State of the Market

[_V_]

• Youthful and energetic workplace - Even the CEO has acne, and dresses like a 14 year old. Grey haired types need not apply.

[PerfectStorm]

• Youthful and energetic workplace - Even the CEO has acne, and dresses like a 14 year old. Grey haired types need not apply.

* everyone works til 10pm cos they're too terrified of peer pressure to leave at 5

[SussexSeagull]

I mean, it does a bit, but once you've been rolling for a while, the strength of your CV opens doors that are shut to you at the start of the career.

Much as I apply for roles, the ones I actually get are from agents finding me (details harvested from roles applied for previously) and telling me about them. This happens regularly enough that I don't really have to look as such. I've turned down 6 verbal offers this year and said no to many more that weren't paying market rate or wanted something permielike like office presence.

I fully agree that roles tend to come to me now (back in the day wading through Jobserve was time consuming but potentially productive but I couldn't tell you the last thing I got through JS) and LinkedIn and contacts are the way forward but by the same respect I find a lot of agents very transactional and difficult to build relationships with now.

I get that some will be in more demand than me but the experience of me and most contractors I know is you do a contract then have a break either though choice or while looking for a new contract and factors such as the wider economy and time of year (i.e. Summer Holidays and run up to Christmas are bad)

It must be the case there is a high proportion of extremely in demand contractors on here who ae above wide economic trends.

[SussexSeagull]

I fully agree that roles tend to come to me now (back in the day wading through Jobserve was time consuming but potentially productive but I couldn't tell you the last thing I got through JS) and LinkedIn and contacts are the way forward but by the same respect I find a lot of agents very transactional and difficult to build relationships with now.

I get that some will be in more demand than me but the experience of me and most contractors I know is you do a contract then have a break either though choice or while looking for a new contract and factors such as the wider economy and time of year (i.e. Summer Holidays and run up to Christmas are bad)

It must be the case there is a high proportion of extremely in demand contractors on here who ae above wide economic trends.

Just had an agent phone over a contract I applied for in Jobserve. Which proves exactly how much I know.

[andromedan]

I did manage to secure a three-month public sector outside IR35 contract, and I start next week. I had my interview though mid-November, and I did sign it a few days ago... I have another friend that is almost a principal JS and React.js developer that he is looking right now, and he is saying that the market is almost dead and let's see what will happen after the Christmas holidays.

[Fraidycat]

We need a Job Spec De-coder thread for these.
e.g.

• exciting opportunity = the last contractor left for something better and we're hiring a replacement
• fast moving company = impatient client, or utterly toxic with high staff turnover
• world leading company = probably a global toilet roll manufacturer you've never heard of
• competitive rates = we want the cheapest contractor
• excellent work environment = Standard office. Free coffee and tea, good luck finding a spare mug
• strong attention to detail = client likes to micromanage

• talented = workaholic, happy to do unpaid overtime

[edison]

I mean, it does a bit, but once you've been rolling for a while, the strength of your CV opens doors that are shut to you at the start of the career.

Much as I apply for roles, the ones I actually get are from agents finding me (details harvested from roles applied for previously) and telling me about them. This happens regularly enough that I don't really have to look as such. I've turned down 6 verbal offers this year and said no to many more that weren't paying market rate or wanted something permielike like office presence.

I agree, once you've got five plus years of contracts with several clients and develop relationships with a few good agents, then more opportunities do come your way.

It's not infallible, I've had two lengthy bench periods, but overall as I approach 10 years of contracting, the last five contracts I've had all came through people recommending me or someone in my network approached me.

[SussexSeagull]

I did manage to secure a three-month public sector outside IR35 contract, and I start next week. I had my interview though mid-November, and I did sign it a few days ago... I have another friend that is almost a principal JS and React.js developer that he is looking right now, and he is saying that the market is almost dead and let's see what will happen after the Christmas holidays.

I have never got anything in November and December (and from my experience the Christmas shutdown is getting earlier and earlier) but I got a couple of things in August before.

[hungry_hog]

no jobs in December because of pre Christmas
no jobs in January because of post Christmas
no jobs in March because of pre easter
no jobs in April because of post easter
no jobs in June/July/August because of summer
no jobs in September because "people just getting back from summer"
no jobs in November because of thanksgiving and all the Yanks are away

what does that leave - Feb, May and October?

[andromedan]

no jobs in December because of pre Christmas
no jobs in January because of post Christmas
no jobs in March because of pre easter
no jobs in April because of post easter
no jobs in June/July/August because of summer
no jobs in September because "people just getting back from summer"
no jobs in November because of thanksgiving and all the Yanks are away

what does that leave - Feb, May and October?

That's what ChatGTP AI replied back to your question when I entered that prompt.

If the information you provided is accurate, then it would seem that February, May, and October would be the only months with available jobs in this situation. It is worth noting, however, that this is just a hypothetical scenario and may not reflect the actual job market. Additionally, the availability of jobs can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as the specific industry, location, and individual companies. It's always best to do your own research and check with potential employers to get a more accurate picture of the job market.