Pimp says the market is buoyant!

[kaiser78]

However contract rates are about 20% down and same for permie roles.

Based on what period please ? Not disputing this, just interested to see if based against last 6 months / 12 months etc.

[nomadd]

So I was talking to a pimp at a well known agency about a BA role at an IB and he remarked that "the market is buoyant right now"

Did I miss the September surge, or the October eh onslaught??

Has it picked up when I wasn't looking?

Typical, it's like when you pop to the loo for a quick pee and a goal gets scored in the big match!!

What are peoples experiences of late, is it getting better?

Cheers,
Alan

Just secured an Investment Banking role after 7 months on the bench. Sept. bounce certainly didn't happen for me. Oct. was much better, though, and I had another role on offer besides the one I took (mind you, that was in Docklands, so I was highly unlikely to take it as I hate the place...)

I think things have improved, but I don't think they are that good. I think any talk of the market being "buoyant" is lunacy. And when you consider that the Christmas wind-down for permies starts in about 4-6 weeks, the contract market may well go back to being dead until Spring next year (and if Spring 2010 is anything like Spring 2009, well, that won't be much to celebrate...)

Nomadd

[kaiser78]

Just secured an Investment Banking role after 7 months on the bench. Sept. bounce certainly didn't happen for me. Oct. was much better, though, and I had another role on offer besides the one I took (mind you, that was in Docklands, so I was highly unlikely to take it as I hate the place...)

I think things have improved, but I don't think they are that good. I think any talk of the market being "buoyant" is lunacy. And when you consider that the Christmas wind-down for permies starts in about 4-6 weeks, the contract market may well go back to being dead until Spring next year (and if Spring 2010 is anything like Spring 2009, well, that won't be much to celebrate...)

Nomadd

Congrats - how have you found the rates say compared to your last contract ?

[swamp]

I've had a few calls lately, one regarding a real contract round the corner. I'm not looking at the mo but it was encouraging to see some activity out there. There certainly was no Surge in September, more of a Silence, but October is Odd.

[Ruse]

Based on what period please ? Not disputing this, just interested to see if based against last 6 months / 12 months etc.

My last contract which ended in May and started 7 months earlier was at a rate which is just not on offer now. In fact the rates are probably down 25% on that rate. So to answer your question probably over last 6/9 months.

[Ruse]

And when you consider that the Christmas wind-down for permies starts in about 4-6 weeks, the contract market may well go back to being dead until Spring next year (and if Spring 2010 is anything like Spring 2009, well, that won't be much to celebrate...)

Nomadd

Stop, stop, too many gloomy comments ! Spare a thought for those of us still left on the bench and trying to remain optimistic.

[Pogle]

I have to say, that things in my niche area are really busy. there are lots of contracts around at the moment and some rates are laughable, but to get the people with 4 years + experience people do seem to be upping their rates. This time last year it really was tumbleweed city, but I'm getting calls daily now.

[gingerjedi]

I guess he has a raft of roles to fill so he thinks its boom town without actually peeking over his little cubicle and looking at the world out there. Him being busy does not equate to boyant.

WHS ^

If there were suddenly 5x the number of roles it would still take some time before the slack was taken up, having spoken to quite a few pimps and HR people I believe them when they say they often get 100+ CV's per role advertised.

[Ruse]

WHS ^

If there were suddenly 5x the number of roles it would still take some time before the slack was taken up, having spoken to quite a few pimps and HR people I believe them when they say they often get 100+ CV's per role advertised.

Very true. The difference is that July-Sept there weren't even any roles to apply for, at least not in my slightly niche area. Now there are some roles but the competition is intense and therefore the downward pressure on rates is also very high.

[mrdonuts]

Did I miss the September surge, or the October eh onslaught??

yes, it will soon be Nothing in November and Dead in December