State of the market

[Fred Bloggs]

In my world (process engineering), the NW of England hasn't really got a market for contractors at the moment. It is totally dead. There was brief flurry of activity before Christmas but it is now dead again and has been for the best part of two years now.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

You are in Manchester aren't you?

Yep though living in the outskirts not the city, I have mentioned in many previous posts...

[CheeseSlice]

Good news....

Positive bounce in IT jobs market - report

The number of IT job appointments jumped significantly last month, according to a major survey.

The monthly Report on Jobs for January, from KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) showed that demand for permanent IT and computing workers had increased the most out of all the industries, compared to the previous month.

The report is based on a survey of 400 UK recruitment consultants, and as well as asking consultants to name specific skills that are in short supply, uses a figure to represent demand in each job sector. A figure above 50 indicates an increase on the previous month.

In January, the figure for permanent IT jobs was 65.2, only a slightly slower rate of growth than the figure the same time last year (65.6).

For temporary IT jobs, the demand had become quite significantly stronger compared with last year, from 58.8 in January 2010 to 62.2 last month.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Good news....

Positive bounce in IT jobs market - report

I think Feb might come out even stronger. I only got offered 3 interviews all of Jan but then suddenly got 4 more in first week of Feb.

[perplexed]

Had a pimp in contact about a few possibilities.

Chatting about the state of the market, he was saying his agency had fewer roles available than this time last year, pondering if a double dip going to occur.

Whereas in my experience, there's been more available than last year - more "advertised" roles, more contact from pimps along with interviews.

I didn't have the heart to suggets his agency might be losing clients...

[Clippy]

Just wanted to point out that market seems to have suddenly gone nuts. I have been offered a lot of interviews in the last week and the rates seem to have really gone up. I have also seen roles advertised then re-advertised a week later at a higher rate. These are all really good signs, let's hope the recovery continues, I am starting to regret accepting this role 65 miles away from home when I see so many local roles coming up.

Anybody else agree?

Perhaps it a spike prior to half term.

i.e. recruiters wanting to get roles filled/interviewed before they are off for a few weeks?

[MrMark]

After a wee spike in January, it seems to have all gone quiet as a dormouse again.

[PropertyCrashUK]

After a wee spike in January, it seems to have all gone quiet as a dormouse again.

Ditto. This week it has been dire in Wales. Lots of calls for work in London and stuff in Europe.

Don't want to do London again but might have to. Am considering some of the European stuff I keep getting called about.

[vegan4life]

haven't read all the posts so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

a major UK, tax-payer owned bank are ramping up their offshore resources so are due to let go a shed load of technology staff this week. It might take a few months for the impact to be felt on the market but projects are already suffering. If you ask for help from technology you often get err.. no response.

On the change management side Indians are being trained up to take on BA work. In fact some projects are already managed from the UK but 100% executed in India. The feeling is that the bank will gradually reduce its contractor head count. Permie PMs and senior BAs will eventually spend all day on the phone to india - sitting between the business and the BAs in India. Something like that.

[PropertyCrashUK]

haven't read all the posts so sorry if this has already been mentioned.

a major UK, tax-payer owned bank are ramping up their offshore resources so are due to let go a shed load of technology staff this week. It might take a few months for the impact to be felt on the market but projects are already suffering. If you ask for help from technology you often get err.. no response.

On the change management side Indians are being trained up to take on BA work. In fact some projects are already managed from the UK but 100% executed in India. The feeling is that the bank will gradually reduce its contractor head count. Permie PMs and senior BAs will eventually spend all day on the phone to india - sitting between the business and the BAs in India. Something like that.

I take it this is RBS? LloydsTSB appear to be hiring contractors. Or is it the Rock? Naming it on here surely will not have them tracking back to you?

Give a hint at least.