Perm land Haven

[BlasterBates]

You probably don't work in banking? All my contracts have been like a roller coaster, one week I haven't got a life working 24/7 the next just sitting there waiting for decisions / delays etc

...ah can you just elaborate here, with the "hard work" in banking. I´m applying for the odd contract in London....wanna know if it´s worth it.

Got a possible permie job coming up 5 mins walk round the corner, 9-5.

[SandyD]

...ah can you just elaborate here, with the "hard work" in banking. I´m applying for the odd contract in London....wanna know if it´s worth it.

Got a possible permie job coming up 5 mins walk round the corner, 9-5.

With banking work you can never know until you start, a friend of mine on a contract that is working her so much that she doesn't have a life, she stays in the office quite late almost daily (about 8 or 9pm) on the other hand my prev contract I started and been told there is a heavy work load, one of the committee objected on one thing on the project and delayed work for a few months, hence was sitting there waiting for them to make a decision... just ask a lot of questions at the interview, but that may not protect you as the program themselves thought the delay will be a week or two not months..

You need to calculate your expenses, London's aint cheap if you haven't got your own place, would the contract pay for your expenses?

Work near home 9-5, it maybe attractive, depending on your personal circumstances? Are you after minimum hassle, and want to focus on your personal life, then go for it, if you are after a challenge, new things to learn and do, then venture into far away places.

[MyUserName]

...ah can you just elaborate here, with the "hard work" in banking. I´m applying for the odd contract in London....wanna know if it´s worth it.

Got a possible permie job coming up 5 mins walk round the corner, 9-5.

I worked in a large investment bank outside of London (well, in Windsor) - 40 hours a week including lunch. Lots of pressure with a manager who had a good overall view but struggled with the basics and was very aggressive about things. Job was fine but the manager made it hell after a while.

I then worked in a large investment bank in London. It was little different to working anywhere else, 40 hours a week not including lunch. Manager was a nice guy who knew what he was talking about, so was his manager. Colleagues were good.

I now work in a company that supplies the trade capture system to a large bank, I am not in London anymore. 7.5 hours a day not including lunch. Hours are flexible, manager knows what he is talking about and does not mind what happens as long as the work is done to a good standard. Not a very friendly place but the perms are leaving in droves so I think the morale is just not very high here.

[BlasterBates]

...ah OK

I think in spite of what looks like an uptick in adverts it´s still pretty dire, a few years ago if I submitted my CV they´d be all over me within an hour. I´ve submitted for two contracts in the last couple of days and still no reply. I think there´s probably still a load of benched contractors trying to get in there.

[lukemg]

I have had some astonishingly un-demanding contracts, despite assurances on the way in that they are stretched to breaking point.
I think part of it is permies ALWAYS saying they are too busy like a nervous tic in case anyone gives them some work to do.
The amount of work seems to bear no relation to how long the contract lasts too, even if you are doing half a job, they still need to find someone to do that half and the perms are all 'too busy'.
Usually, after a renewal, I will approach client manager and make it clear I am up to speed and therefore existing workload is taking up less time and I am therefore available to take on more work.
Strangely this has NEVER resulted in me being pushed out and almost never resulted in tons of work, usually a few extra bits at most.
After this my conscience is clear, hours reduce to a minimum and I leap on any new demand so they know I am keen.

[SandyD]

...ah OK

I think in spite of what looks like an uptick in adverts it´s still pretty dire, a few years ago if I submitted my CV they´d be all over me within an hour. I´ve submitted for two contracts in the last couple of days and still no reply. I think there´s probably still a load of benched contractors trying to get in there.

I haven't been applying, but I could normally tell the state of the market by number of calls I am getting, in the last couple of weeks I have been getting one or two calls a week, I expect one at least is fishing, so yeh the market is not incredibly great at the moment. There are roles, but its hard work, not like the old days when we just sat back and the agents fought over us

[sasguru]

not like the old days when we just sat back and the agents fought over us

Sorry to rub it in, but my market is red hot at the moment. Four figures a day, work from home.
But I am in a niche within a niche with rare skills.

[d000hg]

But with virtual working you're mostly redundant.

If you view a manager as someone who just walks about checking people look busy then you're right.

You used to be in management so why am I not surprised you know FA about how to do it well?

[SandyD]

heh...

BBC News - Apprentice's Stella English loses dismissal case


Got a job through a hell interview system to be told there is no job LOL...

[FiveTimes]

Sorry to rub it in, but my market is red hot at the moment. Four figures a day, work from home.
But I am in a niche within a niche with rare skills.

£10.85 ?