Any one feeling the pinch ?

[mcgeeky]

Shell and BP are suffering in a different way to much of the market - for example, read the current profits statement from BP.

Mind you, it's actually a good time to buy their shares.

My impression is that the same cautious mentality is spreading to other companies, like a disease, who are not directly impacted by the financial crisis.

[TheFaQQer]

They are all just fishing

Unlikely - unless they are sharing the fishing descriptions! I had two agents ring about the same role on more than one occasion - some I've passed over to a mate who could do it, and I know he's interviewed for one.

[oracleslave]

Unlikely - unless they are sharing the fishing descriptions! I had two agents ring about the same role on more than one occasion - some I've passed over to a mate who could do it, and I know he's interviewed for one.

Fair enough. Was a bit cynical a while back when I was looking for Oracle work before getting this gig as there were so many roles advertised that turned out not to be real.

[sathyaram_s]

Never take an agent's 'slow market' statement. It is one approach they take to push your rate down.

Spoke to an agent this week who told me how slow they were finding the Oracle market. I thought that was strange, since I've had a few calls this past week asking about my availability with decent sounding roles.

[DBA_bloke]

Never take an agent's 'slow market' statement. It is one approach they take to push your rate down.

The Oracle contract market is a bit slow; permie is OK.

[Zorba]

Well, my experience over the last 4 weeks is that the market is tightening in a big way. I have had the likes of Shell with their multibillion pound profit withdrawing contract roles and filling them internally instead. When a company with that much money tries to save a few quid the situation must be dire.

That could just be several other things:

- 'thrifty' project management who get people in through existing contractors rather than agencies

- projects that are obliged, by some asinine internal governance procedure, to advertise contracts that are being renewed in any case.

I see/do that all the time.

[TheFaQQer]

Never take an agent's 'slow market' statement. It is one approach they take to push your rate down.

Since he knew I was in contract, I'm not so sure - in demand skills will still be in demand, but maybe the general market is slow.

[TheFaQQer]

Fair enough. Was a bit cynical a while back when I was looking for Oracle work before getting this gig as there were so many roles advertised that turned out not to be real.

Just had the third phone call in a week about the same role - that's what niche skills will do for you!

[mace]

Yes it's dire

I've been contracting 10 years now. In that time, I had 4 months out in 2002 (2 months bothering to look), 2 months out in 2003, the rest of the time just a week or so between gigs.

I've been looking since mid-August now. My CV is apparantly with 6 clients, the longest of which I sent my CV to in July.

2 of the clients are investment banks (whom I'm told are always slow and are slower because of the turmoil in the market), 2 with insurance companies, 1 with a retail bank and 1 with an entertainment company. I live in London.

I've been told that I've been short listed for interview for the 2 investment bank jobs but have heard nothing since (over a week in both cases, just keep on being told that they've still not heard when the interview will take place).

People are going to have different experiences, I imagine. I'm not flexible on location and my rate is in the upper quartile. That said, 6 clients having my CV is a lot better than how it was back in 03/04, the process is however much slower than I've ever experienced.

[Lewis]

2 of the clients are investment banks (whom I'm told are always slow and are slower because of the turmoil in the market),

Hate to be sour grapes but that sounds like a line to me. In my experience banks are usually the fastest to react and get you in for an interview. If it went over 2 weeks I would think something funny was going on. Although to be fair you sound like you are someone people would want so maybe things have gone bad. Hope not