Times to get tough again

[hgllgh]

I'm not looking for a new contract just yet but maybe in the near future.
I am guessing that there will downward pressure on rates again when the Lib-Con axe falls.

Loads more contractors on the market = lower rates + harder to get contracts ?

(And ofcourse agents will start using it as an excuse to bump rates down)

[Spacecadet]

What I've heard from agents several times over the past 18 months is "lots more contractors on the market but the quality is crap."

[stillooking]

What I've heard from agents several times over the past 18 months is "lots more contractors on the market but the quality is crap."

I've heard the first part i.e. "that there is lots of contractors on the mkt" but not the second part. An agents perspective or opinion should be taken lightly.

[stillooking]

I'm not looking for a new contract just yet but maybe in the near future.
I am guessing that there will downward pressure on rates again when the Lib-Con axe falls.

Loads more contractors on the market = lower rates + harder to get contracts ?

(And ofcourse agents will start using it as an excuse to bump rates down)

this is happening already and for many years, depending which market sector you're in.

[Spacecadet]

I've heard the first part i.e. "that there is lots of contractors on the mkt" but not the second part. An agents perspective or opinion should be taken lightly.

Depends on the agent, some actually know what they're talking about.

Agents have a much better view on the market than we do. They're dealing with it every day. We only have to consider it when looking for a new contract, which for some contractors is less than every 2 years!

Its in an agents best interests to keep the good guys informed, they don't actually like it when a client ditches a contractor because they're crap. It's not good for repeat business and they've lost the revenue from that contract.

Don't shut agents out completely they see things which you can't

[northernladuk]

I'm not looking for a new contract just yet but maybe in the near future.
I am guessing that there will downward pressure on rates again when the Lib-Con axe falls.

Loads more contractors on the market = lower rates + harder to get contracts ?

(And ofcourse agents will start using it as an excuse to bump rates down)

Thats quite a generalisation and not worth the time taken to write it IMO. You can't sum up the whole market in on BS paragraph.

If you are guessing like that why not start getting skilled up in niche work and look for areas that are not harder to get rather than crying about it?

[stillooking]

Agents have a much better view on the market than we do. They're dealing with it every day. We only have to consider it when looking for a new contract, which for some contractors is less than every 2 years!

Don't shut agents out completely they see things which you can't

Based on your message, I'm better informed than you -by a long way.

I don't shut agents out, some are ok and I do see the picture, but thanks for pointing things out that don't apply to me.

[Spacecadet]

but thanks for pointing things out that don't apply to me.

Don't mention it

Are you still benched?

[Manic]

I'm not looking for a new contract just yet but maybe in the near future.
I am guessing that there will downward pressure on rates again when the Lib-Con axe falls.

Loads more contractors on the market = lower rates + harder to get contracts ?

(And ofcourse agents will start using it as an excuse to bump rates down)

Not necessarily. As the cuts come, business will start investing, the pound will get stronger and confidence goes up.

[hgllgh]

Thats quite a generalisation and not worth the time taken to write it IMO. You can't sum up the whole market in on BS paragraph.

BS. Course you can sum the market up in one paragraph. My point is that the reality we are looking at is.. more difficult market conditions due to the cuts and growing sovereign debt problems (Bit more of an intelligent way to put it northernlad ). Ofcourse we could just ignore it and stick our heads in the sand.

However I do agree with you that now is the time to reskill