State of the Market

[JustKeepSwimming]

What's the best guess re amount of applicants? I know some are chancers, but there must also be enough reasonable candidates in the pot as well and they have to come from somewhere.

Having spoken to a few agents. About 40% are feasible, ie in 2022 market they would get a fair look.

Very strong candidates being about 5-10%.

The issue is every agent I've spoke to have said they have many 100s of applications. One said about 350 and another agent said 638 last time they checked.

If its a multi agency role then chances are they will only put forward 3~ CVs. Even if a solo agency then you're talking 8-15 CVs put forward with maybe 5-8 interviews.

[JustKeepSwimming]

Being inconspicuous!

As in your don't want to say publicly? Or you mask dates on your CV? Like doing skill based.

[dsc]

Having spoken to a few agents. About 40% are feasible, ie in 2022 market they would get a fair look.

Very strong candidates being about 5-10%.

The issue is every agent I've spoke to have said they have many 100s of applications. One said about 350 and another agent said 638 last time they checked.

If its a multi agency role then chances are they will only put forward 3~ CVs. Even if a solo agency then you're talking 8-15 CVs put forward with maybe 5-8 interviews.

Well lets say 40% is the amount of reasonable CV, based on the numbers you've quoted 350 / 638 that gives 140 / 255 applicants which have some chance at getting the job, that in itself is still a huge amount no? Where are all those people coming from? under a bloody rock? where were they last year and earlier?

[JustKeepSwimming]

Well lets say 40% is the amount of reasonable CV, based on the numbers you've quoted 350 / 638 that gives 140 / 255 applicants which have some chance at getting the job, that in itself is still a huge amount no? Where are all those people coming from? under a bloody rock? where were they last year and earlier?

Cost of living is forcing people to look for new roles as their pay hasn't kept up. Equally more and more people are hearing rumours, and actual, redundancy talk.

Also, say there are 150 people looking for a new role with same skillset in similar location. There are 100 roles available.

Each of those 100 roles are going to have those 150 people all apply. Some will get multiple interviews, some none. If one of them gets 3 offers, accepts 1, 2 roles go unfilled and IME they do not go to other people interviewed as managers and HR seem to have a sense of "Well they weren't the best" and they relist and start again.

[Fraidycat]

Well lets say 40% is the amount of reasonable CV, based on the numbers you've quoted 350 / 638 that gives 140 / 255 applicants which have some chance at getting the job, that in itself is still a huge amount no? Where are all those people coming from? under a bloody rock? where were they last year and earlier?

250 feasible applicatants isnt that high if you assume its mostly the same people applying for similar roles. When the market picks up those 250 will get snapped up and then there will be shortage again of that skill set.

And when you hear of companies laying off 10,000s of IT people, 250 actually seems low.

[northernladuk]

Well lets say 40% is the amount of reasonable CV, based on the numbers you've quoted 350 / 638 that gives 140 / 255 applicants which have some chance at getting the job, that in itself is still a huge amount no? Where are all those people coming from? under a bloody rock? where were they last year and earlier?

Host of reasons. Contracting has become the defacto career path for many years to the point it's super top heavy particularly now the market has shrunk. The IR35 changes have had multiple impacts, mainly by reducing the pool of outside gigs significantly so every single contractor in an inside gig or on the bench will be chasing any outside gig. In the old days you only had the benched people to fight against. Also with the inside the rates at some clients, particularly gov has plummeted. When DWP are putting out £390 a day inside gigs when market rate is 450 outside (I tulip you not) then the number of decent gigs further reduces. Plus people jumping to local gigs because they've taken gigs with travel they don't want etc.

So it's not a flat like for like from previous years or even per role. The figures above will be vastly inflated for an above market outside rate fully at home vs a disgraceful inside rate needing you in the office 3 days a week.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

jobserve.com

He just needs to filter on 'contract'

Not even joking when I say there are *two* contracts that come up when I search and both are perm/contract with a crap salary range.

I thought the site was broken but nope that's how bad it is atm! 95% of what scant gigs there are seem to be in London.

[siddhantkumar]

Been made redundant (in July) after 15 yrs of working as permi with same company. In hindsight should have gone for £685 outside IR35 contract when offered back in May 2018

I left that fearing wrath of HMRC even though rest of contractors in same company are enjoying uninterrupted 6 yrs of contract with added advantage of working from home post covid.

rant aside, after searching for job and appearing for few interviews, already started outside contract (£650 this time as if there was no inflation or cost of living crisis) from last week of sept. Although the offer came via employee referral. Since then I have been constantly getting calls for outside gigs from head hunters. May be it is industry specific.

so my first step in contracting begins

[JustKeepSwimming]

Perm role, 25% below what I regard market rate (although above market benefits). 2 stage interview, face to face, second about a week after the first.


I asked about reimbursement, "We don't normally but I can certainly ask".

They are taking the piss, right?

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

Been made redundant (in July) after 15 yrs of working as permi with same company. In hindsight should have gone for £685 outside IR35 contract when offered back in May 2018

I left that fearing wrath of HMRC even though rest of contractors in same company are enjoying uninterrupted 6 yrs of contract with added advantage of working from home post covid.

rant aside, after searching for job and appearing for few interviews, already started outside contract (£650 this time as if there was no inflation or cost of living crisis) from last week of sept. Although the offer came via employee referral. Since then I have been constantly getting calls for outside gigs from head hunters. May be it is industry specific.

so my first step in contracting begins

Nice, that rate is incredibly high, congrats. I've only ever seen one gig offering more, which was paying £1100 inside as a DV cleared defence contract 5 days onsite in rural nowhere.