Getting started contracting in the UK without any contacts?

[Carlton]

How hard is it to get started contracting in the UK with no contacts here?

I have 5 years contracting exp in testing in Australia, and have been trying to get a contract here in the UK but am not having much luck getting responses from job applications and emails to agents (I have a visa).

Had plenty of calls about perm jobs but not really interested in them. Will breaking into contracting be too tough without already knowing some managers and agents?

[northernladuk]

Hard

[Eirikur]

Easy

[Fandango]

Medium

[Antman]

Medium rare

[TheFaQQer]

First contract can be hard to find - you have no track record that an agent can check. You also have the disadvantage (real or otherwise) that you are overseas so there is a bigger risk there as well.

Have you got a UK phone number? That might be a start - if you can convince the agencies that you are local, then that helps cure part of their fear that you aren't going to turn up / might bail soon etc.

It's not insurmountable by any means, but if you are in a competitive area, then you are already at a disadvantage. A guy who worked for me in my first contract role was British but lived in Sydney with his Australian wife and managed OK - they did five months in Sydney in the Australian summer, then came over to the UK for five months contracting in our summer. Not sure how easy he found it to find work, though.

[northernladuk]

I would think an financial service contracts might be a problem for you with regard to credit checks as well. I am sure the agents will just ignore you rather than put you forward with the risk that they can't complete the relevant checks. Any gig with any level of security vetting might be the same as well.

[Carlton]

First contract can be hard to find - you have no track record that an agent can check. You also have the disadvantage (real or otherwise) that you are overseas so there is a bigger risk there as well.

Have you got a UK phone number? That might be a start - if you can convince the agencies that you are local, then that helps cure part of their fear that you aren't going to turn up / might bail soon etc.

Thanks TheFaQQer.

I am in the UK already with a local mobile number. I was thinking the lack of work experience here on my CV would put a lot of people off, even though the work itself would still be relevant.

[MattZani]

Had plenty of calls about perm jobs but not really interested in them.

Land one of those perm jobs so you'll keep the money coming in and also the agents will see that you have work experience in the UK which will give you more "credibility"

[meridian]

Are you still in Oz? If so, you'll find it extremely difficult if not impossible. You have nothing an agent wants (two references/leads) and are not available for interviews onsite immediately.

I've done it the other way (UK to Australia) for a perm position with phone interviews, but still required face to face when there. When returning to the UK, even with previous UK experience on my cv, most if not all agents that bothered to reply said nice cv but look us up once you're back.