Glad thats done, now for the waiting.

[Worzel]

5 years ago I'd have popped into Sainbury's for champagne on the way home, these days they interview 10 people for 1x 3 month contract and all the candidates are going to be good quality from a 50+ CV sift.

It's almost like the clients are having their revenge for the times when they were lucky to get 2 or 3 CV's and an interview was a formality just to check you were human.

Yeah you're absolutely right and I'm beginning to feel the same way. How times have changed! Will a "normal" job market ever return?

[worzelGummidge]

an interview was a formality just to check you were human.

I remember those days, Ah lovely.
Contracting seems to go in massive swings. During the ten years that I have been doing this game I have seen both swings twice now. I remember that one interview I turned up and was asked if I wanted a coffee and was then shown the office with no windows and just the one large desk with everyone sat around the edges working and then asked if I wanted the role. No was the answer.

On another occasion for a dot com company I turned up for the interview and then me and the hiring manager went to the pub. I was not sure what to order - beer or coffee. I went for the Orange juice. I accepted that gig.

On another potential gig I was just offered the role and had to ask for an interview. I like to check them out also - it's just not a one way thing.

Now your one of a very large number of people who are desperate for the gig and will undercut the next guy just to get it - while their agent is bloating their cut.

The tide will turn.

[northernladuk]

My current client has a relatively strict 3 year limit on contractor stays, then most of the time it is go perm or leave.

Is it a big company? Quite often they will have a managed service on site with some company and then a load of contractors through an agent. It is pretty common that they swap the contractor to work through the managed service so he disappears off headcount and the radar when it comes to cuts.

Needs an understanding manager, HR, agent and service provider but works pretty well.

[Scrag Meister]

I dont get it, why dip your toe in this particularly murky job market when you have the option to stay tucked up for the next 6 months? Makes no sense to me.

Well, he says that it's a good fall-back.

After 3 years on the same contract, I'd probably be suicidal and wanting a change. If there is a 6 month contract on offer elsewhere, I'd jump to it.

WWikir ManS

Work load is down, dev is low, mainly support but the volumne of that is very small. Sounds great x£100 per day to surf, chat, read etc.... but I am sooooooooo boooorrrrreeeeeddddd!!! YAWN!!!

[Sausage Surprise]

WHS!

Had an interview today where the TM and STA didnt really seem to know what they wanted. Im not hopeful for this role one jot. Fortunately, I'd only got home about an hour after returning when another agent contacted me and said would I go to such and such for an interview? I nearly let it slip I'd just got back from there but caught myself just in time.

So, tomorrow, I return for another interview. Hope they know what they are looking for this time!

Wish me luck and keep looking folks. You wont get anything if you give up.

You're interviewing at the same place twice?
What if it's the same interviewers?
I'm confused - has the client not realised?

[Scrag Meister]

Another rung on the ladder..

2nd interview tomorrow.

[norrahe]

Yeah you're absolutely right and I'm beginning to feel the same way. How times have changed! Will a "normal" job market ever return?

Same for me, a few years back and it would be just me or just me and a.n.other, now I'm up against lots of permies who've just been made redundant and will take silly rates just to get the job and even I'm taking quite a cut.

[Worzel]

Work load is down, dev is low, mainly support but the volumne of that is very small. Sounds great x£100 per day to surf, chat, read etc.... but I am sooooooooo boooorrrrreeeeeddddd!!! YAWN!!!

OK, 3 years is a long time in 1 contract so if it's a real challenge you're after then by all means turn down that extension. Searching for work in this market is harder, more stressful and at the same time more boring than any contract I've done in the last 15 years! If you do manage to jump from one contract to the other then well done - agents love a busy person who is unavailable but they don't seem so keen on someone who can start immediately!

[gingerjedi]

Just had a call from the agent, the sadistic git started with the word 'unfortunately' but then went on to say they have been unable to give the decision because they need to get the the go-ahead from procurement, they could have easily just said no if I was out of the running.

I have never wanted a gig more than this one as it's interesting, close to home and good money. I can't stand the limbo though.

[Scrag Meister]

Also the client said they would look for me to retrain to Java after 12 months or so, that is cool, for a client to train a contractor, unless they missed out the "as long as you go perm"

Quite keen on this one as You may have guessed.

But the wait is hell.