PM contracts

[Bluenose]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???

I would say the upper end of the Infrastructure PM market (550-850 per day) has seen better days and it's not just you. Plenty of jobs, plenty of calls but too many applicants (100-200 per role).

I would not gauge the market on calls or emails from agents, the reality is most of the "jobs" will be on a wing and a prayer with the inveitable dissapointment that you did not get an interview slot for said non-job.

I expect many agencies are having their margins squeezed to breaking point and volume is just not there to support that squeeze. I know some of the more established infrastructure consultancies are going through some pain at the moment on margins (down to 10% in some cases from the 40% of where they need to be in order to sustain the business long-term).

Investment banking market also broken, lots of job redundancies and business units getting closed down. Equities especially is worst place to be right now, from a stability prespective, day rates now not reflecting the risk imo. I know peeps getting canned weeks or days into projects as executive directors get moved on and priorities get changed (along with their underlings).

London contracting for Infrastructure in general is in a bear market at the moment. I would say there has been a marked deteration during late summer (i picked up a gig in June and then another in late July) and it has not recovered.

I hate jobserve but a quick power search using my usual conditions show's less than a dozen adverts posted in the last 7 days, down from an average of 50-60 during Feb/March/April 2012.

I have lots of connections and ex-colleagues in the know, I was getting about 2 calls a week in Q1 and Q2, since July my phone has gone off once in 3 months. I was out of contract on April 15th and was out of contract for about 2 1/2 months *but* i started looking 1st week in January, thats a 6 month contract hunt.

As always there are pockets of activity in specialist fields, I would keep an eye on the London Insurance contracting market, they had a rough 18 months with all the market losses but are now ramping up to spend in 2013 and their budgets should be pretty fattened with the majority of the solvency II costs behind them now (in alot of cases).

There has been a large amount of activity in London, to move jobs (which cannot be moved to India) to Manchester, Ireland and Poland this has also helped to suck the life out of the London market.

Reading has remained pretty boyant in the last 12 months but I would prefer not to work there given a choice.

[kaiser78]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???

During June/July/Aug I was getting quite a lot of calls from agents asking about availability for PM roles all over the country - I am only interest in London & SE.

The market in London is ticking over although have noticed more PM roles appearing in the South East region, again in financial services and service integration specialists, with London type rates on offer as well.

[kaiser78]

What is going on this week with people coming on asking such generic questions with no detail whatsoever and expecting a sensible answer????

You have to add a bit of detail allow anyone to answer with any credible numbers.

I am sure the market is fine if you are willing to take a gig anywhere between the Shetland Isles and Lands End and a rate between £120 and £800 a day.

What is tangible is you are approach xmas so if anything it is going to tail off in the next few months and perk up again in Jan.

Keep an eye on jobserve to help you gauge and have a play with IT Jobs Watch, Tracking the IT Job Market

A generic question warrants a generic answer (doesn't it ?)

[ambient]

I'm a BA rather than a PM, however the London market seems at little flat to me at present. Things are also seem to be taking ages to turn around than usual, i.e. lead time for CV review, interviews, feedback etc.

[redgiant]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???

Can't say I've noticed much of a drop. I would take a more direct approach and contact former agents and clients directly if you're not having much luck on the job boards.

Had an email today about several PM & PMO roles going at the Post Office based in central London as there is a major change programme going on there. Didn't look at the details but it's worth having a look there as well.

Good hunting

[northernladuk]

Seems like a fairly specific question to me. What's going on with the market for PMs inside London but outside of IBs? (because they don't have IB experience). To the OP it seems flat, and they wonder if it's just them or the state of the market?

Maybe I read this wrong but from what I read he doesn't specify inside London, he just says most of London ones are not suitable so everywhere else.

[Gentile]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???

What is going on this week with people coming on asking such generic questions with no detail whatsoever and expecting a sensible answer????

You have to add a bit of detail allow anyone to answer with any credible numbers.

I am sure the market is fine if you are willing to take a gig anywhere between the Shetland Isles and Lands End and a rate between £120 and £800 a day.

What is tangible is you are approach xmas so if anything it is going to tail off in the next few months and perk up again in Jan.

Keep an eye on jobserve to help you gauge and have a play with IT Jobs Watch, Tracking the IT Job Market

Seems like a fairly specific question to me. What's going on with the market for PMs inside London but outside of IBs? (because they don't have IB experience). To the OP it seems flat, and they wonder if it's just them or the state of the market?

FWIW Pingu, I'm not a PM, but I have noticed the contract market being very flat in general right now. My impression is that things are slightly worse up here in Scotland than they are in London, but it's not buoyant anywhere right now.

[northernladuk]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???

What is going on this week with people coming on asking such generic questions with no detail whatsoever and expecting a sensible answer????

You have to add a bit of detail allow anyone to answer with any credible numbers.

I am sure the market is fine if you are willing to take a gig anywhere between the Shetland Isles and Lands End and a rate between £120 and £800 a day.

What is tangible is you are approach xmas so if anything it is going to tail off in the next few months and perk up again in Jan.

Keep an eye on jobserve to help you gauge and have a play with IT Jobs Watch, Tracking the IT Job Market

[Pingu2]

What's the market like for project managers at the moment. I'm experienced but not getting much traction (no investment banking so most of the London ones not suitable). I was wondering if its me or a general market malaise???