State of the Market

[ShandyDrinker]

I haven't felt a big difference in my working week due to AI. I had a 40 hour a week contract when ChatGPT came out. The only difference was that the bosses expected more from us in those 40 hours because we had ChatGPT to help us.

I'm currently in a contract where they're convinced that GitHub Copilot will make everyone much more productive. I won't deny that it's helpful, but the amount of additional time spent ensuring it's of a decent quality and delivering what was requested can be substantial. For all the hype surrounding AI right now, I think it is perilously close to being overhyped if not already.

[Fraidycat]

I'm currently in a contract where they're convinced that GitHub Copilot will make everyone much more productive. I won't deny that it's helpful, but the amount of additional time spent ensuring it's of a decent quality and delivering what was requested can be substantial. For all the hype surrounding AI right now, I think it is perilously close to being overhyped if not already.

The bean counters are salivating, if you got 10 contractors and copilot makes them 20% more productive you only need 8 contractors. So 300K savings.

In reality its more like 2% than 20% at the moment. And probably even less than that. Because normally if its a boiler plate generic snippet of code you need, then we would have gone to google/stack overflow.. for a sample answer anyway.

[SchumiStars]

This is crazy
Not being funny but seems like you are being paid an offshore rate for an onshore job.

Have you looked at companies like Detica / BAE systems? They are chock full of technical people from top unis.

FFS, I'm getting well p off now. Nothing out there. It's been 6mths of bench. No sign of recovery

[tsmith]

FFS, I'm getting well p off now. Nothing out there. It's been 6mths of bench. No sign of recovery

Its Layoff tastic.

Momentum for a tech sector rebound remains slow to build, outside of bright spots within artificial intelligence and adjacent companies, resulting in tech companies continuing to cut back on their workforces and pivot from a growth mindset to one based on efficiency in the face of stubborn market conditions.

• January: 89,554 employees laid off — see all January 2023 Tech Layoffs
• February: 40,021 employees laid off — see all February 2023 Tech Layoffs
• March: 37,823 employees laid off — see all March 2023 Tech Layoffs
• April: 20,014 employees laid off — see all April 2023 Tech Layoffs
• May: 14,928 employees laid off — see all May 2023 Tech Layoffs
• June: 10,958 employees laid off — see all June 2023 Tech Layoffs
• July: 10,589 employees laid off — see all July 2023 Tech Layoffs
• August: 9,545 employees laid off — see all August 2023 Tech Layoffs
• September: 4,632 employees laid off — see all September 2023 Tech Layoffs
• October: 7,331 employees laid off — see all October 2023 Tech Layoffs
• November: 6,956 employees laid off — see all November 2023 Tech Layoffs
• December: 7,159 employees laid off — see all December 2023 Tech Layoffs
• January 2024: 19,350 employees laid off — see all January 2024 Tech Layoffs

https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/06/te..._8XjPxMen-GLiG

[eek]

Just saw a post from one of the specialist agencies on LinkedIn.

once upon a time there was 10-14 consultants all focused on a tiny part of my niche. Now the team consists of 5 people

[avonleigh]

Itjobswatch still showing the number of live contract jobs at around 25% - 30% of historical average for most roles. Been like that for a long long time now.

[SussexSeagull]

Please don't take this as me saying I am better than anyone else on here as I have had extended times out of work but as from April last year I have done ok with two contracts having found the second a fortnight after the first ended (which then admittedly took a while over Christmas to start but these things happen) both of which have been quite well paid.

Different sectors - private and public - but both wanted strong soft skills and someone who has done the job for a long time and can get going quickly without upsetting the natives (in my current one I have been praised for showing patience with one of the permanent staff who can be slow picking new things up).

Maybe the days of big projects with floors full of contractors have passed but there is still room for an experienced head to come in and add something that they haven't got on the permanent staff. Which is kind of what I got into contracting for 16 years ago.

[Fraidycat]

Itjobswatch still showing the number of live contract jobs at around 25% - 30% of historical average for most roles. Been like that for a long long time now.

Been 20 months now. Companies slowed down tech hiring a few months after the US Fed raised rates in March 2022.

While demand for most tech skills is crashing, demand for tech jobs that mention 'Inclusion and diversity' are holding up well:

https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jobs/u...20diversity.do

[edison]

Please don't take this as me saying I am better than anyone else on here as I have had extended times out of work but as from April last year I have done ok with two contracts having found the second a fortnight after the first ended (which then admittedly took a while over Christmas to start but these things happen) both of which have been quite well paid.

Different sectors - private and public - but both wanted strong soft skills and someone who has done the job for a long time and can get going quickly without upsetting the natives (in my current one I have been praised for showing patience with one of the permanent staff who can be slow picking new things up).

Maybe the days of big projects with floors full of contractors have passed but there is still room for an experienced head to come in and add something that they haven't got on the permanent staff. Which is kind of what I got into contracting for 16 years ago.

An interim transformation director I know posted exactly this point on LinkedIn recently. He thought interim roles (and by extension contract roles perhaps) are now 6-18 months when they used to be 18-24 months or more.

I've said it before - there is relatively little movement at perm CIO/CTO level and therefore one of the reasons there isn't the same impetus to start larger programmes.

[rocktronAMP]

FFS, I'm getting well p off now. Nothing out there. It's been 6mths of bench. No sign of recovery

Senior Java Developer with a government department?

- £750 p/d inside IR35
- 12 months
- Hybrid, WFH & 2/3 days onsite in London
- SC desired however they will consider SC eligable candidates if not

Malikshaw