Am I correct to say that contract situation in Sep 2013 is really bad?

[amcdonald]

Depends if you looking at contracts in London and failing something is wrong with your CV, as for the rest of the country its pot luck depending on your skillset and location

The recession is very much alive outside the M25

[BlueSharp]

I'm not looking at the moment so hard to tell, but there appears to be a lot of noise from the pimps at the moment which suggests there are opportunities around if you're willing to travel/any good/can blag well/priced well.

[Untouchable1]

There seems to be work out there, but clients aren't seeming to move to fast on lining up interviews. I have a few potential contracts in the pipeline (through agents), but the clients are delaying the interview.

Untouchable1

[Boo]

Am I correct to say that contract situation in Sep 2013 is particularly bad compared with previous months of 2013?

My personal experience : the market fell off a cliff in July/Aug this year and shows no signs of recovering

Boo

[Boney M]

Personally I think it is bad compared to previous years, seems each year the markets are getting more and more saturated

[Dark Black]

Must admit I'm struggling this year, does seem very quiet.. not even many permie roles around locally.

Finished last decent contract in May, thought I'd found another within a couple of weeks but that client kept mucking me around through the summer (I was looking but could find nothing else). When the gig did finally appear in August, it turned out to not remotely as spec. I binned them after a month - as much to do with on-site working practices as with the tech involved.

Been very dead since.. I'd lower myself to a permie role but unlike previous years there don't seem to be many of those about either.

[Eirikur]

Looking for almost three weeks now and yes it is bad.
Rates have gone down, not many contracts available.
Except maybe when you're in banking/finance

[Zeon]

Been looking for two weeks.

Quiet on the job boards and the agents are saying the same thing.

Winning the global race at a snails pace.

[masonryan]

2005-2009 great
2010 poor
2011 slightly better
2012 to present: poor.

Just as well I made big purchases and pension payments in the good times.

[masonryan]

Been very dead since.. I'd lower myself to a permie role but unlike previous years there don't seem to be many of those about either.

... and then you face the prejudice against contractors from jealous little permies who can't escape their unfulfilled permie careers, so take great satisfaction in not giving you a job. There's always someone willing to do that permie slave work for less anyway.