How to get contract jobs?

[SpontaneousOrder]

I quit my job, bummed around in shorts & flipflops for a few weeks while the sun was out, and then started looking for a contract. It took me about 6 or 7 weeks once I started looking.

I was feeling a bit down but then suddenly all of the leads I had weeks ago started to come through. I was expecting contracts to be advertised and offered in a short space of time, but by the time I accepted an offer I was getting several interviews at places I'd originally submitted for weeks back.

I did feel that my CV was strong-ish for a permie (I worked for a small boutique consultancy with the odd big client, and almost everyone I interviewed with were under the assumption that I was already a contractor during that time) though - obviously I don't know your own circumstances.

[sal]

Normally you would secure the contract before leaving a permanent job but if it was not by choice then that is understandable

On the contrary. Good luck securing a contract when the answer to "What's your availability?" is 2 months. Even if the actual process between submitting the CV and actual start of the contract sometimes takes over 1 month, normally the pimps will just bin your CV the second they hear you have to give 1 month+ notice.

What sector you in?

I wanted to ask the same question. OP said that he is applying for 20-30 jobs / day, last time i check for IT there weren't more than 5-10 contracts a day for given technology / skill level.

Are you applying to roles that actually suit your skills, or do use the blanket approach applying to everything even remotely close to your skills and hope for the best?

[checkmate]

I apply from loads of different websites reed, cwjobs indeed etc.

But its both contract and permanent. Yes, some of the jobs i apply for is blanket even though i know i wont get job, its just a hope they read my CV and think of me when a job comes my way that best matches my CV in future. Is this policy wrong? initially i did only apply for few jobs that best matches my CV but then started to increase the qty to help get my CV out.

My Cv was actually professionally rewritten in march along with my linkedin. but not sure if its contract worthy or not. As my english/grammar is poor!! so had to get someone else to do for me.

[northernladuk]

I apply from loads of different websites reed, cwjobs indeed etc.

But its both contract and permanent. Yes, some of the jobs i apply for is blanket even though i know i wont get job, its just a hope they read my CV and think of me when a job comes my way that best matches my CV in future. Is this policy wrong? initially i did only apply for few jobs that best matches my CV but then started to increase the qty to help get my CV out.

My Cv was actually professionally rewritten in march along with my linkedin. but not sure if its contract worthy or not. As my english/grammar is poor!! so had to get someone else to do for me.

Very few agents both proactively searching for contractors. I've spoken to at least 3 this last few weeks that have all said they just don't bother. They just put the gig on the jobsite and wait. Blanket spamming CV to agents when you know you won't get the job is a complete waste of time. It's more likely to get them to ignore you instead of notice you.

Good luck staying in a contract job more than a week if your grammer/english is that bad you can't even write your own CV. Great thing about contractors (as a client) is you can bin them on the spot if they don't live up to expectations.

[malvolio]

Very few agents both proactively searching for contractors. I've spoken to at least 3 this last few weeks that have all said they just don't bother. They just put the gig on the jobsite and wait. Blanket spamming CV to agents when you know you won't get the job is a complete waste of time. It's more likely to get them to ignore you instead of notice you.

Good luck staying in a contract job more than a week if your grammar/English is that bad you can't even write your own CV. Great thing about contractors (as a client) is you can bin them on the spot if they don't live up to expectations.

cough....

But otherwise spot on.

[DiscoStu]

Very few agents both proactively searching for contractors. I've spoken to at least 3 this last few weeks that have all said they just don't bother. They just put the gig on the jobsite and wait. Blanket spamming CV to agents when you know you won't get the job is a complete waste of time. It's more likely to get them to ignore you instead of notice you.

Good luck staying in a contract job more than a week if your grammer/english is that bad you can't even write your own CV. Great thing about contractors (as a client) is you can bin them on the spot if they don't live up to expectations.

The irony

[flipFlop]

...I am even happy to do roll out jobs just to build trust with agencies...

That is an impossible task.

[DiscoStu]

That is an impossible task.

Disagree. Even since I've gone perm I still have a couple of agents who I've developed a good relationship with who'll call me about gigs and ask if there's anyone I'd suggest.

I work in a relatively niche field serviced by a smaller number of agents so developing a working relationship with some of them them can only be beneficial.

[flipFlop]

...Good luck staying in a contract job more than a week if your grammer/english is that bad...

Can you stay in a contract job for more than a week when your grammar and English are so bad?

Are you a contractor?

[flipFlop]

Disagree...
I work in a relatively niche field serviced by a smaller number of agents

It would help everyone to understand your post if you actually describe what your "niche field" is, because your comment is needlessly cryptic.

I do not work in a "niche field", I work in Unix, Linux, C, C++, Fortran, and - regrettably - Windows as a developer. This is a doomed market.

What is your "niche field"? Help us understand how agencies operate in particular markets.