Reply to: Boomed!!

[uky kozak]

Good job buddy. It gives me hope...

[DiscoStu]

Nice one GJ

[Bagpuss]

Congrats Jedi

[FiveTimes]

good man, well done

I've got a phone call with agency tomorrow to discuss my current position at clientco.

[Pogle]

Well done sir!

Your news has put a smile on my face

[Shimano105]

Blimey if you can do then there's hope for us all!

Only kidding mate, well done - forget the rate you are doing all you can. I am in a similar position and if I could just land something to put me on for a month or 2...

[Mich the Tester]

Completely agree, I've been in for roles where ordinarily I would get an interview and more often than not an offer - I hadn't even been getting called back in 99% of occasions this time round.

A lot of roles I was applying for were going to guys who more than likely had been involved on a project in an investment bank not a project planner or PMO resource

In the last couple of weeks I’ve seen a number of roles advertised that were advertised a few months ago at ridiculously low rates; the rates are still low, but in all cases 5 or ten euros higher. I thought they were just fishing exercises but called a couple of the agents out of interest; turns out there’s a high turnover of people in the cheapo contracts; permies who’ve tried contracting out of desperation and taken a low rate are returning to permiedom as soon as they find a permie job. Other contracts are opening up because the plenty-cheapness people who took the contract at the beginning of the year turned out to be tulip.

[tino]

Those days are definitely numbered though (it's how numbered that is difficult to gauge). Yes there's a lot of people out there hunting for each role, but a lot of them are dross. And once things turn around the better contractors will be in high demand because so many companies have cut beyond the bone. They know that, and nerves are starting to creep in because they don't want to miss the opportunity of snapping up the talent that is available (and rest assured, a lot of companies are aware of the figures indicating that a big proportion of folk in IT are planning to jump ship as soon as there is an upturn).

So to the folk who are gig-hunting...keep your chin up. Sooner or later it is going to go crazy.

Completely agree, I've been in for roles where ordinarily I would get an interview and more often than not an offer - I hadn't even been getting called back in 99% of occasions this time round.

A lot of roles I was applying for were going to guys who more than likely had been involved on a project in an investment bank not a project planner or PMO resource

[PM-Junkie]

...There's little doubt that you must be an exact fit for the requirements, and no question of clients stretching a point with any of the "desirable" skills you may lack (which is probably their loss in many cases).

Those days are definitely numbered though (it's how numbered that is difficult to gauge). Yes there's a lot of people out there hunting for each role, but a lot of them are dross. And once things turn around the better contractors will be in high demand because so many companies have cut beyond the bone. They know that, and nerves are starting to creep in because they don't want to miss the opportunity of snapping up the talent that is available (and rest assured, a lot of companies are aware of the figures indicating that a big proportion of folk in IT are planning to jump ship as soon as there is an upturn).

So to the folk who are gig-hunting...keep your chin up. Sooner or later it is going to go crazy.

[gingerjedi]

Congrats... sounded like the benchdom was starting to knock your confidence so I'm made up for you!

I've been benched for far longer before but that was always due to me hanging on looking for the perfect role with top rates, this time was different as the floor just seemed to be getting lower and lower.

I have family commitments now so sitting back and balking at poor rates wasn't really an option, as much as I love spending time at home with my wife and daughter it does make me feel a little inadequate when I'm are supposed to be the bread winner, especially as my wife was working extra hours in her poorly paid part time council job to help out.

[OwlHoot]

Also, if possible gigs seem thin on the ground, it's worth remembering that they seem to come in bursts, or so I've found. For two or three days not a squeek, and then several come along all at once like buses.

Mind you, I dread to think how many people are applying for each contract at the moment. There's little doubt that you must be an exact fit for the requirements, and no question of clients stretching a point with any of the "desirable" skills you may lack (which is probably their loss in many cases).

[TheBigD]

Congrats... sounded like the benchdom was starting to knock your confidence so I'm made up for you!

[SallyAnne]

This has to be good news for everyone else sitting crying into their bench pints.

Keep your chins up - every day another one of us is getting something else.

Massive congrats ginge,

[original PM]

beats going blind all day!

[Mich the Tester]