As we approach the half year mark and the traditional lull that summer holidays can create, it seems like an appropriate time to assess the current market conditions.

It will not come as a surprise to most people, when we confirm the market is better off now than it was at anytime during 2010 and 2009. Unemployment figures have dropped dramatically over the last 6 months, the biggest single fall for over 10 years with IT performing particularly well. However, while the amount of people in work is rising, the amount they are getting paid is not. The rise in earnings including bonuses has been very small, mainly due to little or no pay rises and smaller bonuses across the private sector.

Depending on the sector you are in, you will have experienced some very different swings in fortune of late. It is no secret that while in the depths of a recession, the Government attempted to stimulate the market by increasing it’s spend on public sector projects adding to what seemed like a never ending amount of IT projects, quangos and large change programmes. However clearly the burden of national debt and the coalition government’s decision to make sweeping cuts throughout the public sector has meant redundancies, IT projects being canned, change programmes cancelled. The number of people in employed in the public sector fell by 24,000 over the first quarter to reach 6.16 million but the number of people employed in the private sector increased by 104,000 over the first quarter to reach 23.08 million.

The huge shift in fortunes, especially for those working on large IT projects within the public sector will be difficult to manage for some. We are seeing many more candidates with good public sector experience trying to get back into the private sector and flooding the market with CV’s. However, the general perception from the private sector is that public sector projects lack commercial pressures such as those experienced in business lead technology projects across financial services, pharma and media. This is not helped by the perceived failure of some high profile public projects that promised much and delivered little. This will make it even harder for those individuals wanting to come back into the private sector after their perceived public sabbaticals.

The private sector is going strong with Media, Technology and Financial Services performing particularly well. There are now more permanent and contract jobs being advertised than at any point in the last 2 years and there is no reason to suggest this will change dramatically.

Developers with in depth .Net and Java are still very much in demand with SharePoint and SSRS being of particular interest to a number of high profile companies. Windows XP is moving into Microsoft’s extended support lifecycle and confirmation that it will no longer be supported as of April 2014 from Microsoft means many companies are finally planning desktop upgrades to Windows 7. We are seeing a strong need for rollout engineers with experience of Microsoft 7 and SCCM. Microsoft’s new ‘SMS’ could be the delivery choice for many companies embarking on a roll out and an excellent skill to have moving into 2012.

Top 10 things to consider before you hand in your notice:

1. Chase Zander would always suggest that you have your next job lined up with contracts signed before you resign but sometimes that might not be possible but at the very least get yourself as far down the process as possible

2. If you haven’t got your next role lined up then do consider your finances and try to reduce your out-goings if need be to allow for a reasonable period (and over-estimate this to be safe) to find the job you want

3. What sort of reference would you like your current employers to give on your behalf? How you resign and act in your notice period can be the abiding memory people at your company have of you so act in good faith

4. Write a list of the things that you have liked and disliked in your career to date as this will help you define what you want in your next role. Also consider what your absolute ideal role would entail and consider whether you are qualified to get a job like that?

5. Consider the overall direction you want to take your career in and why. Don’t just take ‘another’ job unless circumstances force you to. Research shows that the most successful people tend to have a clear long term career plan. Follow both your head and your heart!

6. Touch base with all of your industry contacts and colleagues as early as you can before you resign. Ideally do this regularly as a matter of course and not just when you are desperate for a job. Well connected people normally find a job more easily and can reference possible companies more easily to help them find the right cultural fit. A personal recommendation is also a great way to join a company

7. Depending on the sensitivity / nature of your role be prepared that your employer may ask you to leave immediately so ensure that you have contact details for your colleagues or other key contacts who may be useful in your job search

8. Update your CV and start applying for jobs and send it to the relevant agencies in your field as soon as you canGet some interview practice under your belt even if it is just with a friend or your partner so that you are ready to interview for the job you really want!

9. Get some interview practice under your belt even if it is just with a friend or your partner so that you are ready to interview for the job you really want!

10. Remember leaving your employer without a definite job to go to can end up being an expensive exercise and leave a gap on your CV which is awkward to explain if you don’t secure something relatively quickly so do as much as you can before you leave to move towards securing that new position!

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!

The Top 5 things to look for in a contractor contract

Before signing any contract we would recommend that you read it thoroughly first and if necessary take proper advice from a solicitor or a relevant body such as the Professional Contractors Group with expertise in the relevant area. That said to get you started we have listed the top 5 things we believe that as a contractor you should be looking out for in a new contract. Some of these points are common sense and some refer to what makes a contract IR35 friendly or not.  

1. Right of substitution – does the contract give you the right to substitute someone else who is capabale of fulfilling the role in your place? If the answer is no then this would require further exploration.

2. Control - does the contract imply you are under the direct control of the client or does it suggest flexibility in your working arrangements which would indicate you are working as a consultant rather than a paid employee which is one indicator that you may fall under IR35. 

3. Hours you are working – are you being paid by the hour or is your working time stated in the contract as being a professional working day? The latter is more IR35 friendly.

4. The level of insurance you are required to have on acceptance of the contract. This can vary depending on the nature of your role and whilst the chances of you needing to claim may be small there have been some high profile instances where contractors have been sued and for the sake of a few hundred pounds to avoid potential bankruptcy is good value.

5. Opt-out or opt-in form – as a contractor you shuold have the option to opt-in or opt-out of EAA regulations. This is an in-depth subject and we would recommend you read up on this at contractor UK.

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!

Top 10 things to consider when you start a search for your next job

1. Write a list of the things that you have liked and disliked in your career to date as this will help you define what you want in your next role. Also consider what your absolute ideal role would entail?

2. Consider whether you are qualified to get a job like that and if not what sort of training or additional experience you need to get first? Then create a plan of action to get you there. It may be that your ideal role is a step too far in which case look for a role which will offer you the right training and progression to achieve it.

3. Consider the overall direction you want to take your career in and why. Don’t just take ‘another’ job unless circumstances force you to. Research shows that the most successful people tend to have a clear long term career plan. Follow both your head and your heart!

4. Touch base with all of your industry contacts and colleagues as early as you can before you resign. Ideally do this regularly as a matter of course and not just when you are desperate for a job. Well connected people normally find a job more easily and can reference possible companies more easily to help them find the right cultural fit. A personal recommendation is also a great way to join a company

5. Update your CV and get it proof-read by several people including a specialist recruiter in your field and incorporate all feedback to make it the strongest possible tool to sell you for the role you want

6. Start applying for the type of jobs you are interested in and gauge feedback on your CV relative to your competitors. Do what you can to differentiate yourself positively

7. Send your CV to the reputable and relevant agencies in your field and articulate what you are ideally looking for ideally in the CV itself as cover letters often get separated.

8. Consider posting your CV to relevant job boards as this is a great way to let jobs find you. Be aware however that your current employer’s recruitment team may use these boards to find new recruits so it may pay to disguise your current employer etc.

9. Set yourself up for job alerts on the relevant job boards and websites of the leading recruitment agencies in your field.

10. Get some interview practice under your belt even if it is just with a friend or your partner so that you are ready to interview for the job you really want!

Good luck and feel free to contact the team at Chase Zander if you want any further tips or advice on what to consider when starting your search for a new job.

If you have found this article valuable then you may be interested to read some of our other job seeker help guides including some great video guides starring members of the Chase Zander team!