Reply to: IT Contracting Market in Manchester

[portseven]

[QUOTE=BigRed;1765681]3. I live mid way between Sheffield and Manchester, very rarely see contracts for either, Manchester is worse than Sheffield, again may depend on field.
[QUOTE]

You in Glossop?

Ditto

[stek]

I was born in Manchester. Inbred in Manchester. Went to Manchester University.

FTFY...

[Pogle]

Another Manc here and another tale of never getting work near home.
I work in Bi too but on big SAP migrations.
Just be prepared to be flexiable about location. I'm always down south, but am very good at getting clientocos to let me work from home.
So only spend 2 nights away during the week.

Good luck.

[nomadd]

I have been as a SQL/BI Developer for the past 7 years and I am considering IT contracting.
Even though my current role is quite comfortable, i want to try and extend my horizons by contracting in different industries in BI.
Has anybody experienced getting a contract whilst in Perm position. My concern at the moment is whether i can find a contract having whilst having a 4 week notice period.

I was born in Manchester. Bred in Manchester. Went to Manchester University.

Then I went contracting.

And now, 25 years of continuous contracting later, I've only ever managed one gig in Manchester, which was Barclays in Knutsford (so not even technically Manchester...)

As others have pointed out - there really is no sustainable contracting market in Manchester.

Be prepared to work Darn Sarf a lot, or forget contracting. It's that simple.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

And that's why I became a contractor, so I can tell them to stuff it when I don't like the location.

+1

But I take most locations as long as I can work from home a minimum of 2 days a week.

[TheFaQQer]

I once had an agent for a role in central Manchester, that quickly became Greater Manchester, which quickly became easy commutable from Manchester and which ended up being York.....

When I was permie, I was assigned to a project in Leeds, just as I moved to the north west.

Then it became Leeds, possibly Bristol.

Then Leeds, some time in Bristol.

Then Bristol, some time in Leeds.

Then Bristol, no chance of being in Leeds.

And that's why I became a contractor, so I can tell them to stuff it when I don't like the location.

[dynamicsaxcontractor]

There's also the agents view of 'Manchester' - mostly southern softies Manchester to them includes almost all the North West, one Manchester role I had involved frequent days in Leek of all places, a nightmare journey from Leeds.

I once had an agent for a role in central Manchester, that quickly became Greater Manchester, which quickly became easy commutable from Manchester and which ended up being York.....

[stek]

There's also the agents view of 'Manchester' - mostly southern softies Manchester to them includes almost all the North West, one Manchester role I had involved frequent days in Leek of all places, a nightmare journey from Leeds.

[rurffy]

Thanks for your replies. The reason I have been in the same position company is firstly the company has been relatively stable for the past 7 years with hardly any major redundancies. My role as grown into managing and being responsible for all the BI/Reporting requirements for the Group i work in.

I feel the time is now right for me to move. I have a war chest of up to 12k to start. I dont have a mortgage and ill be prepared to relocate should the correct position arise.

A lot of you seem quite negative about the contracting market in Manchester. Although i have been looking for the past 6 months but not necessarily applying. I have had a number of contract positions which have become available.

London might have to be a possibility if I am unable to find a contract up here.

How old are you? just wondering... and also relocating is not a big deal if you dont have a missus .. London is nice for contracting but be ready for the Underground, busy life,and early wakeups..

Again, decision to go into contracting is entirely up to you

[TheFaQQer]

A lot of you seem quite negative about the contracting market in Manchester. Although i have been looking for the past 6 months but not necessarily applying. I have had a number of contract positions which have become available.

There's a big difference between seeing and getting, assuming that they are all genuine in the first place.

Go for it if you think it's something that you want to do and can do it.

[PeterContractor]

IT Contracting / Manchester

Thanks for your replies. The reason I have been in the same position company is firstly the company has been relatively stable for the past 7 years with hardly any major redundancies. My role as grown into managing and being responsible for all the BI/Reporting requirements for the Group i work in.

I feel the time is now right for me to move. I have a war chest of up to 12k to start. I dont have a mortgage and ill be prepared to relocate should the correct position arise.

A lot of you seem quite negative about the contracting market in Manchester. Although i have been looking for the past 6 months but not necessarily applying. I have had a number of contract positions which have become available.

London might have to be a possibility if I am unable to find a contract up here.

[northernladuk]

Yeah, but like anything of this nature, it's only a problem if:

1) The permie company you're leaving find out about you working during a notice period. (You're under no obligation to tell them!)
2) The permie company care enough about it that they're willing to invest time, money and effort in taking you to court over it.

Since you've left and are effectively not working for the permie co. (you're on "holiday") they are not losing anything if you decide to work during those 2 weeks. It's no skin off their nose and they'd have to be incredibly vindictive to pursue you through the courts over this. It's like the old adage of something only being illegal if you get caught.

I say, JFDI, and worry about the consequences (in the incredibly slim chance that there are any) later.

The request for references and possibly changes in tax code or something payroll related may give you away to number 1) but the rest I agree.

[billybiro]

but your handcuff clauses would still apply though

Yeah, but like anything of this nature, it's only a problem if:

1) The permie company you're leaving find out about you working during a notice period. (You're under no obligation to tell them!)
2) The permie company care enough about it that they're willing to invest time, money and effort in taking you to court over it.

Since you've left and are effectively not working for the permie co. (you're on "holiday") they are not losing anything if you decide to work during those 2 weeks. It's no skin off their nose and they'd have to be incredibly vindictive to pursue you through the courts over this. It's like the old adage of something only being illegal if you get caught.

I say, JFDI, and worry about the consequences (in the incredibly slim chance that there are any) later.

[northernladuk]

Just take a tulip on your line managers laptop. Stick your finger in it and write your resignation letter on his desk, not forgetting to sign it and squash the lid down. You'll be out before you know it. References might be a problem though.

but your handcuff clauses would still apply though

[Mephisto]

Just take a tulip on your line managers laptop. Stick your finger in it and write your resignation letter on his desk, not forgetting to sign it and squash the lid down. You'll be out before you know it. References might be a problem though.

Though I think this course of action may see you whistle goodbye to the v important redundancy payout (if due) and permieco changing your leaving status to gross misconduct. As mentioned above the warchest is vital to those starting contracting for the first time I would have thought.

Definitely ok and condoned by me if you have a gig lined up already of course