Logicack sacking 1300 people

[The Spartan]

Ah, but not every idiot can break something with the exquisite beauty, timing and general panic causing brilliance that a really good tester can.

I'd have to agree even though I am bias, I've been testing for about 6 years myself. What made you choose testing instead of staying a DBA?

[Mich the Tester]

I'd have to agree even though I am bias, I've been testing for about 6 years myself. What made you choose testing instead of staying a DBA?

I got sick of all the untested crap that was 'thrown over the wall' for me to keep running as a DBA, started testing it myself and then got offered a (for the time and for my age at the time) well paid job as a tester.

[administrator]

Does this mean there will be more skilled people on the market to contend with?

Not only more contractors joining the market but recently dumped permies tend to muscle in on contracts when there is little choice. As the CUK news this morning said, not only does it increase competition but it can also help put downward pressure on rates.

Banking IT contractors 'face further rate drops' :: Contractor UK

"Recruitment in other sectors is meanwhile flat", she said. "[So] daily rates will drop further, as recently unemployed full-time employees join the contractor ranks."

[Mich the Tester]

Not only more contractors joining the market but recently dumped permies tend to muscle in on contracts when there is little choice. As the CUK news this morning said, not only does it increase competition but it can also help put downward pressure on rates.

Banking IT contractors 'face further rate drops' :: Contractor UK

Yep, and here in NL when sacked permies go on the freelance market they do so without calculating the business costs like insurance, transport etc, so they offer themselves at stupidly low rates thinking they're going to be quids in (or euros in) at 35 euros per hour. It generally takes 4-5 months for the new contractors to realise they're going bust and start looking for a permie job and for the clients to realise they've hired useless numpties, then things sort themselves out again. Nothing to panic about.

Some dicksplat I came across last time this happened told me 'wow, if I add this BTW (Dutch VAT) to my invoice and then I get 19% more!' Needless to say, after a very short time he had an expensive disagreement with the taxman.

[administrator]

Yep, and here in NL when sacked permies go on the freelance market they do so without calculating the business costs like insurance, transport etc, so they offer themselves at stupidly low rates thinking they're going to be quids in (or euros in) at 35 euros per hour. It generally takes 4-5 months for the new contractors to realise they're going bust and start looking for a permie job and for the clients to realise they've hired useless numpties, then things sort themselves out again. Nothing to panic about.

Yup, am sure the market is the same here and that we are just at this particular point of the cycle again. May be a year or two until things look to recover though IMO, we ain't nowhere near out of the woods yet. 2012 could be an interesting year.

[Sysman]

My father told me that to make a good living, it's best to either do something nobody else CAN do, or something nobody else WANTS to do. Seeing as my intellect precludes the former, I ended up doing the latter.

A sound move.

The problem with something nobody else CAN do is that unless you find a good niche, the market will find alternatives.

[The Spartan]

There seems to be a big shortage of testers about, both permie and contract. Long may it continue

[MarillionFan]

Yup, am sure the market is the same here and that we are just at this particular point of the cycle again. May be a year or two until things look to recover though IMO, we ain't nowhere near out of the woods yet. 2012 could be an interesting year.

"The warning, issued to CUK last night by a financial IT staffing boss"

I love this quote. Have you been hanging around dark basement garages Admin looking for a man called Deep throat again!

[bobspud]

Seeing as they seem to do this with metronomic regularity, perhaps something they've learned from the CMG days, why do people ever bother joining them?

CMG never made anyone redundant. It was a badge of honour for them. The crap hit the fan after they waisted a pile of cash buying Admiral and ended up going cap in hand to dr reed...

All down hill from there.

[milanbenes]

my first job was at log, I learn't .net there and then left and went contracting

I can't say a bad word for log

Milan.