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What am I doing wrong?

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    #21
    Networkings best but if that dosn't work or you haven't built up many contacts yet -

    a) Search jobserve early each day.

    b) Call the agent before applying, and get some sort of rapport going. If the jobs still a goer you'll end up agreeing to send your CV.

    c) Tune a copy of your CV to the job before sending it.

    d) Your covering email must be short, but mention your telephone discussion, and why you are top bollocks for the job.

    e) If they haven't called back within half a day, call them back "to ask whether they received your CV".

    f) If you haven't got a result yet ... next!

    Lastly, don't zap your CV all over the place. That's not tuned to anything, and is only one or two steps down from spam.

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      #22
      MF gave you the advice I would. Surf Jobserve thoughout the day. If you really need a contract then you have to get in there early. Contracting is not line permie placing - often a role can be advertised and the candidates picked within hours of the role being poseted. Aim to be one of the first people to apply for a role as soon as it's placed and follow your cv submission with a call. The trick is to get your name in the agents head. If you don't get that role but have spoken to the pimp use that as an introduction and call them regularly. What you want to aim for is to have the agent think of you as soon as a job crops up and not resort to their database and then jobserve after that.

      Pester them and keep doing it till they get you a role.
      Rule Number 1 - Assuming that you have a valid contract in place always try to get your poo onto your timesheet, provided that the timesheet is valid for your current contract and covers the period of time that you are billing for.

      I preferred version 1!

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        #23
        Once the majority of agencies have you're CV, you should get a few calls every other day, if not then you're CV is crapola. You don't need a rapport with the agents either that's bulltulip, they don't care if you are a "nice" guy they just want you to have the skills for the role.

        Agent: "Ive got two candidates one has 5 years in .NET the other has 5 months, however he talked to me about football so Ill put him forward"

        This never happens, its about skill and experience and getting you're name into the agencies top list. People who say "Rapport with agents" are normally the ones who are crap and get fired quickly when the client realises "this guy cant do the job, he spends all his time chatting to other staff". They make contractors look bad and should go back to permie jobs.

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          #24
          Originally posted by Denny
          . If they can't take brutal honesty .

          Don't you mean "your opinion"?

          Good to see that you are back at your self righteous best denny
          Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

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            #25
            I didn't think you'd be able to crowbar IR35 into the topic this time, but you pulled it back in the last minute. Way to go Denny and welcome back!

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              #26
              Well, it's all about direction and control...

              Anyway back to topic.
              If you are going to use agents, don't just wait for their adverts unless you want your CV to be in a massive queue like every other Tom, Deepak and Harry. You need to make sure they've already got you in mind when they find a potential contract, before they've even thought about writing the advert.

              But I'm not going to tell you how to do that because I've already been far more helpful than you deserve.

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                #27
                Originally posted by Diestl
                Once the majority of agencies have you're CV, you should get a few calls every other day, if not then you're CV is crapola. You don't need a rapport with the agents either that's bulltulip, they don't care if you are a "nice" guy they just want you to have the skills for the role.

                Agent: "Ive got two candidates one has 5 years in .NET the other has 5 months, however he talked to me about football so Ill put him forward"

                This never happens, its about skill and experience and getting you're name into the agencies top list. People who say "Rapport with agents" are normally the ones who are crap and get fired quickly when the client realises "this guy cant do the job, he spends all his time chatting to other staff". They make contractors look bad and should go back to permie jobs.
                So that's the level of advice on offer here, is it - just send a CV and wait for the calls!

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                  #28
                  Yeh good point. Looks like Danny & Diestl are talking out their arses IMHO.
                  What happens in General, stays in General.
                  You know what they say about assumptions!

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                    #29
                    Originally posted by Diestl
                    Agent: "Ive got two candidates one has 5 years in .NET the other has 5 months, however he talked to me about football so Ill put him forward"
                    All I am trying to suggest is that it may be helpful to know (on telephone chatting terms) a few of the agents - if my something in common with a particular agent is football then we will chat about that for a bit when I get a call....

                    As I pointed out I know that I have got work without it appearing on internet job boards.

                    Obviously if my CV was tulipe I wouldn't be considered for the position over someone with better credentials though

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                      #30
                      Originally posted by Diestl
                      Once the majority of agencies have you're CV, you should get a few calls every other day, if not then you're CV is crapola. You don't need a rapport with the agents either that's bulltulip, they don't care if you are a "nice" guy they just want you to have the skills for the role.

                      Agent: "Ive got two candidates one has 5 years in .NET the other has 5 months, however he talked to me about football so Ill put him forward"

                      This never happens, its about skill and experience and getting you're name into the agencies top list. People who say "Rapport with agents" are normally the ones who are crap and get fired quickly when the client realises "this guy cant do the job, he spends all his time chatting to other staff". They make contractors look bad and should go back to permie jobs.
                      In my experience this whole post is so absolutely wrong I don't know where to start.

                      If this works in your world Diestl then lucky old you, but I'd never advocate this sort of attitude to anyone, let alone to the person who started this thread because he is struggling to get work at the moment.

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