A really bad time for a career change

[CodeCobbler]

So...no work for over a year. No contract, nor perm either. A few first stage interviews, the companies I worked for in the past are not hiring. We are living off the other halfs salary.

This is most certainly life trying to send me a message: It is the burning bush, a road to damascus.

If only it was more clear what the actual message was.

Career change? Its a terrible time for that. Although I feel now that tech is over, it won't go back up to where it was, I'm not sure what else is on the up work wise.

What is the message here? What in your opinion are jobs or businesses of the future? AI, crypto, illegal immigrant housing, some other grift?

[GJABS]

I doubt it is life trying to send you a message, as many of us are in the same situation.
Could you move and work overseas? Work in the public sector?- which might be growing now that Labour are in.

[CodeCobbler]

I doubt it is life trying to send you a message, as many of us are in the same situation.
Could you move and work overseas? Work in the public sector?- which might be growing now that Labour are in.

Possibly working abroad, but we have kids and that's no life. Besides I worked abroad for a long time, and those jobs that I could have walked into 4 years ago don't exist now. That is to say, yes I would consider it if I could get those gigs I used to get.

I'm just sitting around crossing my fingers doing some self study, hoping it gets better, even tried a couple business side hustle ideas which didn't go anywhere. Maybe the US election might change things.

[vwdan]

Scary stuff - I've weathered the storm so far, since a long break over COVID. But not at all looking forward to renewal time

[willendure]

Yeah - I think a career change when the market is slow is likely to be a tough move. Unless you've got some cash and good business idea and can create your own new career? but that is never going to be a low risk option.

I'm just on the bench myself, but have enough cash I can ride things out for a while. So I am trying to turn a side project into something that will actually earn although I have no real expectations of it growing into something I can live off in the shorter term.

Maybe pass some professional qualifications? Always nice to have something new to brag about on your CV.

Or try networking, see if you can find something that way? This is also on my radar, since most work I ever found as a contractor came through jobserve and agencies. I deleted my LinkedIn profile last year, and now realize I should rebuild it. Good excuse to get in touch with old colleagues and let them know I am looking.

What else...?

[Zigenare]

Possibly working abroad, but we have kids and that's no life. Besides I worked abroad for a long time, and those jobs that I could have walked into 4 years ago don't exist now. That is to say, yes I would consider it if I could get those gigs I used to get.

I'm just sitting around crossing my fingers doing some self study, hoping it gets better, even tried a couple business side hustle ideas which didn't go anywhere. Maybe the US election might change things.

However putting food on the table and paying the bills is - at least you'd be earning.

It's easier to find a job when you've got a job!

[NotAllThere]

However putting food on the table and paying the bills is - at least you'd be earning.

It's easier to find a job when you've got a job!

This.

Last time I went contracting - having been politicked out of management position - I did a weekly overseas commute. It wasn't great, but after a while I got one in my home country, and eventually one 20 minutes away. Now I WFH exclusively... I guess in the near future I'll be working from bed or something... :-)

[CodeCobbler]

Yeah - I think a career change when the market is slow is likely to be a tough move. Unless you've got some cash and good business idea and can create your own new career? but that is never going to be a low risk option.

I'm just on the bench myself, but have enough cash I can ride things out for a while. So I am trying to turn a side project into something that will actually earn although I have no real expectations of it growing into something I can live off in the shorter term.

Maybe pass some professional qualifications? Always nice to have something new to brag about on your CV.

Or try networking, see if you can find something that way? This is also on my radar, since most work I ever found as a contractor came through jobserve and agencies. I deleted my LinkedIn profile last year, and now realize I should rebuild it. Good excuse to get in touch with old colleagues and let them know I am looking.

What else...?

I deleted my LI earlier this year, and have no intention of rebuilding it. I can somewhat see the argument for having LI as a CV although its all just bit too creepy for me.

Whilst, yes you can take reasonable steps to sell yourself, this LI stuff is a bit inconsequential. I do get asked sometimes for LI as part of generic applications but I don't recall that theres been anything tangible from that. In interviews I have been asked to show previous projects (which I decline to show any as I do not own the stuff I have worked on). I have also had kiddies asking me for my github. And well...at the end of the day you can make busy work for yourself and indulge timewasters playing games but quite simply its really the market conditions that decide whether you are going to get a gig/job or not.

I like the idea of picking up a cert although its virtually impossible to justify the investment. I suspect going forward the future opportunities of tech will mostly be legacy and maintenance. But you do need considerable experience in those particular systems to be credible.

Again, this is not really answering a question that many of us have.

[billybiro]

...deleted my LI... ...asked to show previous projects... ...I decline to show... ...kiddies asking me for my github... ...indulge timewasters... ...impossible to justify the investment...

I think I'm starting to see the reason that you've struggled to pick up any work in the last 12 months.

[willendure]

I suspect going forward the future opportunities of tech will mostly be legacy and maintenance. But you do need considerable experience in those particular systems to be credible.

Overly negative view of where tech is headed I think. Its a cyclical industry, and doubtless some new hot trend will emerge as the market warms back up again. For example - I am seeing many more AI related contracts now than even at the start of this year.