market

[northernladuk]

Irrespective of whether you opt out or not. Agency can and will restrict on the client side, albeit for 8 weeks instead of the 12 months for opt out that I suspect they will have (based on your contract).

If clients want the benefit of agencies, they should pay for it.

What is your perspective on the 12 monther Andy? I have been led to believe from threads on here and other sources that 12 months is unenforceable as it falls foul of your human right work as well as could be considered unreasonable as it doesn't really fulfill either :

(1) there must be a valid interest which the
party imposing the restraint is trying to protect;
Contracts can be less than 6 months and often less than 12 so to restrict for the entire duration of the next contract doesn't make sense and...

(2) the restraint must be no more extensive
than is reasonable to protect that interest;
In 12 months time the technology used will have moved on as will any prior knowledge on of the client. The interest protected is just getting another contractor onsite so 12 months is very excessive.

Would that mean that putting a 12 month handcuff in a contract is actually shooting yourself in the foot as the whole restraint becomes void.

You mentioned you would argue some of things said about restraint of trade. Was this one of them?

[SueEllen]

Would that mean that putting a 12 month handcuff in a contract is actually shooting yourself in the foot as the whole restraint becomes void.

The entire thing doesn't become void as it depends on the entire wording of the clause and who the client is - not just the time period.

Telling me I "cannot work with a client, customer, subsidiary of, etc for 12 months in any capacity either as an individual or as a company" when the client is BT is never going to be enforceable.

Most agencies write something like this and even if the period was one day they would have a hard time enforcing it.

[GB9]

When it all goes quiet

I don't mind being told that the client has suddenly realised i'm crap and doesn't want to interview me, but its very frustrating when I get a week of promises followed by silence. Balls.

[Jase]

I don't mind being told that the client has suddenly realised i'm crap and doesn't want to interview me, but its very frustrating when I get a week of promises followed by silence. Balls.

Worse is when you go for an interview and then hear nothing, not even a "No, you weren't suitable". I've just accepted that no news is bad news in this case and moved onto the next one.

[GB9]

Worse is when you go for an interview and then hear nothing, not even a "No, you weren't suitable". I've just accepted that no news is bad news in this case and moved onto the next one.

I have had 2 in the last week, one post-interview and one pre. Ho hum. As you say, no news is bad news.

[BlasterBates]

At least you´re getting interviews. Finding a contract worth applying for would be a start.

[GB9]

At least you´re getting interviews. Finding a contract worth applying for would be a start.

Not sure how many roles I have applied for but suspect its circa 200 in the last 8 weeks.

[northernladuk]

Not sure how many roles I have applied for but suspect its circa 200 in the last 8 weeks.

That doesn't sound right at all.. Everyone of this matches your skill set exactly... Not 'I think I can do that' marlarky?

I wish there were 200 roles advertised for me let alone somewhere close to home.

[GB9]

That doesn't sound right at all.. Everyone of this matches your skill set exactly... Not 'I think I can do that' marlarky?

I wish there were 200 roles advertised for me let alone somewhere close to home.

Why doesn't it sound right?

Every one I could certainly do based on having done it before. I've been in IT for 25 years and contracting for 13 of them. My skill set is in the management / analysis / design domain so I am not dependent upon individual technologies.

If you want me to manage a data warehousing / BI project it doesn't matter which tool set you are using. If you want a logical data model, either dimensional or relational (or a combi) again the toolset doesn't matter. I have delivered projects using ODI, OBIEE, SAS, SQL Server, SSIS, SSRS, BOXI, Cognos, Teradata, Datastage, WTX to name but a few.

If you want me to do you some process modelling then happy to do that too. I was trained in UML and RUP 15 years ago and have used the analysis and design elements on multiple projects. How about a Business Process Use Case realised by multiple System Use Cases? Not a problem. Activity diagrams / sequence diagrams. Fine.

At times broad experience has been really useful, but at the moment the market is geared towards individuals who have done exactly the same thing several years running. Hence, I see a job asking for a Cognos project manager and apply. I have done it before and its on my CV. However, there will be someone out there who has done nothing but Cognos for 5 years. I could do it, someone else will probably do it better.

Just the way it is at the moment.

[SimonMac]

Only started looking yesterday and already have 4-5 opportunities lined up already, I know it helps that I am willing to shill myself out anywhere so don't have to be tied down to a certain location but I think the market is looking good at the moment.