State of the Market

[OhReally]

Thanks for your replies, guys -

You wait until someone offers you a job.

Get a CV together and start punting away on Jobserve or whatever. You'll soon start to see your marketability.

I was under the impression that most contract roles required an immediate start. I have funds available to cover ~3 months unemployment while looking for my first contract and my plan was to quit my permanent role (one month notice) and then start the hunt.

Is this in fact likely not required?

Bigger questions are how large is your warchest and why do you want to go contracting?

If you have money stashed for the lean times, and are keen to be independent(as opposed to just in it for the money) then go for it.

I'd be lying if I said that the additional earning wasn't a fact, it is, but the primary reason is the independence as you suggest. I currently have around 3 months outgoings set aside to burn through as a worst case scenario while trying to get my first contract. If I don't get one by then, it'd be back to permanent roles.

My concern would be trying to make the jump too early, not landing anything, and burning through that money when it could be better put to use in another ~year or two due to being more likely to land a contract.

[Hobosapien]

Next year and the run up to it should be interesting from a contract demand point of view.

Let's see how this may or may not affect the state of the market.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/0...xit_not_ready/

Of course with the ongoing UK government omnishambles all bets are off on what will actually happen, but I for one am not contemplating a move to permiedom just yet, even if the spectre of public sector IR35 reforming the private sector becomes real. or depending on whether you're a pessimist or optimist.

It may be Y2K all over again, getting paid tuliploads to do next to nothing.

[Cirrus]

I was under the impression that most contract roles required an immediate start. I have funds available to cover ~3 months unemployment while looking for my first contract and my plan was to quit my permanent role (one month notice) and then start the hunt.

I really wouldn't do that. You have no reason right now to suppose you'll get anything in under three months. It may take you 6+, who knows?

When I started contracting I applied for and rejected roles until I'd got one that lined up with leaving my permanent job. They'll wait 2-3 weeks for a COO-level person, so you just slip out early. There's nothing to stop you if you play your cards right.

[AndrewK]

You have the wrong impression. Almost always 1 month is enough. To be fair many places have at least 2-3 weeks onboarding process.

Thanks for your replies, guys -



I was under the impression that most contract roles required an immediate start. I have funds available to cover ~3 months unemployment while looking for my first contract and my plan was to quit my permanent role (one month notice) and then start the hunt.

Is this in fact likely not required?



I'd be lying if I said that the additional earning wasn't a fact, it is, but the primary reason is the independence as you suggest. I currently have around 3 months outgoings set aside to burn through as a worst case scenario while trying to get my first contract. If I don't get one by then, it'd be back to permanent roles.

My concern would be trying to make the jump too early, not landing anything, and burning through that money when it could be better put to use in another ~year or two due to being more likely to land a contract.

[OhReally]

Thanks people, very helpful!

That means my concern about potentially not having enough experience under my belt is significantly less important. If it's feasible to stay in a permanent position until landing a contract that takes off a huge amount of pressure.

[LondonManc]

Thanks people, very helpful!

That means my concern about potentially not having enough experience under my belt is significantly less important. If it's feasible to stay in a permanent position until landing a contract that takes off a huge amount of pressure.

How long have you been in your permie job? If it's over two years, wait for a round of redundancies and then go with an extra wad of cash to provide more breathing space.

[OhReally]

How long have you been in your permie job? If it's over two years, wait for a round of redundancies and then go with an extra wad of cash to provide more breathing space.

I have about ~3-4 years experience in the specific developer role that I want to contract for.

Extra breathing space sounds like a good idea to me, cheers.

[eddieraver]

Is the market completed dead atm??

Im starting to freak out Ive been out of the game for 4 weeks and after 80 applications no interview, wtf is going on I have a good CV and always got interviews easily before. (IT Infrastructure)

Is anyone else seeing this, is the market that bad right now?

[uk contractor]

Im starting to freak out Ive been out of the game for 4 weeks and after 80 applications no interview, wtf is going on I have a good CV and always got interviews easily before. (IT Infrastructure)

Is anyone else seeing this, is the market that bad right now?

Read this thread backwards its been bad for many years now unless your a niche developer. Infrastructure especially most of that is now outsourced out to the lowest bidder (usually a non UK based company or recruiter!).

[1manshow]

Im starting to freak out Ive been out of the game for 4 weeks and after 80 applications no interview, wtf is going on I have a good CV and always got interviews easily before. (IT Infrastructure)

Is anyone else seeing this, is the market that bad right now?

Give it at least another month or two before worrying I think. It could just be a dry 4 week spell.