State of the Market

[courtg9000]

Absolutely untrue. They only recruit attractive ladies in their 20s from good schools.

(With the odd posh bloke passing through before they go off and get an actual career as, for some unknown reason, having a couple of years of surviving in the extended Apprentice episode that is a career at Accenture on your CV seems to be a good thing).

They are not bothered about the "good schools" haven't been for a while. As long as you are a Tarquin, Jeremy, Hermione or Tabitha and in the case of the latter two, good looking and plesently breasted you could go to the worst secondary school in England and still get a job at Accenture. In the case of the gentlemen it helps if you support Harlequins and not Man Utd!

[SussexSeagull]

They are not bothered about the "good schools" haven't been for a while. As long as you are a Tarquin, Jeremy, Hermione or Tabitha and in the case of the latter two, good looking and plesently breasted you could go to the worst secondary school in England and still get a job at Accenture. In the case of the gentlemen it helps if you support Harlequins and not Man Utd!

TBF I haven't 'worked' with them in a few years.

[kingmob]

Since when did businesses expect people with deep knowledge of many different areas? I keep seeing jobs with requirements like this:

CISCO hands on experience or training. (firewalls, switches & routers)
• Windows Server
• TCP/IP network familiarity, DNS, DHCP, VPN.
• Web Hosting & Microsoft IIS
• SQL Server Administration (backing up databases, running scripts and job scheduling).
• Hyper-V
• Active directory, group policy.
• Failover clustering and Replication technologies.
• Managing and maintaining Backups. • Powershell & Scripting
• Azure and/or AWS Cloud
• Docker Administration
• Linux

Most places I worked at used to have networking and platform teams plus a database team, now just one role? I know automation has helped reduce IT tasks, but expecting one person to do all that?

Oh and this particular role also requires - Providing 24x7 cover for the Company systems.........?

[FGB]

Since when did businesses expect people with deep knowledge of many different areas? I keep seeing jobs with requirements like this:

CISCO hands on experience or training. (firewalls, switches & routers)
• Windows Server
• TCP/IP network familiarity, DNS, DHCP, VPN.
• Web Hosting & Microsoft IIS
• SQL Server Administration (backing up databases, running scripts and job scheduling).
• Hyper-V
• Active directory, group policy.
• Failover clustering and Replication technologies.
• Managing and maintaining Backups. • Powershell & Scripting
• Azure and/or AWS Cloud
• Docker Administration
• Linux

Most places I worked at used to have networking and platform teams plus a database team, now just one role? I know automation has helped reduce IT tasks, but expecting one person to do all that?

Oh and this particular role also requires - Providing 24x7 cover for the Company systems.........?

Even with all the skills (I've been doing this for a long time) I still get rejected without a call from the agent so who know's what's going on.

[soitgoes]

It is July 1st today, so we are 3 years into this downturn, apparently it started in July 2022.

I wonder if anyone here has had the misfortune to have been on the bench since 2022?

Yes, me! Just shy of 30 years in IT development contracting, I was given notice on 10th August 2022, and worked out my final week. Nothing since then.

Admittedly, I'm not exactly driven to find anything else. I live on the south coast, and have done my years driving up and down the motorways and traveling into London. I want something to within an hour of home.

Although I've been on the lookout for new opportunities all the while, I've not seen a single role worth applying for. I'm coming to the conclusion I'm probably retired.

[Bluenose]

I haven't got anywhere near a contract in months so am looking at permanent roles, which I am getting a bit of traction in but nothing over the line yet.

Does feel like the IT Contracting circus has left town, although permanent IT isn't much better and from what I see other white collar professions are struggling.

IR35 is choked it off, the work it still there though, its just being done by the usual offshore suspects.

How many years until IR35 is repealed?

I hear the voices with regards to Deliotte et al. but their business model is also breaking, there is a huge gap between contractor rates and the rates they need to charge, eventually it will come full circle as their rate card, for a Deloitte/big 4 POS consultant is only going up from here and it never stopped going up.

[SchumiStars]

Yes, me! Just shy of 30 years in IT development contracting, I was given notice on 10th August 2022, and worked out my final week. Nothing since then.

Admittedly, I'm not exactly driven to find anything else. I live on the south coast, and have done my years driving up and down the motorways and traveling into London. I want something to within an hour of home.

Although I've been on the lookout for new opportunities all the while, I've not seen a single role worth applying for. I'm coming to the conclusion I'm probably retired.

June 2023. Been a while. I have been actively applying. Came close a couple of times but no cigar.

That being said, I am not going to risk my health over it. Life is far too short to worry tbh. Weather is good and far more interesting than to spend all day pressing F5 on the job boards.

Also begining to accept that this is a permanent change to the market. Which removes hope and expectation that it will suddenly recover.

If and when there is a recovery, it will be slow, controlled and with low rates, avoiding the spikes over the last couple of years.

There is also the lack of active participation in current projects and tech which will be another moot point come recruitment.

I thought COVID was bad, this is next level.

[TheDude]

June 2023. Been a while. I have been actively applying. Came close a couple of times but no cigar.

That being said, I am not going to risk my health over it. Life is far too short to worry tbh. Weather is good and far more interesting than to spend all day pressing F5 on the job boards.

Also begining to accept that this is a permanent change to the market. Which removes hope and expectation that it will suddenly recover.

If and when there is a recovery, it will be slow, controlled and with low rates, avoiding the spikes over the last couple of years.

There is also the lack of active participation in current projects and tech which will be another moot point come recruitment.

I thought COVID was bad, this is next level.

If you have been out of work for two years and are not worried then you are either independently wealthy or have other income.

[TheDude]

Just been approached by an Indian consultancy for a low rate and have decided to engage just to see what happens.

I am currently being bombarded by ridiculous questions but my application has been accepted. I have extensive experience in this area but bet I don't even get a callback.

[WTFH]

Just been approached by an Indian consultancy for a low rate and have decided to engage just to see what happens.

I am currently being bombarded by ridiculous questions.

You are being pumped for knowledge. They have promised a solution to a client and reached a point where they are stuck, either you will give them the answers during these questions, or you'll sort it for them and then move on.