Job Market

[DimPrawn]

I'll take a crap rate, and I'll work anywhere.

I applied for one in Algeria, which I would otherwise never do, since Al Quaeda in North Africa is set to kill more Westerners.

That contract in London the other week, on < £200 a day, that I ridiculed on here? I applied for that too.

Not even a phone interview for either.

Have you thought of changing career completely? Sounds like your skills are no longer marketable.

If your no good at anything, get a public sector role and dumb yourself down.

[Francko]

The IT job market in Lugano in 2009 has been the same as in 2008.

No position available in that year and none for this year too.

[SallyAnne]

That contract in London the other week, on < £200 a day, that I ridiculed on here? I applied for that too.

Oh hun

[expat]

Have you thought of changing career completely? Sounds like your skills are no longer marketable.

If your no good at anything, get a public sector role and dumb yourself down.

Yes I have. Isn't that what we call Plan B on here? I haven't seen a lot of good ideas in that direction.

Battle of the careers: In one corner, an expert field where I have decades of experience. In the other corner, a guy in his late 50s who has done nothing else, looking for a job he has no knowledge of, in the worst recession since the 1930s.

Are my skills no longer marketable? That's what my partner says. She accuses me of having put myself in a position where I depend on outdated technology, by which she means Siebel. She's not in IT but she can see that if someone as good as me was getting contracts up till last year and now doesn't get any, she reckons in must be what I do that is no longer in demand.

[MrMark]

I'll take a crap rate, and I'll work anywhere.

I applied for one in Algeria, which I would otherwise never do, since Al Quaeda in North Africa is set to kill more Westerners.

That contract in London the other week, on < £200 a day, that I ridiculed on here? I applied for that too.

Not even a phone interview for either.

I've decided that the next fishing call I get who asks me what rate I'm seeking, I'll double my realistic (and low rate). If the agents start sensing that rates are going up they may start believing the market's on the up....

[chef]

It's gone nuts in the last week.

There have been about 20 roles (real ones) for my niche job in the last week, when normaly there are only a handful.

Has this happened for everyone else too? Or are some areas still treading water?

Im in a niche too SA and weirdly this week I've had the 3 usual agents I work through call and ask when Im out of contract and would I send my CV, and all 3 have different roles in different location at decent rates (circa 2007).

Im in contract (hopefully) until end of Sept but it cant hurt applying and then delaying start date slightly if better work comes along..

I dont want to jinx anything or anyone but dare I say it in my market it seems we've bottomed out.. I dont care whether its a V or W bounce work is work..

[Mich the Tester]

still dead in test management land.....

Not here in Holland. I've turned down 5 in the last week.

[DimPrawn]

Yes I have. Isn't that what we call Plan B on here? I haven't seen a lot of good ideas in that direction.

Battle of the careers: In one corner, an expert field where I have decades of experience. In the other corner, a guy in his late 50s who has done nothing else, looking for a job he has no knowledge of, in the worst recession since the 1930s.

Are my skills no longer marketable? That's what my partner says. She accuses me of having put myself in a position where I depend on outdated technology, by which she means Siebel. She's not in IT but she can see that if someone as good as me was getting contracts up till last year and now doesn't get any, she reckons in must be what I do that is no longer in demand.

There's about 60+ contract relating to Siebel on JobServe. How many of these could you do and have you sent your CV?

If you wish you can PM me your CV (after taking your personal identifying details off) and I'll give you some constructive feedback if it helps.

It may be an age discrimination thing. I don't put my age on my CV.

[Clippy]

There's about 60+ contract relating to Siebel on JobServe. How many of these could you do and have you sent your CV?

If you wish you can PM me your CV (after taking your personal identifying details off) and I'll give you some constructive feedback if it helps.

It may be an age discrimination thing. I don't put my age on my CV.

Good point - agents could be using age as another 'filter' in this buyers market. I also don't put my age on there but, luckily, I'm still the right side of 40.

How old are you Dim?

[expat]

There's about 60+ contract relating to Siebel on JobServe. How many of these could you do and have you sent your CV?

If you wish you can PM me your CV (after taking your personal identifying details off) and I'll give you some constructive feedback if it helps.

It may be an age discrimination thing. I don't put my age on my CV.

Not many. At least not many that wouldn't get my CV binned sharpish.

As in JS in reverse date order:
1. needs BPEL. WTF is that?
2. needs Dutch.
3. needs EAI & Web Services
4. needs EAI & ceritification
5. needs Oracle Weblogic & BPM, whatever that is
6. needs EAI
7. have applied although don't have SC
8. have applied. No reply.
9. needs a shedload of stuff I've never heard of
10. ditto.
etc.

I have taken advice kindly offered by someone on here about my CV, and indeed I had developed a stale attitude to it, so I reworked it, and I have been told by a couple of agents that it is good. I have also made 3 versions of it, to highlight different aspects of my experience; then translated each into French and German.

I didn't put my age on my CV, but at least in France, Germany, and Switzerland, I have invariably been asked for it. The age may be a factor: for the first time, a couple of agents have said that they didn't think that my age would count against me: obviously that means that they think it might. In 2 years my age will begin with a "6". I think I may already have retired, I just don't know it yet. Pity I can't afford it yet.

I have sent out literally scores of CVs. In 6 months I have had 2 face-to-face interviews, both in the UK. I have had about ten phone interviews, all in French or German. Most of the time I have not been able to find out why I didn't get the contract. In one case, one of the interviewers liked an extra piece of experience that I didn't have (that wasn't mentioned in the spec); in another case I had 2 phone interviews in German, then they said that my communication skills weren't good enough; the agent said (also in German) that that was rubbish, they probably just wanted a native Swiss but weren't allowed to say so.


Nothing you can do can get you a job if there just aren't any there.