Reply to: What's wrong with the market ?

[lukemg]

WHS
Agents dont read between the lines and fortunately they put a job description up - make sure you are a VERY good match for that and you can back up any claims - ish...
After speaking to them, you should know more and consider some more tweaking of CV if needed to emphasise certain stuff (do it in 15 mins and get it back to the agent to put in)

Main problem is that most jobs dont see the light of day and are dished out to someone who knows someone who can do X.
Sort out your networking, tap up any ex-colleagues on linked in etc.

[adam42]

I'd say to BiggieBig that the main thing is your CV. The recruitment consultants can only place you by matching the skills and experience on your CV with the skills and experience in their requirement. If there are 300 other people applying for the role (and often there are), then you aren't going to be noticed by the consultant unless the match is really good.

I found that out the hard way sitting on the bench wondering the same thing as you, and only after 3 months did I really look at what the main skills are in the jobs that I want. I changed my CV and it was like flicking a switch.

Basically the whole process is like speed dating. You have to tick the right boxes. Some of the advice on this thread for your CV is fantastic.

[MyUserName]

When the market is good, I get a few calls daily without even applying, plus emails and messages on LinkedIn, rates are mostly over £500 a day, and quite a number is £600 and over.

Okay, by that measure of good then yes - I have found the market to be very bad.

[SandyD]

It was in line or even slightly better that my expectations to be honest (other than the rates being low) as I am not really applying hard. I found several positions I liked the look of and I think I could do. I have only made a few applications and have got replies for most of them as well as a couple of cold calls.

I guess it depends on what you are expecting the market to be? What would you call a good market?

When the market is good, I get a few calls daily without even applying, plus emails and messages on LinkedIn, rates are mostly over £500 a day, and quite a number is £600 and over.

I agree market is not as bad as its not crashing, but its quite slower than normal, its usually like this in the summer (July /Aug) but it seems to have slowed earlier this year.

[MyUserName]

Yes I am finding exactly what you said above, but to me what you write above means the market is very bad, only 3 enquirers and rates of £300 to £400 for London IB means very very bad market.

It was in line or even slightly better that my expectations to be honest (other than the rates being low) as I am not really applying hard. I found several positions I liked the look of and I think I could do. I have only made a few applications and have got replies for most of them as well as a couple of cold calls.

I guess it depends on what you are expecting the market to be? What would you call a good market?

[SandyD]

you have made an assumption there that he is talking about IB....

I am looking at roles advertised in IB myself, not relying on someone else findings, there are less roles, and all advertised on a much lower rate that it used to be (down from 600pd to around 400pd)

[eek]

Yes I am finding exactly what you said above, but to me what you write above means the market is very bad, only 3 enquirers and rates of £300 to £400 for London IB means very very bad market.

you have made an assumption there that he is talking about IB....

[SandyD]

The market is not that bad, I am not particularly stellar but I am casually looking and have had 3 enquiries about contracts. One in Bristol on 300pd and one in London on 400pd. I laughed at both of them (I was not trying to be rude, I just could not help it). There is another one which has not 'been clarified yet', however my gut instinct tells me there is a role or the agent is a thorough and very good liar. Along with a couple of harvesting calls and general time wasters.

I have been contacted about 2 perm jobs (as that is what I have mainly applied for) - one in London and one near Southampton. I am keeping the salary negotiations at the 75k mark and no one has hung up on me yet.

Perhaps your cv could do with work? I would assume that there are fewer manager contracts than developer ones too.

Yes I am finding exactly what you said above, but to me what you write above means the market is very bad, only 3 enquirers and rates of £300 to £400 for London IB means very very bad market.

[MyUserName]

The market is not that bad, I am not particularly stellar but I am casually looking and have had 3 enquiries about contracts. One in Bristol on 300pd and one in London on 400pd. I laughed at both of them (I was not trying to be rude, I just could not help it). There is another one which has not 'been clarified yet', however my gut instinct tells me there is a role or the agent is a thorough and very good liar. Along with a couple of harvesting calls and general time wasters.

I have been contacted about 2 perm jobs (as that is what I have mainly applied for) - one in London and one near Southampton. I am keeping the salary negotiations at the 75k mark and no one has hung up on me yet.

Perhaps your cv could do with work? I would assume that there are fewer manager contracts than developer ones too.

[SandyD]

Out of curiosity I also checked out the market, tried to apply for some roles, and think its stagnant (well in IB anyway) hardly any calls. Unless people moved on from Jobserve now and started using other method of recruitment. I find looking for jobs at LinkedIn is a total pain, it doesn't have contractor filter (unless I didn't see it)
I do get contacted by recruiters through LinkedIn, but they always contact me at the wrong time !!

[evilagent]

If the OP has worn many hats, then the CV may look all over the place, unless the client is looking for a jack of all trades.

For each specific role, the CV should have the unrequired experience muted (reduced to just a line maybe), and the role-specific skills expanded upon.

If you're looking to go contracting, it may be useful to split your time at your permie-place into specific projects. That is, rather than CV saying you were at clientco for X years, split them into project A, B C, etc.
Try to re-state the CV into end-result focussed units, since you are looking to be taken on to do a specific role, and you need to highlight the number of times you have delivered projects.

Make sure the agent is left in no doubt that you have the relevant experience, by ensuring you have written an example of experience for every skill in the advertised job-role.

Good luck with it. Hope it works out.

PS: re: "whats wrong with the market?"; dunno, seems like same-old, same-old.

[doodab]

Change the record doom monger, the market is hot. Back to your permie desk!

From what I gather IB is quite a fragmented market with a lot of niches though, so if you are stuck in one then it might be a problem. At my mates place for example complex derivatives pricing stuff he was working on is getting scaled back (his team is about 20% of what it was) but they are spending a lot on real time risk management for simpler products. It's easy for him to go from the complex stuff to the simple stuff but it would be harder for someone to go the other way (according to him) as even though the maths is largely hidden you're still expected to understand it.

[tarbera]

wow

I was made redundant 7 weeks ago.

I have over 16 years experience half of which is in Banking.

I've been a Dev manager for the last couple of years for a major Investment Bank which basically means you do
team leading, PM and stakeholder management and architecture and hands on where required and even some BA.

I'm a .net c# developer but have been hands off now for a few years (though I've been reading up and getting skilled up so I can apply for more hands on roles.)

I know it seems like Jack of all trades but this is quite common in IB roles where you can be required to wear man hats.

May be there's no Dev management roles out there or maybe i'm jack of all trades or is the market really that bad.

I've not had a single interview I apply for what appears relevant jobs. Then if appropriate I chase the agent and eventually persuade them to put me forward (this is for 1 in 10 roles for which I apply online) but nothing back.

Also I chase the agents

am I doing something wrong or is it just the market ? I can do with contract or perm.

BTW I'm London based.

have you not noticed everyone being replaced where you work (inculding you) with outsourced workers ? you will be lucky

[NickNick]

I know it seems like Jack of all trades but this is quite common in IB roles where you can be required to wear man hats.

I would love a role where I get to wear a man hat.

[Dallas]

Keep telling yourself that ...