Reply to: State of the Market

[sreed]

This is truly terrible:


Lead Test Analyst

6m inside IR35

Remote, with occasional site visits (South Wales)

£160pd rate (Umbrella)

The rates are compressed due to NHS budget availability. The role needs a site visit to collect and return your IT equipment.

You’ll be required to work on a full-time basis between the hours of 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week (Start/end times will be confirmed on day 1 of the contract). The successful candidate must work solely for the client during the hours stated above.

I know these things aren't entirely accurate but on-line calculator tells me this is the equivalent of about a 28k a year permanent job without the benefits and with line management responsibilities.

The NHS have form for this. Last summer they had a PM role on PSR which (after being shortlisted) I was told pays £240/day inside! The recruiter that I spoke to was quite apologetic as she herself had got me the exact same kind of role in a public sector dept for more than double that day-rate 6-7 months earlier.

When I asked her how do they get decent candidates at these rates she said NHS roles attract a lot more applications than normal PS roles, for whatever reason. And the budget is set in stone and derived from perm pay bands so there's no movement on that.

[dsc]

This is truly terrible:


Lead Test Analyst

6m inside IR35

Remote, with occasional site visits (South Wales)

£160pd rate (Umbrella)

The rates are compressed due to NHS budget availability. The role needs a site visit to collect and return your IT equipment.



You’ll be required to work on a full-time basis between the hours of 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week (Start/end times will be confirmed on day 1 of the contract). The successful candidate must work solely for the client during the hours stated above.

I know these things aren't entirely accurate but on-line calculator tells me this is the equivalent of about a 28k a year permanent job without the benefits and with line management responsibilities.

This is a bloody piss take, grads used to start at that level. No bloody wonder nothing in the NHS works if these are the rates luring "talent" in...

[dsc]

Indeed and if you forget about perm benefits as such (I know you shouldn't) but Clarity Umbrella calculator has a take home pay of £3300 (on a 20day month), to get that from a perm salary requires £50k and I doubt the LA will be paying that, probably not even the £40k you alluded to. So if I'd been out of work for a bit then I'd take it and continue looking.

Yup I always say that even a low paid contract is still better than £0ph, but on the other hand, this is why ads like this show up and get applications / get filled. With enough people looking and a terrible market anything will go effectively, of course you'd probably get what you pay for as a hirer, but still, the position is filled which then results in a conclusion that you can find people for this amount of money, so next time lets see if we can get the same for less...

[gables]

Woah, that is just slightly over £40k a year perm equivalent...then again the role is "Continuous Improvement Practitioner", so perhaps 40k is a lot for that

Indeed and if you forget about perm benefits as such (I know you shouldn't) but Clarity Umbrella calculator has a take home pay of £3300 (on a 20day month), to get that from a perm salary requires £50k and I doubt the LA will be paying that, probably not even the £40k you alluded to. So if I'd been out of work for a bit then I'd take it and continue looking.

[SussexSeagull]

Am seeing a rise in agency insolvencies and also those talking about the prospect of it. Keep your credit control tight!

I was talking to the agent I got my last contract through which finished in May. They still haven't been paid for my work there and that was for a public sector client.

[sadkingbilly]

Moan, whine, whinge.
ME ME ME ME ME!

Oh, do give it a rest.

[cojak]

Calling other morons in Professional forums is unacceptable. Please do not do that again, consider this a warning.

[SussexSeagull]

This is truly terrible:


Lead Test Analyst

6m inside IR35

Remote, with occasional site visits (South Wales)

£160pd rate (Umbrella)

The rates are compressed due to NHS budget availability. The role needs a site visit to collect and return your IT equipment.

<snip>

You’ll be required to work on a full-time basis between the hours of 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week (Start/end times will be confirmed on day 1 of the contract). The successful candidate must work solely for the client during the hours stated above.

I know these things aren't entirely accurate but on-line calculator tells me this is the equivalent of about a 28k a year permanent job without the benefits and with line management responsibilities.

[dsc]

ooh, ooh, where do I sign up!

Woah, that is just slightly over £40k a year perm equivalent...then again the role is "Continuous Improvement Practitioner", so perhaps 40k is a lot for that

[Andy Hallett]

Am seeing a rise in agency insolvencies and also those talking about the prospect of it. Keep your credit control tight!

[coolhandluke]

Quite a few .Net contacts I know are still looking. I'm not convinced that this market will ever return to be honest.

I closed my Ltd down 4 years ago and took a perm role. Moved on since then to a FTC which has just been extended until 2026, after that I'm gearing up for a low paying fully remote role I can work whilst I'm abroad.

[Cookielove]

Never heard another cheep re the possible outside role agent not answering calls/emails no doubt buried under the 100's of CV's/those willing to work peanuts...another dead end....that is it now am pushing ahead with closing my ltd co.

[Protagoras]

ooh, ooh, where do I sign up!

Any shortage of candidates will evidence the 'skills shortage' in the UK.

[ladymuck]

ooh, ooh, where do I sign up!

I hope this email reaches you well. My Local Authority Client is seeking a Continuous Improvement Practitioner to support with Digital Transformation Projects.
• Duration - 9-12 months
• Pay - £240 Inside IR35
• Location - Surrey
• Start date - ASAP
If you are interested please reply with your CV.

[Snooky]

What a moronic thing to say.

Let's imagine people decided they didn't fancy contributing to national defence - the first responsibility of a government.
We've already seen what happens when we govern by referendum.

Quite.

I don't fancy contributing towards cancer treatment because it's very expensive and I don't have cancer. I own my own house outright, I don't want to subsidise affordable housing for poor people. I can also afford a car so let's not support public transport. And while we're at it, I live on a hill so why should I pay towards flood defences?

The sheer selfish entitlement of someone who lives in a society and benefits constantly from that, but only wants to pay towards the things that affect them directly, is gobsmacking. The sooner (s)he escapes the UK, the better.