Reply to: Slow Market?

[rocktronAMP]

That's shocking you can't buy much quality with that

This is just my two pence. As a test manager, you may want to diversify your expertise. Have you look into Dev Ops or Web Ops (Developer / Operations - Web / Operations )? Or perhaps you can get more into the business as Business Analyst (BA in Test)?

[The Spartan]

The rates are as low as 160 quid for UAT lead. And surprisingly there are people ready to accept. This one is for some company in Brentford. Must be outsourced again

That's shocking you can't buy much quality with that

[spb]

The rates are as low as 160 quid for UAT lead. And surprisingly there are people ready to accept. This one is for some company in Brentford. Must be outsourced again

[The Spartan]

Agile tends to not need Test Managers (although this does leave no one in charge of overall standards, but that is another conversation).

Agreed it puts more emphasis on testers within the stream which can be both a good and a bad thing, it then comes down to the quality of people that you hire on how things are driven forward.

[kal]

There seems to be a pattern emerging whereas teams have leads who feed into whoever is designated I.T. Manager rather than having a Test Manager in general. I went to the most recent London Test Gathering and spoke with other tester's who confirm that was how their organisation's had now been structured.

In my current gig they've recently restructured the whole of I.T. and the 4 test managers and Head of Testing are now in the process of transitioning to new roles within the company.

+1 Have to say the same applies at my current client co, the traditional PM/TM is no more.

[SussexSeagull]

Agile tends to not need Test Managers (although this does leave no one in charge of overall standards, but that is another conversation).

[The Spartan]

To what - not testing? Genuinely interested as I'm a Test Manager.

There seems to be a pattern emerging whereas teams have leads who feed into whoever is designated I.T. Manager rather than having a Test Manager in general. I went to the most recent London Test Gathering and spoke with other tester's who confirm that was how their organisation's had now been structured.

In my current gig they've recently restructured the whole of I.T. and the 4 test managers and Head of Testing are now in the process of transitioning to new roles within the company.

[Sausage Surprise]

Though there are Test Manager roles available, it seems like test management in general is in decline imho sure there will always be companies that prefer the traditional approach of having a Test Manager but I'm seeing more of a shift away from that.

To what - not testing? Genuinely interested as I'm a Test Manager.

[The Spartan]

First time poster... So pardon my ignorance. I am a newish contractor and have been on the bench since Christmas. It is scary that there are barely any jobs on the market for a Test Manager. It is normal this time of the year? or has this year been particularly bad?

Though there are Test Manager roles available, it seems like test management in general is in decline imho sure there will always be companies that prefer the traditional approach of having a Test Manager but I'm seeing more of a shift away from that.

[SteelyDan]

Although not currently looking, I do still get alerts in connection with roles. Seems to be plenty of work available (for my work area) but I'm not seeing great rates at all, even in London.
Are rates down generally?
Or are agencies now increasing their cut & trying to make up for lost revenue during the time where roles were a bit scarce?

[spb]

The Horsham job is for a Indian outsourcing company. They are looking for someone with 15 years of programme test management experience. They said I am not old enough for the job :-)

[samai]

Best Market Rates....

Seems like this is a fantastic TM opportunity for somebody?
Test Manager (Banking, Financial service, Insurance, Quality Assurance,SIT,UAT,Product testing,Black
Horsham - Best Market rates
Contract
Posted: Monday, 3 February 2014
Role :Test Manager
Location :horsham/west sussex,UK
Contract :12 months
Rate :£270 max
P:S Unfortunately cannot negotiate on the rates.If you're happy with that,Please apply for this opportunity immediately.

Not sure what 'market' these rates are 'best' in but its probably not a market that's in the UK? Now the thing is SOMEBODY will go for this.

A lot people I've met both in and outside IT talk about contract rates. I ask them what they were earning in the mid to late 90's and ask them are they earning more now that back then. Every single one comes back with (sometimes an involuntary laugh) "yes, of course". I then tell them in the last 3 years the majority of work I've done pays only 3/4 of what I used to earn in the 90's. I don't know of any other industry that pays less now than it did in the 90's and with rates like the above, the future sure looks bright.

[eek]

I do add a covering letter and tailor my CV. Few of the jobs seem to be perfect fit. Yet, no luck.
Applied for least 15 jobs in a day, but most of them don't seem to be real jobs. If there is a real job, at least 10 recruiters post it which again doesn't seem real as not many companies deal with more than 4 recruiters at the same time.

bin the covering letter and get the information on to the CV... covering letters require thinking which agents just don't do (no matter what jobserve thinks)

[psychocandy]

Doing an arbitary count of jobs on jobserve the market looks about 15% better than this time last year and not far off what I would call average.

What have you been doing to find a contract?

Would agree. Purely on totals, before xmas was pretty steady, since xmas its got even better.

[spb]

They don't lose by doing copy & paste a real job desc. Another way of keeping themselves busy. You give them a ring they ask all funny questions and agree to call back. But that doesn't happen.