Reply to: Interesting market at the moment

[eek]

Yep London Banking I am not sure how many of these agency calls are real live roles with budget sign-off TBH!

I'm not London nor banking. My skill set is now suitably specialised that demand way outstrips supply .

[uk contractor]

is that London and banking you are talking about.

I'm not sure what the problem is I have agents calling me daily asking if I would jump ship.

Yep London Banking I am not sure how many of these agency calls are real live roles with budget sign-off TBH!

[SueEllen]

Here are my recent experiences for what its worth & I have a few decades worth of IT Contracting experience!


Role 1: Agency forget to tell me the role is only a few weeks work not 6 months so I do not even bother staying beyond the first week as its a fill the seat to get the headcount spent role before their year end. Rates are also very low as agent is making 20% per day!

I always ask the client their plans for the project so they give me a better time scale.

Role 2: Agency sends me for several interviews I get the role after 3 interviews (I get most roles I interview for) then the rate is knocked down £100 a week I tell them the advertised rate was already £200-300 a week less than my usual rates so give me back the £20 a day you chopped off & I will sign the 12 month contract. Agency + Outsourcer tell me the rates are fixed the advert was wrong so I do not bother accepting the contract offer & sit on the bench instead as I do not wish to work for someone who is dishonest before I even start the role! 2 months later they are still looking... I wonder why!

That was a lucky escape.

Role 3: Agent sends me for a role I do not get it straight away but get shortlisted he wants several references up front incase I do get selected so I decline to provide them as I know most companies do not bother with references unless its a SC cleared contract role. Eventually he comes back to me with an offer but by then the rate has been chopped down £30 a day £150 a week so I politely explain I am not a 99pence shop/charity case he goes away I never hear back from him again the client fills the role internally to save money I learn from another agent.

Another lucky escape

Role 4: Got a lead via good friend onsite already & the Project Manager at the client keeps me hanging on for weeks after my interview with him then tells me I should be starting next week so I do not bother looking at other roles and guess what.........yep you guessed right the PM was lying he could not get the headcount increased so I get blown out as his margins are break even only he cannot afford to even get the tea/biscuits signed off on expenses (this is for a triple aaa inv bank as well) so I get shafted again.

The rule is to keep looking regardless of what anyone says. The company could suddenly go bust or worse before your bum is on the seat.

[eek]

Here are my recent experiences for what its worth & I have a few decades worth of IT Contracting experience!


Role 1: Agency forget to tell me the role is only a few weeks work not 6 months so I do not even bother staying beyond the first week as its a fill the seat to get the headcount spent role before their year end. Rates are also very low as agent is making 20% per day!

Role 2: Agency sends me for several interviews I get the role after 3 interviews (I get most roles I interview for) then the rate is knocked down £100 a week I tell them the advertised rate was already £200-300 a week less than my usual rates so give me back the £20 a day you chopped off & I will sign the 12 month contract. Agency + Outsourcer tell me the rates are fixed the advert was wrong so I do not bother accepting the contract offer & sit on the bench instead as I do not wish to work for someone who is dishonest before I even start the role! 2 months later they are still looking... I wonder why!

Role 3: Agent sends me for a role I do not get it straight away but get shortlisted he wants several references up front incase I do get selected so I decline to provide them as I know most companies do not bother with references unless its a SC cleared contract role. Eventually he comes back to me with an offer but by then the rate has been chopped down £30 a day £150 a week so I politely explain I am not a 99pence shop/charity case he goes away I never hear back from him again the client fills the role internally to save money I learn from another agent.

Role 4: Got a lead via good friend onsite already & the Project Manager at the client keeps me hanging on for weeks after my interview with him then tells me I should be starting next week so I do not bother looking at other roles and guess what.........yep you guessed right the PM was lying he could not get the headcount increased so I get blown out as his margins are break even only he cannot afford to even get the tea/biscuits signed off on expenses (this is for a triple aaa inv bank as well) so I get shafted again.

IME in the last 24 months IT contracting has become harder than ever due to outsourcing & zero hour contract workers from EU in IT working for free yep thats right some will work weekends or eves for no extra money just to keep the contract even though its a ZHC to begin with! You really need to have a niche skillset & or superior interview & people skills to thrive as an IT contractor the market is simply flooded with applicants & agencies/employers know this so exploit the areas they feel they can to their financial advantage.

is that London and banking you are talking about.

I'm not sure what the problem is I have agents calling me daily asking if I would jump ship.

[uk contractor]

Here are my recent experiences for what its worth & I have a few decades worth of IT Contracting experience!


Role 1: Agency forget to tell me the role is only a few weeks work not 6 months so I do not even bother staying beyond the first week as its a fill the seat to get the headcount spent role before their year end. Rates are also very low as agent is making 20% per day!

Role 2: Agency sends me for several interviews I get the role after 3 interviews (I get most roles I interview for) then the rate is knocked down £100 a week I tell them the advertised rate was already £200-300 a week less than my usual rates so give me back the £20 a day you chopped off & I will sign the 12 month contract. Agency + Outsourcer tell me the rates are fixed the advert was wrong so I do not bother accepting the contract offer & sit on the bench instead as I do not wish to work for someone who is dishonest before I even start the role! 2 months later they are still looking... I wonder why!

Role 3: Agent sends me for a role I do not get it straight away but get shortlisted he wants several references up front incase I do get selected so I decline to provide them as I know most companies do not bother with references unless its a SC cleared contract role. Eventually he comes back to me with an offer but by then the rate has been chopped down £30 a day £150 a week so I politely explain I am not a 99pence shop/charity case he goes away I never hear back from him again the client fills the role internally to save money I learn from another agent.

Role 4: Got a lead via good friend onsite already & the Project Manager at the client keeps me hanging on for weeks after my interview with him then tells me I should be starting next week so I do not bother looking at other roles and guess what.........yep you guessed right the PM was lying he could not get the headcount increased so I get blown out as his margins are break even only he cannot afford to even get the tea/biscuits signed off on expenses (this is for a triple aaa inv bank as well) so I get shafted again.

IME in the last 24 months IT contracting has become harder than ever due to outsourcing & zero hour contract workers from EU in IT working for free yep thats right some will work weekends or eves for no extra money just to keep the contract even though its a ZHC to begin with! You really need to have a niche skillset & or superior interview & people skills to thrive as an IT contractor the market is simply flooded with applicants & agencies/employers know this so exploit the areas they feel they can to their financial advantage.

[worzelGummidge]

I think that it may be me.
Everyone else seems to be getting roles and the roles on my list of ten or so do not seem to be moving very fast.

[Pherlopolus]

Whitehaven and Salford quays

[psychocandy]

I covered Wales, North West, North east and Scotland - I have seen the worst.

I didn't sign on when I had 7 months off, as you say it's down to personal choice.

Where was worst?

7 months = 30 weeks = £2160.
Assumng 30 mins per fornight to sign on plus a few hours at the beginning, probably 10 hrs hassle. So £216/hr.

But fair play its up to you.

[Bluenose]

3 days later, agent tells me I failed due to answers on the 'technical questions'! What were they I asked? Turns out, the agent had sent 12 people including me for interview and the client had rejected them all and was asking for anothe tranche.

Ive since seen this 'role' re advertised by 3 different agencies since Wednesday. So, if you're applying for a role in Utilities, be warned!

HSBC have been playing a similar game since last August with this tech. test crap that nobody seems to 'pass'.

Got a call yesterday about same job, HSBC are still looking *surprised face*.

[Pherlopolus]

I covered Wales, North West, North east and Scotland - I have seen the worst.

I didn't sign on when I had 7 months off, as you say it's down to personal choice.

[psychocandy]

I have spent considerable time in Job centres in a professional capacity too, that's why I haven't demeaned myself to go and sign on after being made redundant.

Personal choice. Up to you. Not the nicest experience in the world I will admit.
Possibly some areas are worse than others too - try south wales for a bad experience!

But come back to me and say that again after 15 weeks on the bench when you're wishing you had that 15x £72 = £1080. Might wish you'd spend a few hours of those 15 weeks signing on then. Never know.

[Pherlopolus]

I have spent considerable time in Job centres in a professional capacity too, that's why I haven't demeaned myself to go and sign on after being made redundant.

[eek]

Eek - ever been in a jobcentre? I guess not.

Do I care what people on here think of me - do I bollax. Do I care what someone who gets a kick out of being nasty thinks of me. Absolutely not. In fact, I quite like it.

Would anyone like to guess what the current project I'm working on is.....

[psychocandy]

if you are on JSA they will (at their discretion) pay for travel expenses to an interview.... The fact they didn't offer or mention it to you shows that their opinion of you is similar to the opinion of many others on here....

Eek - ever been in a jobcentre? I guess not.

Do I care what people on here think of me - do I bollax. Do I care what someone who gets a kick out of being nasty thinks of me. Absolutely not. In fact, I quite like it.

[eek]

Yep agreed. Interviews in London for me at the wrong time and train is £170. Off peak its £35.

So I aint shelling out £170. Expecially if Im on JSA at £72/week.

if you are on JSA they will (at their discretion) pay for travel expenses to an interview.... The fact they didn't offer or mention it to you shows that their opinion of you is similar to the opinion of many others on here....