First time contractor.. where did all the jobs go?

[Cirrus]

I took the plunge and quit my job to focus completely on the contractor market and also tap into those opportunities that usually needs one to join asap within a week.

Everybody reading this: Please don't give up your permie job until you've got a signed contract. It is utterly pointless to do so.

When I started contracting I got several roles and turned them down before I could precisely match leaving and starting.

Assume it's true agents only want you if you are available quickly: just lie through your teeth or walk out early. Now and again things are really urgent and (like my last contract) they can turn things around in a few days, but that is by far the exception. At the end of the day you can let such opportunities go to other grateful cons.

[MyUserName]

Slightly too late too advise but unless you are serious player with a trade-able reputation in a specific sector I wouldn't go near contracting anymore. In fact if you are leaving school or six form I wouldn't consider trying to get into IT as the technical skills are heading increasingly off shore and there is a movement to have business people perform the soft skills.

I give this advice too now. Unless you have strong contacts or you are truly awesome going into software development is a bad idea imho.

[LondonManc]

I give this advice too now. Unless you have strong contacts or you are truly awesome going into software development is a bad idea imho.

The only good area is probably mobile apps

[malvolio]

The only good area is probably mobile apps

Or DevOPs or Cloud Implementation or Cloud Services or quite a few other architecture related roles. Snag is, you have to be both good and well experienced to get them! Ditto PMs and up but with specific technical or environmental skills behind them

The market looks to be split: all the work is at the top end, the support and development stuff looks to be the one in trouble with low rates or low opportunities.

[SussexSeagull]

The only good area is probably mobile apps

Certainly was a few years ago but is overcrowded now. Sadly most niche skills tend to have a short shelf life before everyone else catches up now.

[edison]

[QUOTE=Cirrus;2388352]Everybody reading this: Please don't give up your permie job until you've got a signed contract. It is utterly pointless to do so.


I wouldn't advise this for someone who works in development or testing for example but it surely depends on personal circumstances and the field you work in?

I gave up a perm job on a six figure package in 2013 to move into contracting. The nearest I had been to contracting was working as a salaried consultant for five years with a dozen clients. However, I had two things in my favour - a war chest to last me 6-9 months and I work in a niche business facing field that, touch wood, is impacted relatively little by outsourcing, offshoring or consultancies moving in.

Granted, things look different in 2017, especially in technical roles, but I've got an ex-colleague whose circumstances are very similar to mine described above (but she was on a six figure salary) and she left a perm job without a contract to go to and is now a successful contractor too.

[SussexSeagull]

Or DevOPs or Cloud Implementation or Cloud Services or quite a few other architecture related roles. Snag is, you have to be both good and well experienced to get them! Ditto PMs and up but with specific technical or environmental skills behind them

The market looks to be split: all the work is at the top end, the support and development stuff looks to be the one in trouble with low rates or low opportunities.

I think this is a fair assessment. Certainly on here some people are having months out while others are hardly noticing a problem (although I suspect some people forget there is a difference between 'getting phone calls' and 'starting a new contract').

[BigRed]

Assume it's true agents only want you if you are available quickly

This is absolutely true. The clients might not be in any hurry, but the agent wants to get a contract and someone onsite before something happens to change the deal. If you are sat there doing nothing for a month, all to the good, more chance of an extension.

I've also had calls in the morning when I've been just about to go into a meeting and said I'm interested but could they call me back later, never heard from them again.

[europetractor]

Well my niche SharePoint seems completely dead now.

[LondonManc]

Well my niche SharePoint seems completely dead now.

I dodged a job as a Lotus Notes Developer in 1998