Insights · Notes from the desk
Notes from the desk.
What happening in the markets.
See below what we see happening in the market, trends, changes, challenges and what's “next”!
Showing 10 of 24 pieces · CareerClear
For candidatesHow to negotiate a 2026 European rate without leaving money on the table
The market moved 8–12% at the senior end. Most contractors are still anchoring to their last contract. Here's the field guide, with the numbers that are actually landing.
For candidatesFully remote didn't die — but hybrid is quietly paying 20% more
The European contract market split cleanly in 2026. Where the rate premium sits now, and how to price yourself around it.
For candidatesThe contractor CV that actually lands interviews (in 40 seconds or less)
We read 2,400 contractor CVs a quarter. Most are technically fine and get filtered out anyway. Here's what the ones that land share.
For candidatesShould you go contract in 2026? The honest maths most articles skip.
A third of the senior engineers we speak to are considering it. Most shouldn't. The ones who should are often running the numbers wrong.
For candidatesThe 2026 European contractor tax primer: six regimes, one honest map
Not tax advice — a plain-English guide to the six European markets we place into most. Read before you name a rate.
For candidatesThe analytics engineer career path in 2026: bigger than most people realised
dbt made it a discipline. Monzo and Octopus made it a career. What analytics engineering actually pays across Europe in 2026 — and where the ceiling is.
For candidatesThe Wet DBA in 2026: what ZZP contractors in the Netherlands actually need to know
The soft-landing moratorium partially extended, but enforcement is live. A plain-English brief on where classification risk really sits — and how to price it.
For candidatesShould you move into FinOps? The career case for cloud engineers in 2026
The State of FinOps 2026 report reframed the discipline. For senior cloud engineers weighing a lateral move, here's the honest career maths.
For candidatesPower BI, Tableau, Looker: which BI contractor market is actually paying in 2026?
The three big names still dominate European contract BI hiring — but the rate delta between them has widened. A field guide for candidates deciding where to invest.
For candidatesYour first 30 days as a contractor: the extension is decided before you notice
Clients are quietly deciding by day 20 whether they'll extend you. Here's the candidate-side playbook for making sure the answer is yes.