Modrapheniac

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick question, hopefully get a few feedbacks.
I've been in a contract now for over 18 months, which is keping me away from my Family (not good) what's everyone's opinion of the IT contract market at present. I'm looking to change soon, and try and find something nearer the South Coast. I specialise in Network Infrastructure, but I'm really after a managerial position.
Thanks for looking, and any views on this would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Darrell

Jeff Wiltshire

Its as dead as a dodo....at the moment (last 9-12 months. I know 5 contractors (highly skilled at that) who have been out of work for 6 months + and have either, eventually, got work at half what they where on before or have had to take permie roles on less than £30K. One guy has had to sell his house and move into rented while he was looking. Very dire....

I thought that it would pick up after Easter but can see no real signs that its done anything yet. My advice would be to stick where you are until it picks up (if you can of course).

Where abouts on the South Coast would you be looking ? I know that Saga Holidays are looking for a permie Security Engineer at the moment (they are in Dover).


Jeff

[Edited by Jeff Wiltshire - 4/28/2002 12:14:06 PM]

ChrisS/P1

It's completely dead at the moment. I was in a contract for 4 1/2 years until the end of Jan, but can't get anything now. I having to consider perm jobs at around the 30K mark (which is more than a slight drop in salary). There are rumours that things are starting to pick up again, but I haven't seen much evidence so far.

InvisibleMan

Is this the same with the permie market? Will be returning to the UK soon so i've got the depressing prospect of dealing with agencies again which i am not looking forward too

Crispin

Is like trying to find an unbroken metatarsel in the England Squad.....

It really is bad at the moment, I just got renewed after 12 months (thankfully), I was not looking forward to trying to find something....and everyone I speak to is either (as echoed above) taking a huge rate cut, or can't find anything, stay where you are m8.....

father_jack

The budget may have (inadvertantly of course) been good for contracting. Permies now cost 1% more which puts them at risk and makes contractors more appealing.
IBM global servies announced 1000 redundancies on Thursday...

ChrisS/P1

I've given up. I'm getting out and going permy. With the budget changes for next year, which mean an extra 1% on Employees NI, 1% on Employers NI plus the removal of the Employees upper limit, it's just not worth the hassle anymore. You never know, within a couple of years I might stop receiving threatening letters from the IR for vast sums of cash.

Chris@Excal

This is the opinion of an IT recruitment consultant (me)!
Market is V slow, certainly no shortage of people out there looking and a lot of them are good which is quite shocking. Most contrators fall into 2 camps at the moment, either in work and trying everything to get extended or out of work and desperately trying to find something. The whole market seems to be in a wait and see, most clients I think have made most of the cuts they are going to with a view to recruiting again when the market picks up speed. I really think that contact will be stong over the next 6 months as that is usually the position companies take ie they do not want to take a permie as they are uncertain if the work is going to continue, so if you are a contractor do not despair!
Market really reminds me of how it was 9 years ago, when we were just trying to climb out of a recession - not many jobs and lots of people chasing them. Rates have therefore taken a battering (£30 to £40 the average now) and clients can take as long as they want to make a decision. But there is work out there if you are persistent.
Final bit of advice is to push agencies hard if you are trying to talk to them. Recently I have had over 150 responses to each contract vacancy I have advertised, which is good is some ways but I cannot talk to each person individualy, so the only people I spoke to were those who actually called and got through to me! Hope this helps and you can always send me your CV and I will try and see what I can do!

Web Guru

Yep tis v bleak at the moment but there is work out there, also it seems a lot of companies are outsourcing at the moment either to smaller companies or are being quite successful contacting contractors directly. I have quite a bit at the moment after not working for six months (nearly lost my P1 :-() and all has come from being pro-active much as an IT recruiter is, so get on that phone and call the companies yourself!

Pete

kryten

Does everyone else find that agents seem to have an 'unavailable' detector. In the couple of weeks I was looking, none of them phoned me back. Started a contract last week and can't get the buggers off the phone.

There is work about, but you need to be pro-active and chase hard, plus be prepared to wait as clients seem to be taking their time to gather CVs before interviewing.

The rates are currently pants (and I've managed to get one of the better ones on offer!).