IT Contractor Community 2025-#2
A Note to Southern California Subscribers
We want to start by extending our heartfelt condolences to all the families affected by the LA fires. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, homes, and their sense of community. Please know that we stand with you and will continue to support you in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
A Note to All Subscriber
Last week we mentioned we were going to begin providing some specific content only to paid subscribers, but we have decided otherwise. All content at this time will be provided to all subscribers, free or otherwise.
Job Market
In December of 2024, 256,000 jobs were added in the U.S. This takes us down to an unemployment rate of 4.1%. I’m not an economist but at least from today’s point of view our outlook, as contractors, has gotten a little bit better. Good luck to everyone.
In the News
Each morning, I make my way through the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. When I come across a story that stands out—something I believe might resonate or benefit our community—I will share it with our subscribers. Here are some of the more interesting ones:
Ghost Jobs: Why Fake Job Listings Are Proliferating - WSJ
The Number of Americans Wanting to Switch Jobs Hits a 10-Year High - WSJ
They Refused to Return to Offices. Working From Home Cost Them Their Jobs. - WSJ
After the Election, Interest in Digital Nomad Visas and Moving Abroad Is Rising - The New York Times
How to become a digital nomad, leaving the U.S. and working remotely - The Washington Post
Should You Consult H.R. About a Conflict with Your Manager? - The New York Times.
The Life of a Contractor
Contractors aren’t employees, and clients on occasion go out of their way to remind us of that—sometimes in baffling ways.
I worked for a client whose workplace was, frankly, miserable. While most of the people were decent, the organization itself was a nightmare. When you showed up the first day, they handed you a used laptop, assigned you half a dozen projects no one else wanted, and gave you a desk and a chair pretty much duct taped together. When asked about getting a functioning chair, their very responsible advice was to steal one. Not out of the side office but have at the cubicles. Not jokingly but literally take one from someone else’s cubicle if you don’t like yours. Need a second monitor or a larger one? Steal it after hours. Really. Need a desk lamp? Same rule applied but make sure it wasn’t too distinctive, or someone would steal it right back. Every morning, I half-expected to find my workspace stripped bare.
This was also the same place that refused to provide us a key to our desk. Except if you didn’t lock up your laptop or take it with you overnight, they’d confiscate it, store it in the server room, and wait for you to freak out when you realized it was “missing.” All of this in a supposedly secure, double-locked office building. It was a comedy of errors, and it wasn’t always funny when it happened to you.
Just know that every client has their idiosyncrasies, and you will eventually run into them. This client was a global organization. Stay calm and yes, carry on the best you can.
Offshore Search Firms: The good, the bad, and the infuriating.
In mid-December, on one single day, I received eight calls from what I call “boiler room” search firms. Why the term “boiler room”? Because in the background, you can hear dozens—maybe hundreds—of people making the same generic pitches.
Out of the eight calls six were from people who asked if I was searching for a new position, then launched into a rapid-fire monologue. No excuse me or are you busy. Two were dead calls, where no one picked up once I said hello.
So, here’s what I’ve noticed about just one days’ interactions: The six callers were trained to keep you on the line, talking fast —even if their English was barely comprehensible. The moment I try to shut the call down because I was lost, they counter with more questions, often overlapping my words. It felt like a battle of wills to see who ends the call first.
Here are a few frustrations with these Boiler Rooms
Lack of Relevant Opportunities: Over the past several months, not a single call from these search firms has led to a suitable job opportunity.
Ignorance of My Resume/CV: Many callers clearly haven’t read my resume / CV or even looked at LinkedIn. They consistently pitch roles requiring skills I just don’t have—skills that aren’t mentioned anywhere in my profile.
Geographic Confusion: When I ask for the city where the job is located, the typical response is “Ohio.” When I point out that Ohio is a state, not a city, the answer is usually a confused “Oh.” Pressed for specifics they come up empty.
Unclear Specifics: If I ask about the base hourly rate, if the project is remote, hybrid or 100% onsite, or exactly what Cyber Security tools they’re asking for, they invariably say they’ll “have to ask.” It’s truly difficult to have a conversation when there’s no real details. Not sure what they really had to offer in the first place.
Suspicious Call Patterns: Twice on this same day, I received dead calls from numbers in my area code. Shortly afterward, a barrage of calls from search firms in various area codes followed. Coincidence? Are they testing me to see if I’m answering calls? I hope not. He’s in…call him quick.
Suspicious Tactics: If I manage to end the call by asking them to email me the job description, I usually receive multiple emails for what turns out to be the same position. Each description is worded slightly differently, but they’re all targeting the same position. All eating out of the same trough as it were. These firms seem to be connected, even if they use different email addresses. The rapid succession of calls can’t be a coincidence. If they’re separate firms, they all have to know the end client likely wants only one resume per candidate. If my resume is submitted multiple times through different firms, it’s almost guaranteed to land in the trash.
Dead Mail Responses: Additionally, if I do provide some information back to them in an email, I rarely if ever get follow-up calls or a meaningful engagement. It feels like they’re making commissions solely by making superficial calls based on quotas.
Cultural Misrepresentation: One more thing. Stop changing your name to “Sam,” “Margaret,” or “Julie” when your email clearly says Rajesh, Priya, or Prasanna. It doesn’t fool anyone, and frankly, we don’t care what your name is or where you’re calling from. I don’t misrepresent my skill sets and you don’t mispresent who you are. What matters is honesty.
My Message to IT Contractors: I urge IT contractors to demand better, every day, every call, or simply hang up. Let’s stop wasting time on these fruitless conversations. In a couple instances I’ve asked for their billing address so I can bill then for my wasted time. No response.
A Contract Warranty: There isn’t One.
It’s that time of year when companies ramp up IT projects and bring in contractors. Staffing firms are excited about new billable hours, companies get fresh talent, and contractors enjoy steady work. But before you dive in, it’s important to stay vigilant and understand that contracts with a staffing firm or a client are only as good as the people signing them.
Several years ago, I was wrapping up a 12-month contract in upstate New York when an email landed in my inbox about a promising Sr. PM role much closer to home. The job was advertised as a 12-month IT Project Manager position with a Fortune 500 company—exactly what I was looking for. It seemed perfect, but things aren’t always what they seem.
After accepting the offer and moving 400 miles, complete with all my furniture, I found out during my first week that the contract between the staffing firm and the client was only five months long—not 12, as I had been led to believe. I found out when reviewing my hours in the clients’ time system. I confronted the staffing firm and the client immediately. They called it an oversight.
I was still suspicious. After a lot of loud discussion, they offered a pay bump and extended my contract to the promised 12 months. Problem solved? Depends on your definition.
What I hadn’t known but came to realize through conversations with other contractors was that this particular client seemingly had a well-oiled system designed to lead contractors into accepting full-time positions at a much lower salary. The setup worked like this: contractors were initially provided with market value, short-term contracts, and just as those contracts were about to end, the client would present a “take-it-or-leave-it” full-time offer—typically at a salary below market value. It was essentially a feeder system to lock in cheaper, full-time labor without the full consent of the contractor. The staffing firm yes maybe but the contractor, no.
Once found out I made sure to document absolutely everything—emails, hours, the original advertisement, conversations, you name it. Every interaction with the staffing firm and the client went into writing. So, when the client eventually presented me with their lowball full-time offer (approx. $10,000+ less per year), I was prepared to walk away if they cut me loose, when I said no. Actually, I stayed two years more just out of spite.
The lesson here? Be as cautious as you can afford to be. Review the time keeping system if you can. Pay attention. Always keep everything in writing. Save every email, text, and document. You have to remember you are, in most cases, the bottom of the food chain. The client is huge and you’re one of hundreds the staffing firm is managing. Know your rights and don’t rely on others to protect your interests. At the end of the day, it’s your career and your financial future—manage it to your advantage.
Friedrich Nietzsche said, “I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
Looking Forward: 2024 and into 2025
In 2024, the IT contracting market was shaped by cautious hiring trends, economic uncertainties, and shifting industry demands. Here are key insights and strategies for navigating this evolving environment:
Market Trends and Observations
Cautious Hiring Practices: Employers have been hesitant to make definitive hiring decisions, resulting in a stagnant IT contracting job market. Despite a slight increase in demand indices by mid-year, overall growth remained below expectations.
Lingering Economic Impact: The economic turbulence of 2023 carried over into 2024, slowing hiring rates and delaying project initiations.
Regional Disparities: While some regions showed modest growth, others experienced declines, reflecting a fragmented demand for IT contractors.
Skill Shortages: Certain skills—such as Front-End Development, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, and Software Architecture—remained in high demand, highlighting the importance of upskilling to align with market needs.
Recommendations for IT Contractors
To thrive in this challenging landscape, IT contractors should consider the following strategies:
Strengthen Financial Resilience
Consult financial advisors to establish safety nets.
Budget carefully to manage gaps between contracts effectively.
Expand Your Professional Network
Attend industry events, conferences, and meetups.
Stay connected with former colleagues, managers, and clients to discover potential opportunities.
Optimize Your Online Presence
Regularly update your LinkedIn profile with current skills, certifications, and accomplishments.
Engage in relevant online discussions and showcase your expertise to attract recruiters and clients.
Invest in Continuous Learning
Pursue certifications and training in emerging technologies and in-demand areas like cybersecurity and cloud computing.
Stay informed about industry trends to remain competitive.
Nurture Client Relationships
Build and maintain strong relationships with past and current clients.
Prioritize excellent service to encourage repeat business and referrals.
By adopting these proactive measures, IT contractors can better position themselves for success in the opportunities that lie ahead in 2025.
And finally! A Plea
You already know this, but an acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters or sounds of words in a phrase, pronounced as a single term. They’re often written in all caps, usually without punctuation, to make them look as cryptic as possible.
The problem? Acronyms are like weeds —especially in IT. Not only are there thousands of them out there, but every company seems to add its own. Reading job descriptions or starting a new role can feel like joining a secret society. It just doesn’t work.
Take JSP, for example. It could stand for Java Server Pages, Java Servlet Programming, Java Stored Procedures, or JavaScript and Perl. (There are 45 possible meanings.) Guess wrong, and you will waste hours chasing the wrong rabbit down the wrong tech hole.
Then there’s PMI—a personal favorite of mine—with a staggering 102 meanings. Depending on the context, it could mean Project Management Institute, Program Management Integration, PM Interface, or even PM Intern, to name a few. And sure, context should help clarify things but let’s be honest—half the time, context is missing, and the other half, it’s so vague you’d be better off calling the sender.
And don’t even get started on cultural acronyms that are appearing in the middle of work email. Stop! Toss in BOLO, FOMO, YOLO, or AFK, and you’ve got a whole new level of chaos. WTH, indeed.
So, I beg you: TED—Tell me, explain it, describe it. Please, give acronyms some context, include a definition, or just spell them out. Let’s make communication clearer for everyone.
End of the year, beginning of the next—let’s resolve to decode the madness.
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