Is the market better now?

[Saddo]

I think I agree with the previous synopsis.

In the recent past I have been contacted by more than one agent about joining an IB or similar. In earlier job hunting if you haven't had previous experience within finance you simply couldn't get a look-in, but those doors have definitely opened up this year.

It's probably all those dodgy bankers moving their assets around.

[DeludedAussie]

My current client (IB) has just laid off 15% of their workforce. I luckily missed the cull and got a 6 month renewal. In their US arm, they laid off 50% of their contractors last week.

Just spoke to a mate who works at RBS, who have just laid off 1,000s, and are scheduled to lay off 1000s more. His contract isn't being renewed after the current stint.

All the talk today in the financial pages is of the UK and US (and probably most of Europe) dropping into a double-dip recession next year. The West still has a mountain of debt to pay off. Will take at least 10-20 years.

In a couple of weeks, the first round of several years worth of savage cuts will be announced by the Government. Everyone in permie land is planning to go on strike. Contractors can't, and they are first out the door.

Apart from all the above, things are looking pretty sweet.

Disagree completely - I am in an IB at the moment and fixed income is on fire

I am seeing regular 650/700 a day roles which are just not getting filled (And my skillset matches that)

The market has picked up MASSIVELY

[nomadd]

Here in Luxembourg and in Belgium I hear people say that the market is picking up.

Is it? Of course here its the the seasonable top, so people might mistake it for a general trend,
or it might be the sum of a general and a seasonable trend making it noticeable.

My current client (IB) has just laid off 15% of their workforce. I luckily missed the cull and got a 6 month renewal. In their US arm, they laid off 50% of their contractors last week.

Just spoke to a mate who works at RBS, who have just laid off 1,000s, and are scheduled to lay off 1000s more. His contract isn't being renewed after the current stint.

All the talk today in the financial pages is of the UK and US (and probably most of Europe) dropping into a double-dip recession next year. The West still has a mountain of debt to pay off. Will take at least 10-20 years.

In a couple of weeks, the first round of several years worth of savage cuts will be announced by the Government. Everyone in permie land is planning to go on strike. Contractors can't, and they are first out the door.

Apart from all the above, things are looking pretty sweet.

[northernladuk]

Check the job boards and make your own assesment. Are there more jobs advertised? Are the rates going up? From that you can take a pretty good guess at the situation.

[Oscar]

Here in Luxembourg and in Belgium I hear people say that the market is picking up.

Is it? Of course here its the the seasonable top, so people might mistake it for a general trend,
or it might be the sum of a general and a seasonable trend making it noticeable.