IT Market to boom in April?

[heyya99]

I've been told that the current software development contract market is picking up and April should be a very good month because dev managers have gotten their budgets signed off. Does anyone know if that is true?

Also, when I am asked my rate by agents, they always say they cannot go that high and that the client is paying x amount less. From your experience, is this just agent talk and I should hold out for my desired rate or have rates actually come down and I'd lose out if I didn't accept a lower rate? If the market picks up, maybe I can hold out given I'd have more choice.

[Andy Hallett]

I've been told that the current software development contract market is picking up and April should be a very good month because dev managers have gotten their budgets signed off. Does anyone know if that is true?

Not every company has the same financial year. There may be a grain of truth in it for the public sector, but nothing more than that.

[northernladuk]

Have a gander at ITjobswatch... ok ok it is just scraping the jobs boards so will include phantom roles etc but it's better than just guessing answers ahead of time.

IT Jobs Watch, Tracking the IT Job Market

We don't know what your desired rates are and whether or not your are being unreasonable so can't really answer your question. Ask them if they are on a fixed margin or not. If they are then then they probably can't go up to what you ask. Some will however try and bag you down to get a bigger cut so gotta stick it out. Bearing in mind he probably has a stack of other people at first contact you are not in the best position to bargain, someone else will probably accept what he says. Maybe be a bit ambiguous at first, nail the interview and then play hardball.

If they are ALL saying that then maybe what you desire is a little over market. The rates have definitely dropped in the last couple of years and will vary depending on where you are and your skill set/experience.

[heyya99]

Have a gander at ITjobswatch... ok ok it is just scraping the jobs boards so will include phantom roles etc but it's better than just guessing answers ahead of time.

IT Jobs Watch, Tracking the IT Job Market

We don't know what your desired rates are and whether or not your are being unreasonable so can't really answer your question. Ask them if they are on a fixed margin or not. If they are then then they probably can't go up to what you ask. Some will however try and bag you down to get a bigger cut so gotta stick it out. Bearing in mind he probably has a stack of other people at first contact you are not in the best position to bargain, someone else will probably accept what he says. Maybe be a bit ambiguous at first, nail the interview and then play hardball.

If they are ALL saying that then maybe what you desire is a little over market. The rates have definitely dropped in the last couple of years and will vary depending on where you are and your skill set/experience.

Thanks.
I've looked into rates and I think I'm actually charging at the low end. I've 7 year's experience in Java dev (1 contract, 6 perm) and I charge 400 but most agents are telling me the roles are only paying 350.

[northernladuk]

Have to say also this thing about taking people on when budget has been signed seems to be a bit of a myth as well. I haven't seen any evidence of this happening in clients in the last 5 years. If they have done their job properly and planned the work they will have budget already and if the work is that desperate to need someone not budgeted for they will find it somewhere.

I can't remember ever hearing someone say they will get them in x month when the new budget year starts.

[northernladuk]

Thanks.
I've looked into rates and I think I'm actually charging at the low end. It's just difficult to know if it's not the low end anymore but I very much doubt it.

I would guess it also has something to do with how you speak to the agent. If you, in anyway, sound like a newbie he is going to have you over a barrel. If you sound like you know your stuff he is going to be a bit wary.

[DeludedAussie]

I've been told that the current software development contract market is picking up and April should be a very good month because dev managers have gotten their budgets signed off. Does anyone know if that is true?

Also, when I am asked my rate by agents, they always say they cannot go that high and that the client is paying x amount less. From your experience, is this just agent talk and I should hold out for my desired rate or have rates actually come down and I'd lose out if I didn't accept a lower rate? If the market picks up, maybe I can hold out given I'd have more choice.

They said the same about Feb and march. Now its april

In april it will be may

In may it will be june

And july and august are bad because everyone is supposedly on the beach

you get my jist

[heyya99]

I would guess it also has something to do with how you speak to the agent. If you, in anyway, sound like a newbie he is going to have you over a barrel. If you sound like you know your stuff he is going to be a bit wary.

What do you think of my charging rates based on my edit above?

[northernladuk]

What do you think of my charging rates based on my edit above?

<sigh>

[heyya99]

We don't know what your desired rates are and whether or not your are being unreasonable so can't really answer your question.

no?