Reply to: Contracting in Oz?

[Funkywood]

I'm back in the UK now but the contract I had in Brisbane said they'd have me back if things don't go well in London. They wouldn't go as far as sponsoring me as I'd hoped so it means paying out for a full residency visa but it might be good as a back up plan.

Strangely, I got calls about 2 different jobs at a previous banking client in London just days before my return, one of which I'd be perfectly suited to so things might not be so bad here for a while.

When I was looking I didn't find much in Sydney (same JobServe C# search that had 14 jobs there gave 144 in London but maybe that's down to dodgy geezer pimps).

[weemster]

Not yet

but.............I am in the process of going out there for a stint !

[icarus]

I contracted in Sydney for 6 months in 2006-7. It took me 3 weeks to find a gig at about $500/day (what am I doing wrong, I wonder?) Anyway, I loved it, especially the weather and scenery. With the extreme forex rate and the rate cuts I've had in London in the last 18 months it is very tempting to go back to Sydney or maybe Melbourne. I'm getting mixed messages from this thread but some people are making it sound very easy. Anyone have recent experience of the .NET market there?

[phillrow]

yes, as is pretty much anything of a decent size

[gadgetman]

My current project is a Unix-based platform.

[phillrow]

Unix systems, AIX & Solaris mainly, a bit of HP-UX and Linux thrown in for good measure.

In the *nix space in Melb one of the bigger issues is probably that IBM are such a large shop and they are sending everything that they can to India and letting a lot of guys go, so the *nix part of the market is quite flooded atm. I'm currently working for one of the Unis which is well, shall we say interesting.....and about 10 years behind the rest of the world in their operational paradigm, unix technology thinking and there is a lot of resistance to updating the way that things are done..........the bank that I worked for in London was more progressive in their way of doing things which really is a reverse of the way that you'd stereo type the two types of organizations.

[gadgetman]

What's your speciality?

I'm in testing and its very good right now. Got offered another unsolicited role yesterday... Based on Jobserve, in the Uk right now I would be getting half my current rate IF I could get a contract.

I was out of work in Britain for extended periods twice in 2008/09 before I came to Oz (unprecendented in 20 years) and ended up with a contract on a really crap rate just to see me through to moving.

In contrast I got off the plane here and had a contract offer the next day.

[phillrow]

hummmm

I've been back in Oz (Melbourne) since August and I would have been much better off staying in London....Damn those visa changes...anyway....for my line of skills the market here is crap, not to mention the general expectation to pull miracles out of, well...crap gear.

A college of mine was out of work for 4 months (the longest he's even been out of work) until last week when he started a 3 month gig interstate. His previous contract was ended by his job being sent to India which is happening a lot with a certain large outsourcing provider who rumour has it have in the last month given 38% of perm staff a little one on one shall we say career adjustment advice. This is going to flood the market here somewhat. The word from some agents is that those who were not pushed are looking to jump first as they don't like their prospects going forward with said outsourcing provider.

I myself have been stuck in a job (fixed term so permie salary for a short term gig) that I generally haven't been too impressed with and pays about 35% below my last gig here in Oz (with interest rates and rents on that up that ain't making for much fun). I'm still hunting, there are some jobs about but the competition for them is intense at this point.

[gadgetman]

Yeah Sandy's lovely but we're renting. Very expensive to buy here. I wouldn't describe it as posh, not like Brighton but its a lovely place to live.

Things I miss are Amazon and Play, cheap books, decent broadband and mobile tarrifs though there are a couple of truly unlimited broadband packages now so its improving.

Went to the Grand Prix yesterday (for the first time), great experience plus of course, great result

geez, posh! sandringham is really nice. yeah, born and bred in melbourne, i was further east, glen waverley area. sorrento is fantastic, my folks have had a holiday house down that way for decades. and you're right, i do miss the local shops, the cafe culture, the food. some things, like online shopping though, are virtually non-existent, broadband is a bit of a joke.

some stuff here cracks me up though, like fixing escalators on the tube for 18 months (!). what are they doing?!?

[facboy]

Currently living in Sandringham ("Sandy" to the locals), working just outside the city in Hawthorn.

Are you a local then?

I'm actually in work on overtime today, "go live" is looming and of course its nowhere near ready

Some stuff is definitely 'backward' but for me that's part of the attraction. For example its nice to walk down streets with real shops not huge chains; they are confined largely to the malls.

We had a weekend away recently in Sorrento and went swimming with wild seals and dolphins. It was absolutely amazing and that's only an hour away. Skiing is a couple of hours drive away in winter.

geez, posh! sandringham is really nice. yeah, born and bred in melbourne, i was further east, glen waverley area. sorrento is fantastic, my folks have had a holiday house down that way for decades. and you're right, i do miss the local shops, the cafe culture, the food. some things, like online shopping though, are virtually non-existent, broadband is a bit of a joke.

some stuff here cracks me up though, like fixing escalators on the tube for 18 months (!). what are they doing?!?

[gadgetman]

I was here most of 2009 and saw no evidence whatsoever of any fall in rates or contract roles.

The GFC pretty much passed Australia by (they were technically in recession for 1 month I think) and from my contacts and personal experience the market here is booming right now.

Jobserve Australia have just given us an article on where demand is picking up over there.

[gadgetman]

Currently living in Sandringham ("Sandy" to the locals), working just outside the city in Hawthorn.

Are you a local then?

I'm actually in work on overtime today, "go live" is looming and of course its nowhere near ready

Some stuff is definitely 'backward' but for me that's part of the attraction. For example its nice to walk down streets with real shops not huge chains; they are confined largely to the malls.

We had a weekend away recently in Sorrento and went swimming with wild seals and dolphins. It was absolutely amazing and that's only an hour away. Skiing is a couple of hours drive away in winter.

geez you guys are making me homesick :P. having said that, i'd go and check it out, but i'm also aware (when i go back for hols to see fam/friends) that it is a much 'smaller' place than the uk, economically speaking. some stuff just feels really backward.

where are you exactly gadget?

[facboy]

Its autumn and 29 degrees out here as I type. I'm going to the Grand Prix on Sunday, could never afford it in the UK.

Contract rates are good (I'm looking at circa $1k/per day as a Test Manager) and I'm having trouble keeping staff because of the buoyant market. I've already been approached directly about new contracts even though I'm not currently registered anywhere or even looking at the moment.

I live 2 mins from a beautiful beach, in a sleepy town full of restaurants from around the world, I walk to the train station with a 35-40 minute commute and Melbourne city is 25 minutes away.

The towns have real shops, you know like we used to have in the UK before we were overrun with charity shops, amusement aracades and pound shops and are not dominated by Tescos and the like.

A friend just went back to the UK after a 3 week visit and is currently (almost literally) packing her bags to move out too.

Seems like every time I post positive stuff about the place I get some naysayer coming along and putting their oar in, just wait...

Its not all perfect here but there's no way I'm going back.

Wanna know anything specific?

geez you guys are making me homesick :P. having said that, i'd go and check it out, but i'm also aware (when i go back for hols to see fam/friends) that it is a much 'smaller' place than the uk, economically speaking. some stuff just feels really backward.

where are you exactly gadget?

[Contractor UK]

Jobserve Australia have just given us an article on where demand is picking up over there.

[gadgetman]

FYI last time I used that facility everything I found was out of date and also the Auz page no longer exists. I got nothing useful from this site, other than in the forums.

This page (especially bottom right, 'overseas information') might suggest some places to best ask.