State of the Market

[BigDataPro]

That's why agents ask such detailed questions about the interview afterwards, including what technical questions were asked. When the agent sends the next person out to the same client, they've been told exactly what to prepare for. The agent doesn't care if it's fair as long as one of his candidates wins.

+1

[PCTNN]

The market has been extremely quiet almost dead for the last 6 months both for contracts and permanent roles. When my contract got cut a couple of weeks ago I made peace with the the idea of being on the bench for at least 2-3 months and I was resigned to the idea of me having to accept a permie role paying peanuts just so I wouldn't burn through my savings.

Instead, just when we're approaching Christmas and in a matter of 1 week I had:
- 1 offer for a contract in the public sector paying 550 a day inside ir35
- 1 interview set up with a previous client for a contract paying 600 inside ir35
- 1 interview scheduled in the new year for a permanent role paying £80k a year plus benefits

When it rains it pours.

[rocktronAMP]

The market has been extremely quiet almost dead for the last 6 months both for contracts and permanent roles. When my contract got cut a couple of weeks ago I made peace with the the idea of being on the bench for at least 2-3 months and I was resigned to the idea of me having to accept a permie role paying peanuts just so I wouldn't burn through my savings.

Instead, just when we're approaching Christmas and in a matter of 1 week I had:
- 1 offer for a contract in the public sector paying 550 a day inside ir35
- 1 interview set up with a previous client for a contract paying 600 inside ir35
- 1 interview scheduled in the new year for a permanent role paying £80k a year plus benefits

When it rains it pours.

Congrats! Your real name, then, is *NOT* Benjamin. Haha!

But it is not quite clear to me. You accepted the £550 first past the post, n'est pas? You are going to blow out the previous client paying £600, is that correct?

[PCTNN]

Congrats! Your real name, then, is *NOT* Benjamin. Haha!

But it is not quite clear to me. You accepted the £550 first past the post, n'est pas? You are going to blow out the previous client paying £600, is that correct?

Well I haven't accepted the 550 offer just yet, I just received it. I'll try to delay my decision as much as possible without pissing off the client and hopefully will be in a position of having 2 offers on the table by the end of the week.

If that's not possible then yes, I'll accept the 550 and eventually go back on my word if I get offered the 600 contract.

Not the best move, but I can't take that risk. I can't not accept the first offer and wait for the second one.


PS: I wouldn't go back on my word just because of money. 50 more a day isn't a big deal. I'd choose the second contract even if it was paid the same.

[SussexSeagull]

So to recap my last contract was terminated a month before Christmas. Been out for a couple of weeks and wasn’t feeling the love from the market but went through the motions which extended to applying for about four jobs on Jobserve and putting up a couple of ‘I’m available so come and get me’ posts on LinkedIn ahead of a renewed effort in the New Year.

Anyway, got a message from an agent I hadn’t previously known at the end of last week which led to an interview and job offer today with a view to starting this week.

I think if there is a moral from this tale it is don’t stop looking on the run up to Christmas.

[dx4100]

So to recap my last contract was terminated a month before Christmas. Been out for a couple of weeks and wasn’t feeling the love from the market but went through the motions which extended to applying for about four jobs on Jobserve and putting up a couple of ‘I’m available so come and get me’ posts on LinkedIn ahead of a renewed effort in the New Year.

Anyway, got a message from an agent I hadn’t previously known at the end of last week which led to an interview and job offer today with a view to starting this week.

I think if there is a moral from this tale it is don’t stop looking on the run up to Christmas.

Awesome! Well done

[edison]

So to recap my last contract was terminated a month before Christmas. Been out for a couple of weeks and wasn’t feeling the love from the market but went through the motions which extended to applying for about four jobs on Jobserve and putting up a couple of ‘I’m available so come and get me’ posts on LinkedIn ahead of a renewed effort in the New Year.

Anyway, got a message from an agent I hadn’t previously known at the end of last week which led to an interview and job offer today with a view to starting this week.

I think if there is a moral from this tale it is don’t stop looking on the run up to Christmas.

With all the doom and gloom that's been around, I have to remind myself of this advice.

Three of my previous six gigs have been secured in the last week before xmas in the new year for a start in January.

I'm going to be pestering all my main agents and other contacts for the next few days.

Where's the fingers crossed emoji?

[SussexSeagull]

With all the doom and gloom that's been around, I have to remind myself of this advice.

Three of my previous six gigs have been secured in the last week before xmas in the new year for a start in January.

I'm going to be pestering all my main agents and other contacts for the next few days.

Where's the fingers crossed emoji?

Literally the first time I have got a contract on the run up to Christmas! I have got a few short term ones during the Summer holidays (educational sector used to be quite productive then a few years back) though.

[dsc]

Apart from one contract in the UK, market is dead in my niche skill area, but I did get an offer of a 6 month extension for a European client...they just need to get it approved by the higher ups which already said that all depts should be doing everything in their power to limit the amount of contractors...here's to a very finger-crossing'y Christmas.

[dx4100]

Nothing like leaving it to the last min...

Last day...

5pm... promised extension still not arrived on my desk...
5:30pm... six month extension signed

phew... now I can relax and enjoy Christmas.

Good luck to everyone on the hunt.