New contractor - long term outlook?

[Not So Wise]

Contracting should be starting well on the upwards slope by the end of the year (don't leave it much past Sept as by late Nov/Early Dec seasonal downturn will start), unless something happens to the wider economy we should be back at the height of the boom during the same period the year after that but one thing to take into consideration, the IT sector as a whole is probably in trouble, better software, easier/faster development tools, off shoring, ICT's are all have a negative impact on the sector as a whole

Which is why I tell anyone starting out who is considering IT, "don't"

[VectraMan]

I think with increasing employment legislation, and with the recession making both companies and employees have a rethink, contracting will become a more popular way of working in the future.

It's IT, and industry in general that's screwed. The nature of contracting means the contractors feel the initial downturn more (because it's much harder to get rid of permies), but I don't think there's anything to suggest contracting itself is in decline.

[Stan.goodvibes]

I've been contracting now for nearly 15 years, my first contract was in London in 1995. I had no trouble getting a contract then and (without realising it at the time) unemployment was the same then as it is now.

I've been through the dotcom boom and 9/11 and some highs and lows but in all that time I've never involuntarily been on the bench.

The reports of the death of I.T. are IMHO greatly exagerated. If anything ITC just keeps getting *more* complicated. The landscape of ITC is changing as we get better connected, but after all these years and all this talk of flexible working hours and working from home etc, clients still want to see your bum on a seat at their premises.

I also think you should stick with Microsoft - with dotnet development, SQL Server, and windows being the dominant OS it's the area with the most opportunity.

I think the contracting market is tougher than it used to be, but there is still a ton of opportunity out there and my prediction is that once the upturn is well underway the 'good old days' will return. Again.

[Grunter]

I think with increasing employment legislation, and with the recession making both companies and employees have a rethink, contracting will become a more popular way of working in the future.

I agree, but the one thing that will change will be a large reduction in rates. When I started contracting 25 years ago I was getting three to four times the permie rate, but now only about one and a half.

Contracting is like Crystal Meth . Once you start you are hooked forever and the chances of going permie again after two or three years are very slim. My advice is to stay permie.