Grim up North?

[oliverson]

Been darn sarf for 3 years now and fair enough the weather may be better and the rates may be higher but it's no way of life.

Each day I commuted into the City and the train is full of people with the marrow of life sucked out of them. The tube is full of impolite people. Men and children sitting while women stand. What have we become? iPods and mobile phone conversations - no respect for other passengers

Long working days, with low-life managers and substandard coders. Zero job satisfaction.

By contrast, working up north was far from grim. You got to drive to work and park for free. You were treated like a normal person. Fish and chips for £ 4 and fantastic curries. Not had a decent curry in 3 years. Well built houses for half-the price. £ 2 for a pint. Rivers and hills.

But my question is this. Will the good times ever return to the North? Will opportunities be there again like they once were? I've contracted (C# .NET) for 6 years now and this is the first ropey period. Will it improve in the north again? (I'm not the only guy I know down here disillusioned with City working)

I'd love to go back!

[northernladuk]

I would have said this was more a discussion for the General section?

I would have thought we were all well aware of the problems in IT contracting in general but dunno about making an outlook based on geographical location.

It's all up tulip creek kinda sums it up across the board at the moment.

[rsingh]

I moved up North from London for many of the reasons that you stated. I have not been able to secure a contract despite looking in the Midlands, Cheshire, Leeds, Lancashire etc. I am now going back to London for a role at an IB.

Still, it beats being on the bench. I really do hope that the outlook up North improves as I really can't bear thinking of moving back to London permanently.

[rootsnall]

There does appear to be a North/South divide at the moment, manufacturing and industry are stuffed. The SE and in particular banking are benefiting from the govt money printing so doing OK. I think you'll have to grin and bear it for now. I lived in London, then went overseas, came back to an IB job in London, and resigned after a single week of the Northern Line, they wouldn't treat animals like that. Never again.

[nomadd]

I moved up North from London for many of the reasons that you stated. I have not been able to secure a contract despite looking in the Midlands, Cheshire, Leeds, Lancashire etc. I am now going back to London for a role at an IB.

Still, it beats being on the bench. I really do hope that the outlook up North improves as I really can't bear thinking of moving back to London permanently.

WHS.

And I drive a motorcycle into work each day - 30 minutes top. Mind you, in 21 years of contracting, I've only managed 6 months outside of London...

I'm very keen to get back to the North West permanently, but without being a permie. That's the tricky part!

[rootsnall]

WHS.

And I drive a motorcycle into work each day - 30 minutes top. Mind you, in 21 years of contracting, I've only managed 6 months outside of London...

I'm very keen to get back to the North West permanently, but without being a permie. That's the tricky part!

Post recession, just make the move. I didn't think I'd find regular NWest work but managed 5 solid years upto 2009 over 5 or 6 contracts.

[oliverson]

Can any of the more seasoned contractors on here draw parallels with the last crash, probably the dotcom one and then the crash before whenever that was please?

Was the market as flat and low paid, compared to the south, back then.

I'm finding it hard to see how it could possibly get back to where it was. Maybe I was just on a gravy train (2.5 years on £ 450 a day with zero expenses). I think I probably was but cut my cloth accordingly. Hence when it ended I had to come down here for similar rates, but then that didn't happen either.

cheers

[zemoxyl]

Can any of the more seasoned contractors on here draw parallels with the last crash, probably the dotcom one and then the crash before whenever that was please?

Was the market as flat and low paid, compared to the south, back then.

I'm finding it hard to see how it could possibly get back to where it was. Maybe I was just on a gravy train (2.5 years on £ 450 a day with zero expenses). I think I probably was but cut my cloth accordingly. Hence when it ended I had to come down here for similar rates, but then that didn't happen either.

cheers

It's hard to give a generic answer, as skills set ebb and flow in their popularity. AFAIK there's no (technical)skill that'll still be valuable for 25 years.

The 90-92 crash was tough - but not for me (right skill set). 2001-2003 downturn was tough. Rates returned after 2003.

£500 a day was possible in 1990. It still is, although some City jobs are advertised much higher.

The rates have trended down the way for all skills, but to a lesser extent to those newer ones in demand in the City. (e.g. C# wasn't around 20 years ago)

I don't see how rates can ever go back up (to the astronomical levels they once were).

HTH.

[swamp]

Things aren't looking rosy for the UK.

Up North has been propped up by state spending. Newcastle, for instance, has I believe 70% of its jobs in the public sector. When the spending stops, as it must, then Up North will be disproportionately hit.

Things won't be a bed of roses Down South either, but there is at least some private enterprise and foreign tourists to keep things ticking over.

[NeverBeenNorthOfTheM25]

with low-life managers and substandard coders.

Yes the North is well renowned for its top notch coders .......