State of the Market

[willendure]

Not wanting to talk on the phone is a bit rude but that is pretty much par for the course with under-35's. They are so used to chatting on social media and you need to ask them it's ok to call them. If you just call them on whatsapp or whatever, they seem to think you've broken protocol and don't answer. My daughter and my neices are all 32-34 yo. and that's just how they communicate.

For a few years now, I have responded to a jobserve ad and then connected with them on Linkedin straught away. When I initiate a chat with them, I find they can be pretty responsive when you bring up the role they advertised for but they haven't read a single CV yet (and confess it may well be getting filtered out by their filtering people). They normally ask me to send them the CV through Linkedin and my rate of interviewing is quite high using this technique.

When I fire off a CV through jobserve and don't reach out to them via Linkedin it's just a dead end. I often wonder why they even bother listing there.

Yup - same here. I always try and get them on the phone in order to check they really got my CV and usually it has not yet found its way to them. But of course, I am really calling to tell them I am a great candidate and perfect for the job.

[herman_g]

Pretty poor really. As you say pretty sure it's the younger generation. But that's the way the world is now.

When my father died last year, my niece was designated executor and I was purchasing tickets to fly the 8000 km for the funeral. When I chatted with her she was all responsive. I needed to speak with her about some a specific detail and thought it was just easier to call.She never answered (despite remaining online). Several hours later when she never returned my call, I asked the question in the chat and she responded straight away.

It seems the protocol is you need to ask if calling is ok and, if not, you need to ask them which date and time it's ok to call.

[oliverson]

When my father died last year, my niece was designated executor and I was purchasing tickets to fly the 8000 km for the funeral. When I chatted with her she was all responsive. I needed to speak with her about some a specific detail and thought it was just easier to call.She never answered (despite remaining online). Several hours later when she never returned my call, I asked the question in the chat and she responded straight away.

It seems the protocol is you need to ask if calling is ok and, if not, you need to ask them which date and time it's ok to call.

I wonder if that could be down to 'shirking' from home?

Easy enough to respond to a message on your phone, but if they answer a call, it's might be pretty obvious they're not at home working at all.

[TheDude]

I have had four approached this week for roles that are not for Indian consultancies.

Maybe things are picking up after the holidays?

[simes]

Am now 'celebrating' two full years of no contracting work. Not only no work, but not even an interview.

Maybe one call in that interim. A few emails that offer Data Centre Engineers or Product Managers; I am a Project Manager, or was.

I went old school last week which is to say, I applied for something on Jobserve.com and figured I should follow up with a call. The chap even had a phone number on the ad and even more incredible, it was picked up. For an Outside gig that seemed tailor-made, a solitary eyebrow of hope was thus raised.

'You should know that the gig is based in south Wales and that they are looking to leave the money in their local economy. You won't get a look-in if not based there.'

Then why advertise on a .com anything? Shove it in the local press, ffs. I just hung up.

To 2026...

[oliverson]

I have had four approached this week for roles that are not for Indian consultancies.

Maybe things are picking up after the holidays?

That's what I'm seeing. I've had probably six cold calls from agents this week and one interview that I'm awaiting feedback on, though 2 days radio silence tells me all I need to know on that one I think.

On a side note, this forum has been slowing down markedly the last few days. Seems like something needs rebooting!

[simes]

On a side note, this forum has been slowing down markedly the last few days. Seems like something needs rebooting!

Similarly noticed. Which speaks to the end of contracting as a way of working, and a redundancy of this website in short.

After all, there are precious few forums that discuss rubbing sticks together as a way of making fire...

[ShandyDrinker]

I finished my most recent contract in July. As someone who contributed to the first page of this nearly decade long thread, I think this market is significantly worse than 2008 and even during covid. There just aren't the contracts being advertised anymore.

Even though I've been contracting for 17 years, I just can't see it improving.

[Fraidycat]

There just aren't the contracts being advertised anymore.

Even though I've been contracting for 17 years, I just can't see it improving.

As others often point out, the number of perm jobs advertised is also way down as well.

So it is still general belt tightening all round.

I cant see things improving until IT sector layoffs are back to normal levels.

IT layoffs are still happening, but are lower than 2024, and much lower than 2023. But still not back to the almost non existent levels of 2021 and the pre covid years.

Layoffs.fyi tech sector data (number of global IT layoffs as reported in the media):

First 9 months of 2023: 240K layoffs
First 9 months of 2024: 140K layoffs

So far in 2025: 84K layoffs

Compare with the first 9 months of 2021 when there were just 13K reported layoffs

[ShandyDrinker]

As others often point out, the number of perm jobs advertised is also way down as well.

So it is still general belt tightening all round.

I cant see things improving until IT sector layoffs are back to normal levels.

A fair comment. Pleased that I've built a reasonable war chest over the years although don't want to burn through it while sat on the bench.

Sadly I think that until the budget is out of the way at the end of November, there's not going to be much movement.

Just got to keep applying for everything suitable and even considering perm at this stage. Sadly from what you've said, perm positions are also well down too though.