Will the contract market recover? If so when?

[DrewG]

a penthouse in Andalucia

Why do you live in the UK now?

[malvolio]

Why do you live in the UK now?

Why would you want to live in Andalucía?

[DrewG]

Why would you want to live in Andalucía?

Tapas, weather, even closer to ski resorts, nicer property, sangria, cheaper private schools.

[Paralytic]

and driving a Tesla.

I do love a bit of humble-bragging.

[eek]

Why would you want to live in Andalucía?

Equally why would you want to drive a Tesla...

[oliverson]

Tapas, weather, even closer to ski resorts, nicer property, sangria, cheaper private schools.

Because I'm an Englishman! I just couldn't live there, feeling like a second class citizen in somebody else's country. Great for a holiday home, but that's about it. People have this illusion that it's forever warm, no need for heating in winter, etc. Wrong. Picture an apartment with no insulation, floors and bathroom walls all marble. No central heating, other than hot and cold air-conditioning. When that sun, and it's not always sunny, goes down behind the mountain behind us, the temperature drops rapidly. So you heat it up, which isn't cheap, but shortly after the heating goes off, it gets cold again. Consider the summer, too hot in July and August, especially if you have pets that can't go out during the day or they'll scorch their paws. Cold air-conditioning not cheap either. Favourite restaurants and bars and all booked up with tourists. Much better off in England during BST. Definitely discriminated against too. Go into a bank or similar and there's no real queueing system. The staff serve all the Spaniards before the Brits. Even worse for the missus. They're still of the view that a woman is a second class citizen and will only deal with the man. I had to provide written authorisation for my wife to perform some action at the bank even though we are joint bank account holders!

[oliverson]

Equally why would you want to drive a Tesla...

Have you ever driven a Tesla?

I could never go back to the Mercs, BMW's and Audis of this world.

[DrewG]

Because I'm an Englishman! I just couldn't live there, feeling like a second class citizen in somebody else's country. Great for a holiday home, but that's about it. People have this illusion that it's forever warm, no need for heating in winter, etc. Wrong. Picture an apartment with no insulation, floors and bathroom walls all marble. No central heating, other than hot and cold air-conditioning. When that sun, and it's not always sunny, goes down behind the mountain behind us, the temperature drops rapidly. So you heat it up, which isn't cheap, but shortly after the heating goes off, it gets cold again. Consider the summer, too hot in July and August, especially if you have pets that can't go out during the day or they'll scorch their paws. Cold air-conditioning not cheap either. Favourite restaurants and bars and all booked up with tourists. Much better off in England during BST. Definitely discriminated against too. Go into a bank or similar and there's no real queueing system. The staff serve all the Spaniards before the Brits. Even worse for the missus. They're still of the view that a woman is a second class citizen and will only deal with the man. I had to provide written authorisation for my wife to perform some action at the bank even though we are joint bank account holders!

So live somewhere with less tourists?

I lived in Australia for many years, you're not saying anything that wouldn't apply there either.

You're just a grumpy boomer (somewhat evidenced but your attendance at a bank branch, you haven't bothered to learn spanish, and they can spot you a mile off as a Brit, probably wearing union jack socks and sandals).

[oliverson]

So live somewhere with less tourists?

I lived in Australia for many years, you're not saying anything that wouldn't apply there either.

You're just a grumpy boomer (somewhat evidenced but your attendance at a bank branch, you haven't bothered to learn spanish, and they can spot you a mile off as a Brit, probably wearing union jack socks and sandals).

I think the Rolex might have been the giveaway.

[Smartie]

Totally this.

It's not very reasonable to complain that 'permies are nicking our high paid jobs'.

That's the way markets works.

How many times have people on this site advised a permie with little experience to avoid contracting until they've more?
I'll warrant that almost all of us started out in permanent roles so it's a bit rich suggesting that others shouldn't do the same thing.

Perhaps we should look for other reasons which might be that, for instance, perm BA roles have a median salary of around £60k.
Anyone decent might consider that taking home at least double on a contract is a very sensible choice.

Maybe companies hiring should be a bit more particular in the contractors they engage and pay their permies what they're worth.

In any case, I don't have skin in the game at the moment as I've ended up in a long term permanent role paying a top end contract rate.