New Contractor - Advice on Agencies Please

[Boney M]

Change your address on your CV to that of the address in Stanstead a lot of agencies arent going to want to touch you if you have a dorset address when they will have access to other people of similar experience as you already living in the London area.

[southerngal]

Wow

It really is true what they say about it being grim up North!!!!

I did expect to get SOME abuse but wow....

Well I do know exactly what I am - I am a Senior IT Project Manager with a great deal experience of deploying National NHS IT Projects. Working very closely with the major suppliers, BT and HSCIC. I am a good one too!

I am highly qualfiied and work extremely hard and the only reason I mentioned the secretary bit (which I have to say I have not been doing for over 14 years) was that I can go an earn some pin money in London while I am waiting for a contract. I was also very good at that too! So at least then I can pay the mortgage.

I have been running a programme for the last 3 years so I could apply for programme management perm jobs now but I want to have some flexiblity over where I work. I am not looking to become a programme manager as a result of contracting but rather contracting will give me experience of working at other organisations and expand my skill set.

Yes the savings are a problem....

[northernladuk]

It really true about the south being fully if namby pamby poofters.

If you think some straight talking feedback based on what you wrote is abuse then you most definitely don't want to go contracting. I commented on what you put. Your lack of detail coupled with my lack of being able to read people's minds might have cause a bit of a problem I think.

My apologies for not giving you feedback on what I didn't know. Glad I bothered now..

[northernladuk]

Change your address on your CV to that of the address in Stanstead a lot of agencies arent going to want to touch you if you have a dorset address when they will have access to other people of similar experience as you already living in the London area.

You put your address on your CV????

[southerngal]

No that's great i like straight talking. And you said it yourself, you can't mind read therefore there is only so much information you know about me. Maybe its best to hold back on some of the advice you give though cos it does come over as being unecessarily harsh.....

There are many sides to me and its not about not knowing who I am, its about being able to be confident about who I am and what I am capable of, which is a great deal.

Anyway, thank you everyone for responding. I do appreciate the replies and I will take on board everything that has been said. Sometimes though you just have to jump though...... I have time to talk this through with my current boss so that's good...

[jamesbrown]

It really is true what they say about it being grim up North!!!!

I did expect to get SOME abuse but wow....

Well I do know exactly what I am - I am a Senior IT Project Manager with a great deal experience of deploying National NHS IT Projects. Working very closely with the major suppliers, BT and HSCIC. I am a good one too!

I am highly qualfiied and work extremely hard and the only reason I mentioned the secretary bit (which I have to say I have not been doing for over 14 years) was that I can go an earn some pin money in London while I am waiting for a contract. I was also very good at that too! So at least then I can pay the mortgage.

I have been running a programme for the last 3 years so I could apply for programme management perm jobs now but I want to have some flexiblity over where I work. I am not looking to become a programme manager as a result of contracting but rather contracting will give me experience of working at other organisations and expand my skill set.

Yes the savings are a problem....

If and when you do venture into contracting, a thick skin really helps You'll be messed around by agencies, clients that don't know what they want, clients that reconsider what they want (not you), extended periods between contracts, limited opportunities for training (it isn't about developing your career or extending your skillset, it's about using your existing skills to meet deliverables), an expectation that you'll always hit the ground running, and a very healthy degree of common sense (and ability to question expert advice) w/r to managing your finances and responsibilities as a director.

[southerngal]

What's your penalty clause if you don't work 3 months notice ?

Thought not - you don't have one do you ?

No there isnt - only that I really like my boss and want to leave on the very best terms. I dont wan't to leave because I hate it there, I just need to go out and get some different experience. I think (and probably know) that if I do find something that meant that I would have to leave earlier then he would release me.

[dty]

You simply cannot expand your skill set in contracting.. period.

Not necessarily true. I am picking up some good big data skills that I didn't have when I started my current gig. Very valuable.

Clients will not wait 3 months.

Also not necessarily true. My first client waited 3 months for me.

OP: NLUK (and others) often paint a very black-and-white picture on these forums of the way things are/are not which, whilst likely true in their personal experience, aren't necessarily true for everyone.

That said, I agree you need to be clear in your mind what you are, be able to demonstrate that, and sell it. As for the notice period, 3 months IS a tough ask. I would personally hand notice in (try and negotiate down - perhaps by timing it with end of project) and then start looking once you were within your last 4 weeks. But to do this, you have to be prepared to be out of work (or temp as a secretary) before you find something.

[southerngal]

If and when you do venture into contracting, a thick skin really helps You'll be messed around by agencies, clients that don't know what they want, clients that reconsider what they want (not you), extended periods between contracts, limited opportunities for training (it isn't about developing your career or extending your skillset, it's about using your existing skills to meet deliverables), an expectation that you'll always hit the ground running, and a very healthy degree of common sense (and ability to question expert advice) w/r to managing your finances and responsibilities as a director.

I have a thick skin Been in bands for many years and and as the only girl you have to!

But for me it is very much about delveoping my experience and skills. I have been in Dorset for 5 years on the same projects, I will get out to work with other people. I will learn how to work with a PMO - we dont have one! I will work with new organisations. Thats all about developing experience.

I learn stuff every day though life - you cant say that I wont develop from the whole experience?

[southerngal]

Not necessarily true. I am picking up some good big data skills that I didn't have when I started my current gig. Very valuable.



Also not necessarily true. My first client waited 3 months for me.

OP: NLUK (and others) often paint a very black-and-white picture on these forums of the way things are/are not which, whilst likely true in their personal experience, aren't necessarily true for everyone.

That said, I agree you need to be clear in your mind what you are, be able to demonstrate that, and sell it. As for the notice period, 3 months IS a tough ask. I would personally hand notice in (try and negotiate down - perhaps by timing it with end of project) and then start looking once you were within your last 4 weeks. But to do this, you have to be prepared to be out of work (or temp as a secretary) before you find something.

Thank you that has made me feel a little better. I always knew the 3 months would be difficult - it was just a way of working things through. I havent actively looked during this period but have responded to enquiries. I had one agency who lied to the client - or to me - I dont know which - but it was very promising. The trust encouraged me (actually told me to call them when I am free) and said that I wouldn't have a problem getting work. But that was January and I gather things have changed since then. Also, that's easy to say when you are employing

I have actually timed my notice period in with the end of my project and stayed on longer because of the project.