15 calls today!

[courtg9000]

Had 15 calls from agencies today wanting Microsoft System Center expertise..

Some of you will know some of the story but why not quickly recap. My last IT Contract ended in early 2013. I left the sector. I did a few other very lucrative things and retired due to ill health at the end of 2020.
The last time the IT CV was updated was early 2012 and certainly doesn't even have my last IT Contract on it. The new format for my cv which has not been updated in itself since Jan 2021 is not easily available anyway and has never been easily accessible does not list individual contracts on it..
So this begs the question what are recruiters doing running around town with a 12 year old CV?
More to the point whats happening out there?

To be fair I only recognised one of the agencies, which is not surprising I guess given the passing of time. Bearing in mind how awful said agency were back then I have kind of hoped that they would have gone bust by now, but hey ho.

They all sound like the same 2 clients - none of then named the clients. For anyone who does Microsoft System Center there is some work going begging down at "The Wharf" and some where in Amsterdam.

[sadkingbilly]

[dsc]

I'd say you have skills which are hard to find (overall, or just at the moment) and every recruiter out there found your CV and started banging on the door. Happens to me every single time there's a job offer in my niche area, I get 10-15 phone calls initially as there's only a few CVs in the UK with that specific software package.

[courtg9000]

I'd say you have skills which are hard to find (overall, or just at the moment) and every recruiter out there found your CV and started banging on the door. Happens to me every single time there's a job offer in my niche area, I get 10-15 phone calls initially as there's only a few CVs in the UK with that specific software package.

yep I get that, but using a 12 year old CV!?

[dsc]

yep I get that, but using a 12 year old CV!?

Just shows how bad the market is I guess...

[fiisch]

This mirrors my experience, but not for Microsoft Service Centre - I am in a contract til end of the year and am not actively looking, but fielded a number of calls from agencies trying to tempt me away and rates are 15% higher than I'm used to seeing for my role/industry. Not currently, ever, with roles offering highest day rates I've ever seen (£700-£750 p/d for BA roles outside IR35). Rays of sunshine appearing? Definitely been a significant uptick in last few weeks.

[Fraidycat]

roles offering highest day rates I've ever seen (£700-£750 p/d for BA roles outside IR35). Rays of sunshine appearing? Definitely been a significant uptick in last few weeks.

Good to see signs of a recovery in some sectors. Sadly £700 a day is now worth what £550 a day was five years ago. Inflation!

[edison]

Good to see signs of a recovery in some sectors. Sadly £700 a day is now worth what £550 a day was five years ago. Inflation!

This is the killer that I think is only really starting to hit home for many people - contractors as well as perms. Yes, real rates probably peaked in the early 2000s but the after inflation decline is a slow long term trend that feels like it has no end in sight.

According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, my rate should be 36% higher than when I first started 11 years ago. My rate in my new gig is about 12% higher. And inside IR35 too, so knock off another 20 percentage points.

Our long term purchasing power is likely to continue to decline. Maybe a couple of percent year on year but over another 5, 10 years that compounds to a lot of pain!

[MyUserName]

Experiences devs with Rust are still in demand. £800pd is the going rate for them, usually inside.

Some foreign companies are offering silly money, they are usually in the blockchain or crypto world.