Reply to: Grim up North?

[Fred Bloggs]

For those who have been able to find work consistently in NW what is your main avenue? Jobserve? specific agency or contacts?

Where I am at now they are going to get rid of all contracts at the end of my 3 months and hire permies (even though the contractors have a lot of the business knowledge). So I need to start thinking about my next contract sometime soon.....

Any advice guys?

At the moment I am thinking:

1) Keep an eye out on the market
2) Whenever an agency contacts you tell them when you will be available
3) Start applying during my last month
4) If after a couple of weeks of finishing I dont find anything then start looking outside of NW.

NW is dead on its feet.

HTH.

[larson]

I'm originally from Scotland.

Whilst in London I seen a few irate Scots in my time angry at the way in which Londoners are rude on the London underground; pregnant women and really quite frail OAPs left standing up. It takes more than polite requests; lack of eye contact is avoided in these situations by the Londoners. They just listen, then it takes a wee threat - still with them looking at anything else - to get them to give the seat, without acknowledgement, to someone heavily pregnant. The woman when it was my turn (all Scots in London are on a rota system on the tube) the woman was clearly due to give birth in a couple of weeks!

I wouldn't work down in London again; the money offered in permanent positions is at the lowest it has been in quite some time. If you're only into clubbing, good music gig venues, and a more café based existence, then head on down.

Quality of life is much better up North, but I do find the central-belt in Scotland to be the best balance of a metro lifestyle with accessibility to the essential snowboarding, mountain-biking and more beautiful locations that means you can get up at 5am, and just decide to go somewhere for the weekend without a large amount of pre-planning.

Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester - all fanastic places too. When you begin to look at the way in which Scotland and Northern cities are financially supported extensively by the lower half of England though I can easily understand why people would think our current situation is unfair. But hey, life is unfair.

Earning £40k to £45k in somewhere like Glasgow is comparable to £65k and above in London in my experience. But every human has their own preference, and some people may just love London.

For me, finishing some verification then heading off for some local mountain climbing with friends appeals more to me. Life is for doing the things you enjoy, work is just one of those necessary evils. I take work seriously, but do not plan on being one of those stressed out Londoner managers aged 50, divorced, with a huge pension but unenjoyable - from my point of view - lifestyle.

[Stan.goodvibes]

I had a great time spending weekends away south of London (Surry, Sussex, Kent, Somerset, Cornwall... even sth Wales!).

My experiences visiting relatives etc who lived around the midlands weren't so great.

Quite frankly they should build a huge Berlin-type wall from the Watford gap to Wales and another one just below the lake district and anything in between could be like East Germany and the rest above and below could be like West Germany.

On second thoughts, might want to fence off Essex as well...

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

For those who have been able to find work consistently in NW what is your main avenue? Jobserve? specific agency or contacts?

Where I am at now they are going to get rid of all contracts at the end of my 3 months and hire permies (even though the contractors have a lot of the business knowledge). So I need to start thinking about my next contract sometime soon.....

Any advice guys?

At the moment I am thinking:

1) Keep an eye out on the market
2) Whenever an agency contacts you tell them when you will be available
3) Start applying during my last month
4) If after a couple of weeks of finishing I dont find anything then start looking outside of NW.

[PerlOfWisdom]

The tube is full of impolite people. Men and children sitting while women stand.

What's wrong with that (as long as they aren't pregnant or disabled)?

[lukemg]

Market is just so much smaller in the NorthWest and this is also being squeezed and it is often the same names hiring (and clearing everyone out even quicker) you really need all things in your favour to keep working. By which I mean an exact skillset match, experience in that company (and someone who will vouch for you who is in there), flexibilty on rates and a good relationship with some key agents, these might get you an interview, better hope you are a whizz at interviews to land the gig.
I am restricted to this location which has resulted in some lengthy gaps between contracts over the last 4 years. E.g 4 months (self inflicted, Sheffield stay over gig),5 months, 2 months. In addition, there seem to be fewer options to 'hire and forget' when 3 months turns into 6 years like a few years back, some are using 11 month/51 week rules, all are looking at any expenditure much closer.
With that in mind I keep a healthy warchest ticking over (12-18 months) and spend only when the money is stashed. Despite the gaps I would estimate I am 75k better off than a fairly good comparative perm job over the 4 years and of course have had about a year off in that time (not always enjoyed this as much as I should though !).
SE/London is a much larger pond, I reckon I would be working more consistently but even without the reasons I need to stay NW, I would not be keen !!

[contractor79]

Mind if I have a go???

yes I would mind

[NeverBeenNorthOfTheM25]

apart from my bird, who's well fit, thanks

Mind if I have a go???

[contractor79]

Mine too

nice one, lol

[lightng]

apart from my bird, who's well fit, thanks

Mine too

Nearly all available northern women.

FTFM

[contractor79]

Nearly all northern women.

apart from my bird, who's well fit, thanks

[contractor79]

I moved up North from London for many of the reasons that you stated. I have not been able to secure a contract despite looking in the Midlands, Cheshire, Leeds, Lancashire etc. I am now going back to London for a role at an IB.

Still, it beats being on the bench. I really do hope that the outlook up North improves as I really can't bear thinking of moving back to London permanently.

Same here, I'm only looking for something in the North but have been several months on the bench now.

I really don't want to go work down south as I'm enjoying my life up North too much.

[BA to the Stars]

What's so great about the North ? I've spent the last 3 months contracting in Leeds and am leaving mid-contract just to get away. Job is in South Leeds which is a grim wasteland, not a single bit of green space have I seen since I moved here. It's no different to any other big city and certainly not found the "friendly Northerners". A little while back the boys in blue went to one of the local hostelries to arrest one of the punters there, a riot ensued, 6 Police Vans turned up and a number of the Coppers got hurt i.e they came off worse than the locals. So you could say it's lively

Thats South Leeds for you. They think Shameless is a fly on the wall documentary

[Ruse]

SSShhhhhhhhhhh! You'll have them all up here you idiot!

What's so great about the North ? I've spent the last 3 months contracting in Leeds and am leaving mid-contract just to get away. Job is in South Leeds which is a grim wasteland, not a single bit of green space have I seen since I moved here. It's no different to any other big city and certainly not found the "friendly Northerners". A little while back the boys in blue went to one of the local hostelries to arrest one of the punters there, a riot ensued, 6 Police Vans turned up and a number of the Coppers got hurt i.e they came off worse than the locals. So you could say it's lively

[nomadd]

I'm finding it hard to see how it could possibly get back to where it was. Maybe I was just on a gravy train (2.5 years on £ 450 a day with zero expenses).

Too true. I did 6 months on £1200/day, followed by 2.5 years on £900/day (all "big financial" clients.)

Still, like you, I knew it was a "gravy train" that wouldn't last long. And I also doubt those days will ever come back. Well, not in my working lifetime... Whatever, easy come, easy go, I guess.