Reply to: State of the Market

[willendure]

Contracting should have been about bringing in a SME for a set period of time to cope with higher than normal workloads, such as a major project, before shaking hands and going off to the next engagement. In my experience in the last few years they just wanted people they could treat as permanent staff who they could easily get rid of when the time came.

I think the issue is that there are less IT projects happening right now. Lots of keeping the lights on projects that can be maintained by a permanent staff, but less of a drive to create big new systems, or take big evolutionary steps forward with existing systems.

I'm ok with taking on a role where I am effectively just an expendable permie, as you describe. Not my ideal, but at least you get paid doulbe what the permies get AND have the added bonus of knowing you will be leaving soon!

My view is that to some extend IT is more of a solved problem now than it used to be - there is a lot more off the shelf software that can do what you might have needed bespoke software for in the past. And the cost of capital is currently higher than it has been for some time.

There might be opportunity in areas where the problems are not yet fully solved and genuine expertise is actually needed - AI being the most obvious one right now.

Unfortunately, I don't see the availability of capital improving in either the short term. We might have a big crash and interest rates cut back to zero again, but it will come with tighter lending rules and the high yield spread will blow out massively. Only when the dust settles from that will there be a period of new capital formation and new projects at scale.

I think the business cycle we are coming to the end of has been one of the most muted business cycles in a long time. Most likely Covid had a lot to do with that, it certainly caused a lot of disruption which distracted from business as usual.

[willendure]

Didn't sleep well last night, had a nightmare that ended up keeping me awake.

I had somehow fallen into a deep, steep-sided quarry now filled with water and was heavily clothed. No matter how much I struggled to get out I couldn't, in fact my frantic actions were only serving to see me sinking deeper and deeper. There was a small path around the quarry with people walking around it, none of them wanting to help, not even acknowledging me. Then one person shouted out to stop struggling, it was making matters worse, and to lie back and I would float. I think he threw me something as well that would aid this.

Over breakfast this morning I relayed this nightmare to my wife and she pointed out it's a complete parallel of what I'm going through as a contractor. I hadn't even thought about it but I'd have to say she's probably bang on with her assessment. The question is, who is this mystery stranger that threw me a lifeline and will that result in a contract opportunity anytime soon?

Thoughts?

Jesus

[ladymuck]

Sky in Osterley are always after Scala developers. I always decline approaches because the commute is not feasible from Essex or I suspect a lot of other places.

Some genius has decided to advertise the same Scala role but each time located in one of about 40 different towns in the UK.

Fly a light aircraft from Southend to Heathrow and get the tube!

[oliverson]

Didn't sleep well last night, had a nightmare that ended up keeping me awake.

I had somehow fallen into a deep, steep-sided quarry now filled with water and was heavily clothed. No matter how much I struggled to get out I couldn't, in fact my frantic actions were only serving to see me sinking deeper and deeper. There was a small path around the quarry with people walking around it, none of them wanting to help, not even acknowledging me. Then one person shouted out to stop struggling, it was making matters worse, and to lie back and I would float. I think he threw me something as well that would aid this.

Over breakfast this morning I relayed this nightmare to my wife and she pointed out it's a complete parallel of what I'm going through as a contractor. I hadn't even thought about it but I'd have to say she's probably bang on with her assessment. The question is, who is this mystery stranger that threw me a lifeline and will that result in a contract opportunity anytime soon?

Thoughts?

[TheDude]

Sky in Osterley are always after Scala developers. I always decline approaches because the commute is not feasible from Essex or I suspect a lot of other places.

Some genius has decided to advertise the same Scala role but each time located in one of about 40 different towns in the UK.

[TheDude]

My advice:
At this stage, I would be using trusted friends to cover a long gap between your last role and now. I'm saying I would lie. I would lie through my teeth and use friendly chat with agents and interviewers to show I'm human and bag the next role.

Fine, go for a permie role, get the SC clearance. You can always leave and use your SC on a contract within 3 to 6 months. Do not lie on any clearance form, use a professional reference to cover the gap. On my CV, the lie would definitely be there. Worked for a friend's company, worked on a couple of projects, whatever is necessary to get my foot in the door.

Plenty of people here will tell you not to lie, but I would look after number 1 - you - and lie through my teeth. Good luck.

...and if you are applying to a bank, government etc. they will check your employment history thoroughly so even if you land the role you will fail the background check.

[sadkingbilly]

I blame you as well.

phill yerbooties.

[Fraidycat]

Encouraging to hear that Jobserver numbers are up around 40K though!

It is only the demand side. 40K might be ok when there are not many good candidates on the market. But with a flooded market, it is not enough to clear the back log of benched contractors and permies.

Shame we dont have many/any agents on the board who can tell us what the supply side looks like.

ie Are there more or fewer good candidates chasing each role in 2025 compared to 2024 or 2023

[SussexSeagull]

i blame myself

I blame you as well.

[sadkingbilly]

Some of these 'horrible' youngsters actually make a fortune on YouTube and even if they don't, no one is forcing anyone to watch it. Plus it isn't just youngsters doing it.

I suspect we have several people on here who have peaked career wise (probably including me) who need someone to blame.

i blame myself

[SussexSeagull]

Some of these 'horrible' youngsters actually make a fortune on YouTube and even if they don't, no one is forcing anyone to watch it. Plus it isn't just youngsters doing it.

I suspect we have several people on here who have peaked career wise (probably including me) who need someone to blame.

[SussexSeagull]

Really don't think the budget will make any noticeable difference either way. We have all been waiting for various events to come and go over the last couple of years and it hasn't happened. It is a long term structural change where contractors, especially outside, have fallen out of favour.

In some respects it shouldn't be a huge surprise. Contracting should have been about bringing in a SME for a set period of time to cope with higher than normal workloads, such as a major project, before shaking hands and going off to the next engagement. In my experience in the last few years they just wanted people they could treat as permanent staff who they could easily get rid of when the time came.

[oliverson]

I don't think that's a Millennial issue. They were born between 1981 and 1996, so most of them are in their 30s now, with some in their 40s. I.e. they would have been working in offices for several years before lockdown started in 2020. If you're talking about generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) then you might have a point; even then, their parents should ideally have taught them how to make a phone call long before they entered the workforce.

You're probably right about the generation and as has been said by others, they're work shy ****ers wanting to make money by shooting crappy videos. Horrible generation.

[sadkingbilly]

Well most of my friends and people I speak to share my sentiments.

Quite.

[hobnob]

I'm blaming it on the WFH brigade. What we have in mainstream recruitment is a bunch of kids who are basically doing absolutely FA. They've 'learned their trade' sat at the kitchen table since lockdowns, nobody to press them, challenge them, teach them how to be professional, courteous, how to pick up a phone and call people, how to answer the phone when people call, etc. I attribute a lot of what we are seeing to this. There are some good agents but as you say, the millenials and beyond aren't them. Most of the really good agents I knew from my London days are long gone. Replaced by this shower. I honestly believe if these people were back in the office 5 days a week and supervised, trained, etc, we'd all be in a better place.

I don't think that's a Millennial issue. They were born between 1981 and 1996, so most of them are in their 30s now, with some in their 40s. I.e. they would have been working in offices for several years before lockdown started in 2020. If you're talking about generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) then you might have a point; even then, their parents should ideally have taught them how to make a phone call long before they entered the workforce.