State of the Market

[malvolio]

I spent 20 years working on niche systems with niche languages. Those skills brought me steady work with diverse clients including McDonalds, Lockheed Aerospace, stock exchanges, banks and even a trucking company. When I came to Europe from Canada most companies were in the process of sunsetting those system except for the banks.

When the banks started sunsetting systems based on my skillset I had no choice but to focus on a niche area of business instead. My old niche skills are no longer mentioned on my CV and years of working in a niche part of banking have kept me busy ever since. Except for about 4 months in the last 10 years, I've been busy the whole time.

You can't rely on technical skills forever, especially with massive foregin competition that will work for peanuts. If you have decades in the IT industry, your value increases parimarily with business knowledge.

I agree, actually. When I realised I was on my fifth language and ninth operating system I deliberately moved into business consultancy and service architecture. I kept up with the tech, but only as a set of capabilities. Leave the detail to the experts!

[herman_g]

But then you work on archaic systems and dead languages. Such skills are obviously both rare and in demand. So hardly typical of the bulk of IT people.

I spent 20 years working on niche systems with niche languages. Those skills brought me steady work with diverse clients including McDonalds, Lockheed Aerospace, stock exchanges, banks and even a trucking company. When I came to Europe from Canada most companies were in the process of sunsetting those system except for the banks.

When the banks started sunsetting systems based on my skillset I had no choice but to focus on a niche area of business instead. My old niche skills are no longer mentioned on my CV and years of working in a niche part of banking have kept me busy ever since. Except for about 4 months in the last 10 years, I've been busy the whole time.

You can't rely on technical skills forever, especially with massive foregin competition that will work for peanuts. If you have decades in the IT industry, your value increases parimarily with business knowledge.

[malvolio]

Well, this old ticker's still coining 700/day.

But then you work on archaic systems and dead languages. Such skills are obviously both rare and in demand. So hardly typical of the bulk of IT people.

[sadkingbilly]

It's not coming back.

I read that youtubers contributed £2billion or something to the economy.

Why would the gvnmt want to help us old timers out?

Face it boys we are grandfather clocks in a digital, crypto world.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...knpm6v36go.amp

Well, this old ticker's still coining 700/day.

[SchumiStars]

It's not coming back.

I read that youtubers contributed £2billion or something to the economy.

Why would the gvnmt want to help us old timers out?

Face it boys we are grandfather clocks in a digital, crypto world.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...knpm6v36go.amp

[sadkingbilly]

I'm turning stuff down, weekly.
just sayin'

[avonleigh]

You made your decisions, and you have to accept and live with the consequences.

Used to say that a lot during my first marriage :-)

[Cookielove]

To add to the misery of searching for contracts in 2025. Gee, thanks Rachel. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yjlw4n5d5o

Yep Rachel Theives...the gift that just keeps giving....it is stacked against us finding work whereas other countries put their own citizens first for jobs but not here they don't give a fig.

Rates are on the floor if you can even spot a role and even then the volume of applicants is staggering...I saw one yesterday on LinkedIn a guy asking if he can do the job from Pakistan very cheap, it is a holy mess!

Giving up on LinkedIn it is no longer a professional work forum it is like constant births, deaths and marriage stories and sob stories, then some agents slagging off candidates....it is like Facebook now.

Times are grim, worst I have ever known it.

[ladymuck]

So, I missed out on a contract because the work can't be done offshore (I'm currently sat out in Spain).

The irony eh?

This latest visa issue with the US and Rachael (from accounts) Thieves, has pretty much nailed the coffin lid on the UK contract market now hasn't it?

I think that's it for me folks. I'm DONE with it.

There will always be roles that can't be done offshore. Flouncing because you tried and failed to offshore an onshore gig is a bit daft.

[WTFH]

So, I missed out on a contract because the work can't be done offshore (I'm currently sat out in Spain).

The irony eh?

I think that's it for me folks. I'm DONE with it.

Is that a promise, or will you be back in a few weeks again?

You made your decisions, and you have to accept and live with the consequences.