Credit Crunch

[Sysman]

I pay mine off every month, so nope.

(I feel an article coming on...)

Remembering what it was like in the early nineties, I've been battening down the hatches.

I actually applied for two permie jobs a couple of months ago. Both positions have been cancelled, which gave me an early warning of how hard that bank was going to be hit.

This is entirely in line with what I've seen in previous recessions. Headcount gets frozen/reduced (contractors don't count for this, so that cloud can have a silver lining). Capital expenditure and new projects also get hit. This can be good if you are into supporting legacy systems.

Go on Jacko - write an article

[backgetyou]

That may not be due to the credit crunch. Perhaps the client thinks you are carp?

Did you mean crap? I think ability may not be the cause, I think its balls. The thing I keep reading on this forum is how 'my pimp' robs me or 'its the way all agencies are'. At the end of the day you can tell the agent to ram his rise, he may drop you he may agree your terms. If your agent is getting £20 an hour from you and you want £5 of this then it all depends on how good you are/how good a job you are doing and if he has a queue of people waiting to fill your space. Me if I didnt get what I wanted I would push for it and if its clear its not happening I would walk then or as soon as someone offers me what I want. I have never been out of work it works for me and I now get quite a bit of direct work.

We now have the 90's brought up when it was so bad.... for those that contracted in the 90's they earnt a packet - I did set me up fo life so cant complain, the bubble bust in 2000 but those that were earning good money and had tight contracts did not lose much I still earnt well but saw many go permie or lose their balls and drop their rate even some as low as 50% less. I suppose it depends on your circumstances and how good you are with money.

As for a crash, I doubt it. Things will be tight for some of this year but there is still more work than workers. Once the housing markets crashes rates will climb again as they did in the last cycle. If you cant afford to be out of work you should not contract its not worth losing your home - if you are thinking of going permie then do it before things get tighter as it might look bad for you.

[BrilloPad]

Did you mean carp? I think ability may not be the cause, I think its balls. The thing I keep reading on this forum is how 'my pimp' robs me or 'its the way all agencies are'. At the end of the day you can tell the agent to ram his rise, he may drop you he may agree your terms. If your agent is getting £20 an hour from you and you want £5 of this then it all depends on how good you are/how good a job you are doing and if he has a queue of people waiting to fill your space. Me if I didnt get what I wanted I would push for it and if its clear its not happening I would walk then or as soon as someone offers me what I want. I have never been out of work it works for me and I now get quite a bit of direct work.

We now have the 90's brought up when it was so bad.... for those that contracted in the 90's they earnt a packet - I did set me up fo life so cant complain, the bubble bust in 2000 but those that were earning good money and had tight contracts did not lose much I still earnt well but saw many go permie or lose their balls and drop their rate even some as low as 50% less. I suppose it depends on your circumstances and how good you are with money.

As for a crash, I doubt it. Things will be tight for some of this year but there is still more work than workers. Once the housing markets crashes rates will climb again as they did in the last cycle. If you cant afford to be out of work you should not contract its not worth losing your home - if you are thinking of going permie then do it before things get tighter as it might look bad for you.

I agree with alot of that. But the big growth area recently has been IBs. And alot are pulling in their horns. They all know what the others are doing.