Is the Testing side of the contract market slow?

[pmeswani]

Surely they cannot be worse that Atos?

50 hours mid-week, plus travel time (2 hours each way), plus weekend working causing me to hit the rumble strips was not enough for the management there.

Which is why I left and started contracting.

How about working with someone (a Team Leader) who racially abuses people as well as discriminating against someone because of their disability and medical conditions and tells his team member that he should have never been employed? Is Atos worse than that?

[The Coal Man]

Is the Testing side of the contract market slow?

i have been looking for a few weeks, am now out of contract and not having much luck with agents submitting my CV to clients.

Same old comments from agents with regards to not having the 'specific' skill set required and will not put me forward and will contact me if anything else comes up. most of the roles seem to be in the investment banking sector and I've not got any relevant experience.

Had dozens of calls for rouge roles asking for references/names of people i use to work with... but no 'jobs'.

on recruiting for a QA team three months back the quality of CV's sent via agents was very poor, as a result I'm confused and not sure what to do.

I'm in testing too and am also on the bench, in the Midlands, am finding it slow here too. I would have expected things to start picking up now we're into Sept.

[SillyMilly]

I worked for EDS as a permie, am not able to secure a contract with them.

I've done a couple of contracts with them; not keen of course, but their money is as good as anyone else's especially if there aren't any other options.

I was working for them on the9/11 when they wouldn't let us use the internet to follow the news from NY. Everyone was ringing out to find out what was going on then passing the news round the office, so it didn't improve productivity too much!

[divine-elle]

QA Testing Rates are dropping fast. Apparently agents are getting about 80-100 applications per advertised role, and people willing to take £200-250 per day.

Got three emails yesterday, all similar to this - amusing eh!
The fact that i am submitting my CV means I'm looking for work, as for points 2 and 3...what ever happened to client confidentiality!
Discussed....never spoken to them before!

Dear ,

I hope this e-mail finds you well.

As you know I have been dealing with several applications for you over the course of the last 4 weeks.

We have discussed various roles in different locations, and the reason for my e-mail this morning is to catch up with you as to where you are with things so far.

As previously discussed, there are several opportunities I am working on in and around your desired areas within the sectors that suit your background.

Before I can proceed any further with things for you, I will need the following information to make sure I am not

a) Pursuing opportunities when you are no longer available
b) Duplicating any applications on your behalf that have progressed since we last spoke

With this in mind, please update me as to:

1) Your current situation at the moment
2) The applications you are waiting to hear back form
3) Companies to avoid approaching that may already have your CV

Please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail, in order that I may begin to proceed with further applications for you.


Kind Regards,



Pathway
Phone: 020 7292 6888
Email:
Web: http://www.pathwayresourcing.com

[pmeswani]

QA Testing Rates are dropping fast. Apparently agents are getting about 80-100 applications per advertised role, and people willing to take £200-250 per day.

Got three emails yesterday, all similar to this - amusing eh!
The fact that i am submitting my CV means I'm looking for work, as for points 2 and 3...what ever happened to client confidentiality!
Discussed....never spoken to them before!

Dear ,

I hope this e-mail finds you well.

As you know I have been dealing with several applications for you over the course of the last 4 weeks.

We have discussed various roles in different locations, and the reason for my e-mail this morning is to catch up with you as to where you are with things so far.

As previously discussed, there are several opportunities I am working on in and around your desired areas within the sectors that suit your background.

Before I can proceed any further with things for you, I will need the following information to make sure I am not

a) Pursuing opportunities when you are no longer available
b) Duplicating any applications on your behalf that have progressed since we last spoke

With this in mind, please update me as to:

1) Your current situation at the moment
2) The applications you are waiting to hear back form
3) Companies to avoid approaching that may already have your CV

Please do not hesitate to reply to this e-mail, in order that I may begin to proceed with further applications for you.


Kind Regards,



Pathway
Phone: <removed>
Email:
Web: http://www.pathwayresourcing.com

You could tell them that under the Data Protection Act, you are not permitted to reveal the names of current and future clients. I wonder what their comeback would be.

[SillyMilly]

Is anyone having any luck with testing jobs yet? My CV has gone into around a dozen companies in the last 3 weeks - no response from any of them. Not a sniff of an interview. Is it me or is everyone finding the same?

[StuntManMike]

Is anyone having any luck with testing jobs yet? My CV has gone into around a dozen companies in the last 3 weeks - no response from any of them. Not a sniff of an interview. Is it me or is everyone finding the same?

yep, definately the same. Been benched now for 2 months.

[ratewhore]

You could tell them that under the Data Protection Act, you are not permitted to reveal the names of current and future clients. I wonder what their comeback would be.

I don't believe the DPA covers companies. Only individuals. However, I'm not anal enough to read the damn thing so could be wrong...

[SueEllen]

I don't believe the DPA covers companies. Only individuals. However, I'm not anal enough to read the damn thing so could be wrong...

It covers individuals in those companies.

Small businesses don't necessarily need to be on the register but you have to abide by the Data Protection Act, so you are not allowed to give out the personal details of customers. You can be pedantic and interpret this as not being allowed to give out the person's actual name or a way to contact them.

(This is information I've gleamed from a lawyer who specialises in Data Protection.)

[gadgetman]

Oh dear doesn't sound good.

I am in the last 4 weeks of a 3 month Test Manager contract so have started putting the feelers out. Been put forward for 3 roles so far.

Was on the bench for three weeks before I found the current gig so not too bad. Maybe the market has worsened.

yep, definately the same. Been benched now for 2 months.