustrating.
Number of applicants is through the roof and the chancers don't help. A recruiter put a post on for a 600 a day outside gig which is top of the range for what I do and he had 10 comments on the post saying they were interested. Two PMO's, a book keeper, a housing manager and some PM's. And that's just the public post. Managed to speak to him and he says his LI contact and connections went haywire. The noise is destroying any edge you can get by speaking the agent and getting your CV in front of their nose first.
Managed to get hold of one agent chasing a public sector gig and he admits he didn't see my CV with the pile he had and found enough (but turns out much less experienced) people and put them forward.
Speed. Used to be apply Monday, Interview Wednesday and start Monday. It's taking 2 weeks for some of the clients/agents to feedback on the role and then at interview it's taking a week to decide due to the number of interviews they are having. Very weird.
Outside gigs are obviously popular with a good majority of applicants being contractors inside and jumping ship. With the clients being slower for some reason it means short notice periods are a less of a problem so outside gigs are particularly heavily over subscribed. Looks like about 1 outside in 6 or so inside so far for my role.
SC clearance is required on close to half the gigs advertised for me in the last 10 days.
Getting the Work
Location is still a factor even in the hybrid world. I used to prefer stay away gigs (not London) before Covid so travel isn't an issue but not been put forward for two gigs because they've picked people closer to London. Granted could be an agent lie because they don't want the hassle of telling me I was tulip but I do believe them, particularly with the number of applicants.
I always enquire about Umbrella list in first chats ready to do battle if it's the usual crowd that won't pay my holiday pay or leak my details. Surprisingly all bar one so far have a list but will take any FCSA brolly and one has Clarity on the the list. Still push the big guys that give kickbacks first though.
As I say just short of two weeks evidence but a big change from two years ago and a far cry from 4+ years ago. Hope that helps someone.
Finding Work
Tons of specialist sites like Public Sector and OutsideIR35 job boards but not a sniff from any of them. Jobserve and Linkedin are all I've found anything on so far. Jobserve still top of the pile, more gigs, better response from recruiters but linkedin not so far behind, just not as slick as jobserve. Couple of gigs a week so it's not a bad market.
Getting hold of recruiters is a mare. Last time I was out, a gig popped up, usually with recruiters number on, called them within 5 mins and sent my CV 10 mins later. Top of the pile. Now next to no recruiters put their contact details in and are had to track down by ringing the office number. Very slow to read messages and accept on linkedin in the main appears to be apply and forget. This linked with the comment below is frustrating.
Number of applicants is through the roof and the chancers don't help. A recruiter put a post on for a 600 a day outside gig which is top of the range for what I do and he had 10 comments on the post saying they were interested. Two PMO's, a book keeper, a housing manager and some PM's. And that's just the public post. Managed to speak to him and he says his LI contact and connections went haywire. The noise is destroying any edge you can get by speaking the agent and getting your CV in front of their nose first.
Managed to get hold of one agent chasing a public sector gig and he admits he didn't see my CV with the pile he had and found enough (but turns out much less experienced) people and put them forward.
Speed. Used to be apply Monday, Interview Wednesday and start Monday. It's taking 2 weeks for some of the clients/agents to feedback on the role and then at interview it's taking a week to decide due to the number of interviews they are having. Very weird.
Outside gigs are obviously popular with a good majority of applicants being contractors inside and jumping ship. With the clients being slower for some reason it means short notice periods are a less of a problem so outside gigs are particularly heavily over subscribed. Looks like about 1 outside in 6 or so inside so far for my role.
SC clearance is required on close to half the gigs advertised for me in the last 10 days.
Getting the Work
Location is still a factor even in the hybrid world. I used to prefer stay away gigs (not London) before Covid so travel isn't an issue but not been put forward for two gigs because they've picked people closer to London. Granted could be an agent lie because they don't want the hassle of telling me I was tulip but I do believe them, particularly with the number of applicants.
I always enquire about Umbrella list in first chats ready to do battle if it's the usual crowd that won't pay my holiday pay or leak my details. Surprisingly all bar one so far have a list but will take any FCSA brolly and one has Clarity on the the list. Still push the big guys that give kickbacks first though.
As I say just short of two weeks evidence but a big change from two years ago and a far cry from 4+ years ago. Hope that helps someone.
Comment