Everyone is asking the state of the contract market in London  well…. here it is:

Historically contractors are the first to be discarded and the

first to be employed. This is a good indicator on the state

of IT recruitment. Over the last quarter there has been an

increase of 13.3% in the number of advertisements for

freelance IT staff.

In addition 52% more contract vacancies are there but never advertised and access to these is a simple matter of learning to network in the UK Contract market place.

We are now constantly getting requests for staff in our London offices, the problem  is that there aren’t enough experienced IT Freelance contractors with good communication skills and a flexible attitude to work.

The government in the UK is adding to uncertainty by publishing an aggressive approach to reducing non European Union Immigration.With quota being introduced those who can gain a Tier 1 or 2 visa should travel to enjoy the market before the restrictions in April shut the door to the UK.THOSE UNDER 30 who haven’t enjoyed their great O.E. can apply and gain a Tier 5 visa which can give them a 2 year UK experience with full work rights.

Those who travel in January really will enjoy a favourable marketplace like no other in years as few competitors will exist for IT Contract jobs while the  majority of traditional Aussie and Kiwi arrivals dither.This is due to poor British press reports outdated reports from returners from the UK who have failed then travelled and then got home with tales of doom and gloom now completely outdated. Lastly a poor exchange rate and the perceptions it has created is amplifying the situation (which helps your money go further and does not affect your spending and earnings while in the UK). Additionally the South Africans traditionally one third of 2 Year working holiday makers (now the Tier 5 visa) have been excluded from obtaining the visa as a result of political differences between South Africa and the UK.

AS A RESULT: In February 2011 rates will rise continually throughout the year as the supply of the right frelancers reduces further with the typical 2 year cycle of visa holders returning home as their visas expire, with few being allowed to  replace them. Labour shortages and rate rises are unavoidable.

Simply the laws of supply and demand dictate those that arrive in 2011 while they can will prosper!I’ve enclosed some  a figures from CW Jobs to help understanding of the UK market place.

IT Contract Software skills advertised – Quarter 2/2009 to Quarter 2/2010

Software skill: jobs per Quarter; Quarter; Quarter;  Quarter % /Annual %

                                           3/2010     2/2010     3/2009     change     change

SQL                                    2880       2811            2726               2.5                  5.6

C                                         2101       2039           1853                3.0                  13.4

C#                                       1931       1687           1324                  .5                  45.8

JAVA                                   1673       1741           1190                -3.9               40.6

.NET                                    1370       1239           1068               10.6               28.3

ORACLE                              1345      1440           1394                -6.6             -3.5

SQL SERVER                      1209       1182          1263                  2.3             -4.3

SAP                                      935         894             863                    4.6              8.3

UNIX                                     866         828             904                   4.6           -4.2

For further info contact http://biteconsulting.co.uk/offer.html 

BITE Professionals – UK Contracts

In the UK, contracting is for professionals with the opportunity to earn more and achieve better career progression than with a permanent job. There are over 11,000 agencies here and none have more than 3% market share, so simply signing up with just a few is not the best way to find work. About 25-30% of the total job market is contracting, one of the highest levels in the world. Skilled and ambitious people do the best, learning the game and being flexible will give you a great start.

You need as much exposure as you can get. It can be especially difficult for new arrivals to break into the UK market simply because it’s so different over here. However, finding a job with BITE is relatively straightforward, you can find the right job at the right rate – and increase your earning power substantially for your next contracts. There is also something called the “hidden job market”, which accounts for around 40-60% of the total jobs available. These jobs are not advertised and are difficult to find! With training from BITE you can tap into this hidden job market and really prove yourself in the UK. High earnings and fantastic career development can be yours.

Working as a professional contractor in the UK allows great flexibility and a different lifestyle. Contracts are usually 3-6months long, often there will be extensions or many contractors will choose to find a new contract each time, taking time off in-between for travel! This allows you to gain more experience and to work in different industries / sectors whilst enjoying life. Contracts are usually found through agents who work on behalf of clients to find them the right contractors. It’s a professional’s game and BITE can show you the best way to play.

The first step is to get your killer CV customised for the UK market, remember that your CV needs to impress agents and clients and will be automatically scanned for database searches. The proven BITE CV is the key to your success in the UK. Full assistance and guidance from our expert CV consultants will ensure it works! Each candidate has the opportunity to discuss their qualifications, skills and previous experience in order to create a powerful CV. Determining the right level of earnings is important, one of our consultants will provide a rate assessment for you, based on the current market and your combined skills. BITE will help you get the right job and the right rate, being new in the UK it’s very easy to accept a low paying permanent job. Start your professional contracting career with BITE.

Now that your CV is ready you’ll want agents to see it! Whenever you’re looking for work BITE will add your CV to our mailing list, which is sent to around 1000 agents each week. It will also be added to our website for agents to find. This service is unique, unlike other companies, BITE do not charge agents for getting in touch with you, and to speed up the process agents will call you directly with contract opportunities! The marketing services are especially useful for new arrivals who won’t have the contacts in the UK to secure the right contracts. Even the most established contractors benefit – gaining more exposure in this very competitive market.

Because the Contracting market is so different in the UK, the extensive guidance you receive throughout your time at BITE really makes all the difference. If you want to prove successful and make the most of your time in the UK, you cannot afford to spend time learning the game! With over 30 years recruitment experience, our consultants will assist you all the way. Dealing with agents on the phone for the first time can be very interesting. There are a lot of reasons for not wanting to find you a job, there will always be someone with UK experience who will get preferential treatment. To “sell” your skills successfully you need learn the tricks of the trade; getting past agents is a major hurdle and after that you need to impress the client who you will work for. BITE will provide individual and group workshop training sessions and help you create an interview plan for your actual interviews. This can make the difference between getting the job or not!

Every contractor in the UK must operate via a limited company (umbrella or your own limited company) to be both legal and accepted by the agencies. As a contractor you will be considered self employed, you will have to send invoices to the client for payment, be responsible for paying tax and are required to have various insurance policies. Laws and regulations are particularly complex in the UK and contractors who are unaware of these are unfortunately at risk. If you want to avoid all these issues, then BITE is the right option for you. We work hard to keep up to date with all the changes affecting the contracting market, provide a range of limited companies, offer various levels of support depending on what you require, and offer packages to help you work efficiently in the UK without hassle. You can also claim the cost of your flight to the UK, your accommodation and travel expenses, as well as other legitimate business expenses. Being a contractor you are also at risk of not being paid – for example if your agency/client goes bankrupt or is just late paying your invoice! BITE take this risk for you, we will pay you regardless of whether the client has paid or not, avoiding delays in payments. Full insurance and credit checks allow us to operate this service, most other UK umbrella companies will only pay you once they have received payments – causing unnecessary late payment to you!

Coming to the UK with a working holiday visa is a great way to get started. Contracting with BITE means working for longer – with BITE you will be able to work the full two years of your visa by gaining work and renewals quickly and validating your visa to employers (even if there is only a few months left on it which can make it difficult to find work).Taking a permanent job will only allow you to work for a fixed term at a budget (low) salary as it won’t be seen as your career just a holiday job. Alternatively, on a tier 5 visa you can now work 2 years and enhance your career and doubling your salary when you go home on the back of yopur new international experience. Those wanting to apply for a Tier 1 visa (HSMP) or a Tier 2 work permit will benefit from BITE and our associate visa agency, Breytenbach, who will be able to provide you with the best advice and help you fast track your applications, make sure your earnings are at the right level and that your applications are handled by an expert. Should you wish to stay even longer, BITE and Breytenbach can help with visa renewals or extensions, new visa’s or even applying for UK citizenship and a UK passport. Full support is available at whatever level you need.