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Previously on "State of the Market"

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  • SussexSeagull
    replied
    Originally posted by Fraidycat View Post

    Maybe spend some time learning Python AI/ML/LLM APIs and frameworks.

    Look at job ads and see what skills people looking for in AI eg, LangChain, VertexAI (I have no idea what these are, just saw them in job spec and a quick search they did sound interesting)

    Tech Layoffs are down considerably from peak 2023 levels, but still happening and not back to the normal almost non existent levels we see in a healthy market. Rates are still near 5%. So companies are still paying high interest rates on Corporate debt. Less money to invest on new projects and less desire to take on more debt for new projects as well.
    I am a tester and not a developer but there is so much fragmentation with platforms it is very difficult to keep up. Plus a lot of clients are only interested in workplace experience.

    Leave a comment:


  • Fraidycat
    replied
    Originally posted by SchumiStars View Post
    Maybe the next WhatsApp, Mobile Phone Advancement or tech boom.
    Maybe spend some time learning Python AI/ML/LLM APIs and frameworks.

    Look at job ads and see what skills people looking for in AI eg, LangChain, VertexAI (I have no idea what these are, just saw them in job spec and a quick search they did sound interesting)

    Tech Layoffs are down considerably from peak 2023 levels, but still happening and not back to the normal almost non existent levels we see in a healthy market. Rates are still near 5%. So companies are still paying high interest rates on Corporate debt. Less money to invest on new projects and less desire to take on more debt for new projects as well.
    Last edited by Fraidycat; Today, 11:57.

    Leave a comment:


  • SchumiStars
    replied
    Market is dead. It's been 2yrs.

    I think it's going to require some sort of magical IT product to get it all going again and get the tech companies to wake up.

    Maybe the next WhatsApp, Mobile Phone Advancement or tech boom.

    The way it's going at the moment, it looks another 12mths of this tulip at least.

    I do wonder sometimes if the entire universe has conspired to work against me. And yes, I do take it personally

    Leave a comment:


  • willendure
    replied
    Originally posted by dsc View Post

    For sure, but I'd argue (like ascender has already above) that you need to somehow stand out from all the others, either be a superb match, or perhaps worked with the client before etc.
    Yes - being pushy on its own is just going to annoy people. But having great skills and not promoting yourself is also not going to help you. So I would say that I also am only tracking agents down and getting them on the phone in cases where I can see that I am an obvious match to the job.

    I also agree it can be helpful for them too. Cold calling like this often starts out with them being a little cautious or skeptical. 90% of the time when I call they have not even seen my CV yet, even if its 1 or 2 days after sending it. Since I know this is frequently the case, I usually start with that as the reason for calling. Things tend start with them mumbling as they hunt around in their inbox to find my CV. Then once they open it and I point to some of my experience which happens to be highly relevant to the current JD, they mostly warm up pretty quickly.

    Occasionally I get knocked back immediately - often because there is some important piece of experience that the client wants that I do not have. But that is ok and still helpful to call and find that out, because a typical JD may not make clear what the red line is. Sometimes "essential experience" turns out to only be "desirable", there is some degree of flexibility in most JDs and it takes the human element in the form of a good recruiter to know. If I get knocked back, I will politely accept that, and ask the agent to file my CV in case something that better matches me should come up.

    Often agents have a short list of 3 or 5 CVs that they are allowed to submit to the client. Seems like today they are getting 300 or 500 CVs for each position, so you need the right skills and a bit of gentle pursuasion to get onto the short list.

    Also a reason why I despise LinkedIn - no-one gives out a phone number on LI. Too much reliance on algorithms to find and filter candidates. That might be different if the social/chat features of that site were better, there might be some chance of developing a more genuine sense of community there. On the whole I don't see how LI fosters social connections the whole thing just feels a bit off to me.
    Last edited by willendure; Today, 09:55.

    Leave a comment:


  • dsc
    replied
    Originally posted by SussexSeagull View Post

    At worst it wouldn't have done them any harm.
    For sure, but I'd argue (like ascender has already above) that you need to somehow stand out from all the others, either be a superb match, or perhaps worked with the client before etc.

    Leave a comment:


  • TheDude
    replied
    I accepted a rate that is my lowest ever and £75 a day lower than my first ever contract in 2013.

    It's outside, I'll still be able to shop at Waitrose and I might as well be earning whilst waiting for things to improve.

    Leave a comment:


  • ascender
    replied
    Originally posted by GJABS View Post

    Definitely do it.

    Just this morning I called the switchboard of the agency for a role I had applied for last week, and asked to be put through to the agent named on the ad. He took the call and we had a good chat where I just expressed an interest in more details about the role. He said 150 people had applied for the role, but I didn't get the impression he was being hounded with calls. It makes sense that this call was likely to have put me ahead of other applicants (although I ultimately rejected the role because it turned out to be a mainly python coding gig, and my python is too light). And I'm no high-flyer.
    I always do this if I notice a listing for a position where I know I'm a great fit based on the role spec. I'll submit the CV but follow it up with a call to the agent. I think it helps you and them - they don't like sifting through hundreds of CVs - and if you are genuinely a good fit they're usually grateful for the heads-up.

    Leave a comment:


  • SussexSeagull
    replied


    Originally posted by dsc View Post

    Or it would've made absolutely no difference and you've had a chat. Depends on the agent, on your skills etc.
    At worst it wouldn't have done them any harm.

    Leave a comment:


  • dsc
    replied
    Originally posted by GJABS View Post

    [...]It makes sense that this call was likely to have put me ahead of other applicants [...]
    Or it would've made absolutely no difference and you've had a chat. Depends on the agent, on your skills etc.

    Leave a comment:


  • willendure
    replied
    Originally posted by edison View Post
    It's still worth trying a call though. I got my last gig by phoning the switchboard of an agency after seeing a Jobserve ad which had no contact details and actually got put through to the agent to my surprise.
    That is what I always do - phone the switchboard and politely ask for the person. Unfortunately more and more it is common to be told they are working from home, and they won't give out a personal number. But a lot of the time, this still works just fine.

    Leave a comment:


  • GJABS
    replied
    Originally posted by SchumiStars View Post

    I might try this, next week. Nothing to lose. Never done it this way before tbh, just applied for roles and if they like me, they will call. It's worked so far, bar the last 2years

    ​​​​​​
    Definitely do it.

    Just this morning I called the switchboard of the agency for a role I had applied for last week, and asked to be put through to the agent named on the ad. He took the call and we had a good chat where I just expressed an interest in more details about the role. He said 150 people had applied for the role, but I didn't get the impression he was being hounded with calls. It makes sense that this call was likely to have put me ahead of other applicants (although I ultimately rejected the role because it turned out to be a mainly python coding gig, and my python is too light). And I'm no high-flyer.

    Leave a comment:


  • Robinho
    replied
    Originally posted by ladymuck View Post
    I'm rubbish at doing this, and is something I'm going to work on
    I absolutely despised networking and it completely tripped me up after coming out of a 2 year contract at the start of COVID. Everything had moved to LinkedIn, a site which i had about 5 connections on.
    Last edited by Robinho; 6 January 2025, 15:52.

    Leave a comment:


  • dsc
    replied
    Originally posted by willendure View Post
    We are in the midst of a hiring recession, especially in the UK: ManpowerGroup:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu6uYxkhz7E
    Well we've all said this before, it's bad and I cannot see how it will suddenly (or even slowly) get better. I'm in the green energy sector and even that is going down the drain as gov subsidies have stopped and suddenly every project is expensive. Every industry seems to be dealing with something, how the whole world isn't yet in recession is something I do not understand. Luckily my wife has a job in the autism related industry as that seems to be booming and probably will be in the foreseeable future (I can definitely see myself being without a job at some stage in the next few years).

    Leave a comment:


  • edison
    replied
    Originally posted by willendure View Post

    Great advice really.

    I always try and hunt them down and get them on the phone. Frustratingly, more and more recruiters are hiding from phone calls nowadays. Or you call their work number but they are working from home and no call forwarding set up, and so on.
    It's very hard to get a recruiter on the phone these days if you don't already know them. Most no longer publicise their contact details as they can get inundated with calls. Many don't bother to reply to unsolicited LinkedIn messages either.

    It's still worth trying a call though. I got my last gig by phoning the switchboard of an agency after seeing a Jobserve ad which had no contact details and actually got put through to the agent to my surprise.

    Leave a comment:


  • edison
    replied
    Originally posted by SussexSeagull View Post
    Similar seems to be happening in the TV industry, A boom post Covid following a lack of opportunities rings true.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crl3077699jo
    If you ever think we have it bad now as IT contractors, spare a thought for those in the TV industry. As the union rep in the article says, over half of its freelance members were out of work, with 78% reporting that they were struggling to pay their bills.

    I've known a few people in the industry and whilst it sounds glamorous, it is a tough existence as a freelancer. In mid-2022 a giant new TV studio was announced to be built close to where I live, with 20 sound stages and 2m square feet of space. The backers were clearly betting on the post-Covid streaming boom continuing but only a year later it was paused after the initial ground works were done and nothing has happened in the 18 months since. Was going to create up to 4000 local jobs too.

    Leave a comment:

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