Lowering salaries - it's the end of IT as we know it (and I feel fine)

[Lockhouse]

WHS.

I have been on the same rate, give or take, since I started contracting 12 years ago.

So either I'm being shafted big time, and agents are cackling with glee behind my back, or there has been a steady decline in real terms.

As most contractors I've discussed this with agree, I'd say the latter (er, my latter your fatter) is more likely.

This is most definitely the case. I'm on a fair old wedge, but it's the same fair old wedge I was on about 10 years ago for doing the same role when it was a great wedge. It's no different for permies - I was asked to go permanent at an Inv Bank in 1997 for 85K as a developer and turned it down. The salary wouldn't be much different today. Globalisation innit.

[cojak]

It's better out there than it was at the beginning of the year.

Rates are still depressed, but the work is out there and the jobs are on jobserve.

And I'm not seeing ludicrous rates of £120pd for my roles.

I finished my contract last Friday and I've had my first interview yesterday. I didn't manage a single interview in 5 months in the 1st half of the year.

[pastalista]

Lower rates

Hi All

I've been a contractor for 28 years and have seen the skyrocketing rates and the nosediving rates thing a few times now (end of the 80's / early 90's, post 09/11 etc) and this is following the same pattern.

Rates have been good for quite a while - obviously this is not from a detailed study, just local knowledge, friends, people I know in the recruitment business and big consultancy firms and so on but they did drop a bit last year. They seem to be climbing, slowly again now but I think it will be a while before we are back to anything like a "seller's market".

The big six consultancy firms are about to have their throats cut by the Government and have already taken some hits. They are laying people off and these folks are desperate to work, hence rates and salaries begin to fall. As these people clear off the market, rates will go back up again.

I myself am earning the lowest rate I've had since 1998 but that is partly for other reasons (a job I really wanted and love, close to home, "company" car (yes, as a contractor!) but I do get called about jobs on the kind of rates I was earning a couple of years ago. I am a Programme Director and my usual rates are between £800 and £1200 per day depending on the usual things. I am getting calls for jobs around £900 - £1000 a day again now, although not as many as I used to get (maybe 1 a week before, now maybe 1 a month).

We'll get there again, don't worry.

Good luck all

[AtW]

Real world inflation has gone up big time recently, so effectively rates dropped.

[SupremeSpod]

Real world inflation has gone up big time recently, so effectively rates dropped.

That has got to be this week's "No Sh!t Sherlock" winner.

Flash of the bleeding obvious time again, eh AtW?

[Andy2]

Oracle dba jobs seem to have completely disappeared

I am on the bench since 3 months