State of the Market

[oliverson]

250miles this week on the bike
4 gym sessions

1 interview for next week.

Nice one and good luck.

I've averaged 17,033 steps a day the last week out in very steep terrain in Spain and temperature mostly upper 20's, dragged around by two lively dogs!

On the work side, the most remarkable latter half of the week. Just like buses, contracts sometimes do come along two at a time!

Hoping I don't jink things but the way it stands, I'm expecting this coming week may see me not only landing a contract, but having to choose from two possibilities!! Both outside, both remote. If both offered do you take the one that's the more interesting/challenging, has the biggest rate but the shortest duration, or do you take the 'leave your brain at the door' one with a lesser rate but potentially a year or two and sits at odds with your preferred direction? It would be a nice problem to have but it looks like the latter one would result in an offer perhaps as early as Monday, with the better one maybe a couple more stages but within the same week.

One thing is for sure, I cannot afford to come out of this with nothing. Bird in the hand and all that. I can't accept the latter one and then renege on it given I'm recommended by a former colleague.

[ladymuck]

I'd always go for what's most interesting as it could open more doors and provide more opportunities going forward. If you are easing yourself towards permiedom, then the boring long term one is a good way to get yourself into that mindset before taking the leap.

If the boring one is likely to offer first then accept it, then if the interesting one delivers you can withdraw. Just delay signing anything - solicitors have a five day turn around for contract review, etc...

[SussexSeagull]

Many a slip between the cup and the lip was very much the lesson I took from my efforts to get a new contract (and seems ro be the experience of others) although Sods Law would probably dictate you get two offers at the same time after several months off.

If you do have a choice I would go for the one that enhances your future prospects, assuming you are looking good to hang around for a few years and not looking for a final payday.

[SchumiStars]

Nice one and good luck.

I've averaged 17,033 steps a day the last week out in very steep terrain in Spain and temperature mostly upper 20's, dragged around by two lively dogs!

On the work side, the most remarkable latter half of the week. Just like buses, contracts sometimes do come along two at a time!

Hoping I don't jink things but the way it stands, I'm expecting this coming week may see me not only landing a contract, but having to choose from two possibilities!! Both outside, both remote. If both offered do you take the one that's the more interesting/challenging, has the biggest rate but the shortest duration, or do you take the 'leave your brain at the door' one with a lesser rate but potentially a year or two and sits at odds with your preferred direction? It would be a nice problem to have but it looks like the latter one would result in an offer perhaps as early as Monday, with the better one maybe a couple more stages but within the same week.

One thing is for sure, I cannot afford to come out of this with nothing. Bird in the hand and all that. I can't accept the latter one and then renege on it given I'm recommended by a former colleague.

You take both.

[avonleigh]

Good luck Oliverson and Schumistars. Hopefully you will get some positivite outcomes this week.

On the subject of which contract to take. I never bother to think about such things until contract is in hand. But for me would always take the more interesting one which would help me in the long term over a boring role which pays well. Have done a few boring roles and always end up going stir crazy after a while.

[fatJock]

Sounds like EDF. I've heard from other contractors it's a bit of a nightmare there.

Nah .. not EDF but they're a customer though

[SussexSeagull]

I am tempted to say we are getting off topic but in a roundabout way this is all quite relevant. I know people's on-line personas tend to be exaggerated and the contract market is in, potentially terminal, decline but it doesn't exist in a vacumn and values and behaviours evolve as much as technical skills do. With Inside Contracts and FTC in the ascendancy you can't be semi detached from the people you work with anymore.

[SchumiStars]

As anyone got any of those bar charts which show what the current market is like compared to previous years please?

I have seen no improvment in 12mths. Its dead. Been 2+ yrs now. 2019 was the last big outside contract I had for an investment bank.

[WTFH]

As anyone got any of those bar charts which show what the current market is like compared to previous years please?

I have seen no improvment in 12mths. Its dead. Been 2+ yrs now. 2019 was the last big outside contract I had for an investment bank.

The market in the UK has been struggling since 2016 - which is when this thread started. Some of the posters with short term memory issues think the downturn started in 2024 and everything was perfect before then.
2016: Global Markets nervous about Brexit
2020: Brexit happens, businesses uncertain of the way ahead
2020: Covid
2022: 3 prime ministers in one year (including Liz Truss)
2024: Labour come to power, run by leadership who are way to the right of Margaret Thatcher, but to some they are "communists".

The last time the UK was a strong country was the Olympics in 2012, when we got behind athletes not based on politics, skin colour, sexuality or religion, over the last decade everything has been about dividing the country, it's us v them. The populists have done a great job of finding who to blame for everything, and realising that stirring up hatred is a wonderful way of making money.

[oliverson]

On a less confrontational / defensive note, on speaking to an agent today I was surprised to here that he was rejecting several clients that he knew, don't ask me how, were servicing two to three contracts at a time. Said this practice has kicked in obviously with the WFH, but especially in London-based contractors. Another factor in several on this board being out of work.