Reply to: How are people on the bench finding the market?

[Old Greg]

Sorry hate to go straight in with such a negative statement but as they say you can't polish a turd,

That's all Owly needs to hear, you heartless bastard.

[Shackattack]

Benched for over 4 months and counting

Sorry hate to go straight in with such a negative statement but as they say you can't polish a turd, it's dire out there.

Until offices start to open up it's going to be the same story. The whole thing is a giant cluster fck managed by some inexperienced, etonian, exbankers whose sole purpose is to strip the country bare not serve it.

Bare Rishi Sunak an average multi millionaire who is an average MP made to look high profile theirs not a lot we can do except keep trying and watch the horror show unfold slowly.

[Pogle]

Rubbish.

A contractor is there to do a job for a period. Most clients have no care how old a contractor is so long as they have the right skills and at the right price.

That has been my experiance also

[Elliegirl]

Not quite. I don't smoke.

[Rearden Metal]

Companies won’t be hiring old people over 40 (if a fatty or bald forget it also) - risk to them is to big if you snuff it from Covid 19


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Well, I'm over 50 and have had coronavirus so I'm kinda hoping it's a case of I'm Alright Jack because , despite the fearmingering, there's a good chance that having had it does confer a degree of immunity.

So bring on the immunity passports - Key West here I come :-)

[ladymuck]

But younger people are less likely to need to stay at home to shield. With the push to return to offices, that may become a factor

[SueEllen]

In pre covid19 I would agree, times have changed


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Since most companies are working remotely older people are better hires as they are more likely to have space to work in their houses.

[GhostofTarbera]

Rubbish.

A contractor is there to do a job for a period. Most clients have no care how old a contractor is so long as they have the right skills and at the right price.

In pre covid19 I would agree, times have changed


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[_V_]

I never put my date of birth on my CV or educational qualifications. I let my CV speak for itself. No picture on linked in either. Much more fun when I turn up to interview and I'm not what they are expecting to see.

[Whorty]

Companies won’t be hiring old people over 40 (if a fatty or bald forget it also) - risk to them is to big if you snuff it from Covid 19


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Rubbish.

A contractor is there to do a job for a period. Most clients have no care how old a contractor is so long as they have the right skills and at the right price.

[GhostofTarbera]

Companies won’t be hiring old people over 40 (if a fatty or bald forget it also) - risk to them is to big if you snuff it from Covid 19


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[Rearden Metal]

I honestly think things were looking ropey before covid. One of my friends is a programme manager; he had been looking for a new role from January. Another is a BA, off since May. 2 in project communications, no work since before March. All extremely good people. I'm currently in a contract but taking each day as it comes.

Yes, indeed. Had Covid not come along I would have extended in April and gone outside to inside IR35 with all the attendant risks that would have brought.

If I'm in a similar situation this April I will consider myself very lucky indeed.

[Elliegirl]

The CV suggestions are helpful, but I (among, I dare say, others) am more interested in hearing impressions about the current IT contract market.

I suspect Two Wolves's impressions are all too true.

I honestly think things were looking ropey before covid. One of my friends is a programme manager; he had been looking for a new role from January. Another is a BA, off since May. 2 in project communications, no work since before March. All extremely good people. I'm currently in a contract but taking each day as it comes.

[Elliegirl]

Been on the bench for over a month now, for the first time in over 20 years.

I have enough to get by for now, but am applying on and off for around three or four contracts a week.

I only apply for contracts for which I know I am a good and often perfect fit, but the weird thing is I haven't had even one nibble yet, which, on past form, is pretty unusual, as is the notable near absence of phone calls from pimps.

I never put my date of birth on my CV or educational qualifications. I let my CV speak for itself. No picture on linked in either. Much more fun when I turn up to interview and I'm not what they are expecting to see.

[vetran]

CV shouldn't include age. The tricky bit is how to disguise your age when it might be given away by years of education (if you have any) or by the years of earlier jobs or contracts. Have a Google for ways of managing this. You can remove years from the education. You could also only include last 10 years of contracts.

I'm firmly in my 50s and they still offer me roles & interviews for permiedoom, I have had a few bites for contract as well.

If you are not getting any bites on valid roles you may need to look at your cv. Try and get someone who knows what you they are doing with English & communication to rewrite it from being a shopping list to a more STAR style. You are probably too close. Also have a CV of 4 pages or multiple versions then cut down to 2 pages for each application.


That's what the cool old farts are doing...

Using the STAR Method to Create a Superior Resume (Examples)

That seemed to work for me.

Agree if they are ageist its hardly worth working for them, I have worked for a few people I didn't like over the years mostly a new seagull manager. It never really worked out well, either they pushed off leaving me covered in Guano or I fled to something better.