When is the peak for contracting positions?

[houmie]

Hi,

I am thinking stepping into IT developer contracting. I was wondering if I should attempt my search in Feb or wait until Spring in first week of April? The latter is because of a planned holiday I was hoping to go before the hell breaks loose, but then again I might miss the chance to get a contract at all if I am late.

I have been told the best time for contracting is in Spring. What do you think?

Thanks,

[SueEllen]

Troughs tend to be around the major school holidays i.e. Easter, Summer holidays (August) and December. However doesn't mean you won't find contract work then everything depends on clients needs.

[TykeMerc]

Troughs tend to be around the major school holidays i.e. Easter, Summer holidays (August) and December. However doesn't mean you won't find contract work then everything depends on clients needs.

Very true, some of those troughs tend to quite prolonged too, as a general rule if I'm not in contract in December I don't expect to secure one before late Jan and mid June to late August can be a waste of effort.

That being said I finished my previous gig in early November and was surprised to get a new one that started the 2nd week in December.

Late Feb-March seems to be a good time for me to pick up a role.

[Fred Bloggs]

You can't tell, last year the three weeks leading up to Xmas were the busiest in my field. But I have landed jobs at all times of the year actually.

[Mephisto]

The trends are haywire - jobslave and related sites seem to have an abundance of contracts at the moment whereas this time last year and the year before it was ...

Make sure you F5 F5 F5 throughout the day

[Svalbaard]

The cusp of new financial year when yearly portfolio budgets are being approved and projects start to be ramped up is always a good time to be putting extra effort in. Also, late September into early October time after the school holidays finish always seems to make my phone ring.

[northernladuk]

Can someone dig out that graph from the job sites that maps the number of jobs posted over a few years. I seem to remember that quite plainly showed dips and peaks. Put it on sticky and then have done with these ridiculous questions about when market is busiest or not. Either that or people use some common, understand business and budget periods and work it out.

[gingerjedi]

Can someone dig out that graph from the job sites that maps the number of jobs posted over a few years. I seem to remember that quite plainly showed dips and peaks. Put it on sticky and then have done with these ridiculous questions about when market is busiest or not. Either that or people use some common, understand business and budget periods and work it out.

This one?

http://www.jobstats.co.uk/images/cha...nth_smooth.png No in-line images outside of General?? Never noticed that before.

They don't bother updating it these days, nothing to report.

As for the peak, Dec 1999.

[nomadd]

I have been told the best time for contracting is in Spring. What do you think?

Thanks,

There's no "best" time.

Think about it. When your contracts - and I've had a few over the last 20-odd years - come to an end, are you going to insist the client retains you until the right time of year for you to start looking comes around? No, of course not. So, in other words, you are going to find yourself looking at all times of year once you hit the bench. So get used to it, and just simply start looking now. Or forget about contracting.

[Svalbaard]

Can someone dig out that graph from the job sites that maps the number of jobs posted over a few years. I seem to remember that quite plainly showed dips and peaks. Put it on sticky and then have done with these ridiculous questions about when market is busiest or not. Either that or people use some common, understand business and budget periods and work it out.

Chill out mate. Since when did this become YOUR board? He's quite entitled to post whatever question he wants an answer to. Perhaps if you'd be more informative rather than reactive these boards might become more useful rather than the quagmire that you would seem to prefer.