Sick of IT

[Fred Bloggs]

If you want to stick with IT then I'd suggest looking at jobs in China. A booming economy and lots of work. Pay is lower but so is the cost of living.

If you want to live an expat western lifestyle out there, China is now expensive.

[the_duderama]

This depressive naval gazing, biased upon nothing but anecdotal evidence of IT suffering worse during this recession then any other job sectors winds me the f u ck up.

Here's some anecdotal drivel from friends of mine in other industries just to counterbalance the argument:

Electrician: Lost his job 18 months ago, has only managed to get a 3 months of work, of which he was paid 2 pounds above minimum wage and had they refused to pay for his travel between sites (using his own car and petrol).

Environmental Manager: Was a senior manager in a construction company managing environmental impacts of large civil engineering projects, one down from board level, now works for a local council on a third of his original wage.

PA/Sectary: Was an office manager for large surveyors, now temping for public sector on minimum wage.

Manufacturing: Factory has only been working for 6 months, hence only 6 months pay.

So it not just us, and as for the Indians all service sector stuff is being off shored, this is one of the reasons cited, along with manufacturing for devaluing the pound (even though we are a net importer, but whatever).

Urrghh!

[norrahe]

dear god, here I encounter yet another person who thinks manchester is the centre of the universe and won't budge unless they get a contract there and nowhere else.

wake up, smell the coffee and stop whining

and what's wrong with working in London, most of us put up and shut up and go where the jobs are, unless we are lucky enough to get summat 5 minutes from home.

sweet jesus!

[NickFitz]

A one month season ticket (manchester to derby) is £417.80 - less than two days billing.

And a Premier Inn is about £50 a night, which of course comes off before tax as legitimate business expenditure. If that's the price for a PI, then it's undoubtedly possible to find a B&B for about £30 a night. Allowing for incidental expenses and meals for four nights, it will work out as about three days per week going into the business, which is £750. On a conservative estimate you can probably assume net takehome of around £500 a week, which is considerably better than £0, or than whatever you might get on Jobseekers' Allowance.

[original PM]

I work in Manchester.

But would happily work elsewhere if needed.

I think the OP is a bit of a muppet to be honest - cannot get decent job on doorstep so thinks the world has dealt him a crap hand

as Norrahe says wake up, smell the coffee, get off your ass and go make a difference.

Or does that just require some actual effort.

eeeh the kids of today don't know they are born etc etc etc

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I think you guys are all rushing to judgements

a) I never said I wouldn't work elsewhere
b) I said the rate has to cover the extra costs as compared to a permie role or there is no point in going contracting for lots of extra headache and risk
c) Anybody else sensible enough would agree with both a) and b)

Get me £300/day and I will work in London, B'ham, Leeds, Scotland, Ireland.

£250 - expenses - the cost of the risk and likely bench time - headache = less than permie salary.

Another £50 extra makes it worthwhile

Simples

[norrahe]

I think you guys are all rushing to judgements

a) I never said I wouldn't work elsewhere
b) I said the rate has to cover the extra costs as compared to a permie role or there is no point in going contracting for lots of extra headache and risk
c) Anybody else sensible enough would agree with both a) and b)

Get me £300/day and I will work in London, B'ham, Leeds, Scotland, Ireland.

£250 - expenses - the cost of the risk and likely bench time - headache = less than permie salary.

Another £50 extra makes it worthwhile

Simples

It doesn't work that way, so stop whining. some of us are on the bench and we just get on with it.

[gingerjedi]

I think you guys are all rushing to judgements

a) I never said I wouldn't work elsewhere
b) I said the rate has to cover the extra costs as compared to a permie role or there is no point in going contracting for lots of extra headache and risk
c) Anybody else sensible enough would agree with both a) and b)

Get me £300/day and I will work in London, B'ham, Leeds, Scotland, Ireland.

£250 - expenses - the cost of the risk and likely bench time - headache = less than permie salary.

Another £50 extra makes it worthwhile

Simples

Contractors are a commodity, jobs are few so competition is high, why do you expect clients to pay more than they need to?

I've been suffering on a crappy rate for 18 months and right now my rate is zero but I realise there is a recession and market rates are low due to over supply of labour.

I also remember earning 3x permie rate in the good times.

[Tingles]

Contractors are a commodity, jobs are few so competition is high, why do you expect clients to pay more than they need to?

I've been suffering on a crappy rate for 18 months and right now my rate is zero but I realise there is a recession and market rates are low due to over supply of labour.

I also remember earning 3x permie rate in the good times.

Ahhh the good old days...

[norrahe]

Ahhh the good old days...

depends on if you are lucky to work in the right market which hasn't changed