How are IT contractors finding the job market at the moment?

[Diestl]

I'm in a contract till end of January, but its with a bank who are in the tulip..royally! Might get extended as there could be more work, slightly better than going on the bench at xmas.

[PAH]

Saw a news item yesterday reporting there were something like 600,000 job vacancies at present, though most of them only attractive to immigrants who don't care about being exploited for the minimum wage, if they're lucky.

Then they had people whinging about being desperate to find work.

Sounds like they need to lower their expectations and get on shank's pony to where the work is. Burger flipping can't be all that bad if it keeps a roof over your head.

[Liability]

Contract Market tulip - till Jan / Feb -

Permanent Market seems to be booming!

Little agencies are all less busy - the bigger ones seem to be doing well.

[doa]

You may need to give more details than just "IT contractor" and "the market". Some areas are doing better than others, but I imagine that there aren't too many things going on right now - even in a normal year it can be hard in the run-up to Christmas.

Ok, I live in London, have been in a rolling contract since June. I specialise in C#, asp.net, SQL server.

I don't mind dropping my rates a bit but would rather not go perm as its such a drop in income after tax.

[zara_backdog]

I disagree. An agent told me today that he is expecting things to pick up in January / February time (exactly the time I said I might be available ) so I'm no longer worried.

Phew.

I was told this to, if you believe the agents !

Seems to me clients want a lot more for their money, and are treating the recruitment process more like if it was for a permie role and asking to double up on skills.

After a few weeks, seem to be getting a few more calls for roles that do exist so I am going to keep trying.

Have got a 2nd interview for a permie role however which is scary, what is more scary is it is for an Investment Bank eek

[expat]

like a really quiet library

Which is nice, because real libraries are not so quiet these days.

[Spacecadet]

Market seems ok to me, I'm halfway through looking for a contract at the moment and getting a similar response as I was when I last had to actively look for work.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

I disagree. An agent told me today that he is expecting things to pick up in January / February time (exactly the time I said I might be available ) so I'm no longer worried.

Phew.

Well we (agents) can only go by what our clients tell us, mine have said the same, they intend recruiting heavily in January with new budget allocation.

[chef]

I disagree. An agent told me today that he is expecting things to pick up in January / February time (exactly the time I said I might be available ) so I'm no longer worried.

Phew.

I had the same comment yesterday, the market seems to be average for this time of year but with slightly less prospects upcoming for January.. IMO

[expat]

I was told this to, if you believe the agents !

Seems to me clients want a lot more for their money, and are treating the recruitment process more like if it was for a permie role and asking to double up on skills.

It always swings like that, between buyer's market and seller's market. Clients would obviously always like someone who has just come from doing exactly the same work for their main competitor and knows the tools, the business, and the market. They will settle for somebody who knows everything that they can think of that they might want him or her to know. If they really must, they will settle for someone who can actually do the job. If the worst comes to the worst, they will settle for someone.

They expect all of these people to come at the same price; they just increase their optimism about asking for it all, when they think that might work.