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Have a look at the market for your skills. Not sure whether this is a good time or not for you - it's OK for my skills, but I'm here for another 6 months yet.
If it looks promising, then go. I wouldn't do it before Christmas, though.
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I thought after looking at the title he was trying to organise all the Chinese to jump off a chair at the same time and knock the Earth out of its orbit.. lucky escpape
most contractor markets take a downturn just before and after xmas, mainly because most hirers are too busy chatting up the office secretary to take on staff and the company is too busy partying to worry about starting new projects (hence no need for new contractors).
mid jan after the xmas hangover has worn off and they realise that deadlines still need to be met the markets usually pick up all the way until the money runs out mid march.
After this its mid april/early may before new budgets approved, projects organised and contractors are needed, all the way up until summer
summer is a tricky one, some projects are still ongoing and so staff are needed (contractors are also away on hols and so sometimes rates are higher), other times there is a dead period while everyone makes babies in the fields while it's sunny (well in my perfect world they do anyway)..
finally autumn kicks in, contractors are hired aorund august to get them end of year deadlines guaranteed to be met (regardless of cost) and the year repeats with everyone looking towards xmas around now..
So, make sure your timing is right before you jump into the skipping ropes otherwise you may be tripped up (do you see what i did there, skipping ropes, tripped up ???)
Of course all of this could be utter tosh and your market might be booming all year round..
Cheers for the responses. So the best time to make the switch is after Christmas. What about the general Market? Is it on the up or down.
Should I give it 6 months a year? I ask because I'm at a certain Govn IT company in Telford that is cutting 600 jobs!! Go now or potentially get axed in 3 months?
And given I'm a Tester where's the best place to find out what trends there are?
Praise be for 16/11 'be nice to a newbie day'
Thanks Again
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