Chances of getting a contract based on old experience?

[AnotherGuy]

Hi,

Just wondering if anybody was able to secure a contract working (mainly) with a tech/lang/framework they had (commercial) experience with, but from past positions/projects?

And with past, I mean like 3 or 4 years in the past?

Is it difficult? Do [agencies/clients] just take a look at your most recent role(s), disregarding anything older than a couple of years, for example?

Thanks.

[AnotherGuy]

I think I kind of found some answers:

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ml#post2143318

If they're looking for a C# Dev, they won't give a monkeys about your 30 years experience in Java/C/C++/Smalltalk/ML/whatever and your high level of skill as a general purpose "programmer" that may allow you to ramp up quite quickly in C#. They want to see contract after contract in your recent work history where you've used C# all the way.

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ml#post2132166

Agents and particularly clients want to see you have very recently used and excelled in the skills they have said their job entails.

They dont want to know how good you are in skills that dont apply to their job. Neither do the clients to see the skills they do want buried 5 or 6 paras down the cv instead of the top.

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ml#post2132204

If they need a van driver, they don't just want "experience of driving red vans", they want "experience of driving red vans in the last six months, and more red van experience than any other vans" or you are not suitable.

[northernladuk]

It could be said you are really only as good as you're last gig. If your experience isn't evident by the end of the first page of your CV you are on a wish and a prayer. There will be plenty of applicants with end to end experience. That's also assume the tech is still cuurent.

[NotAllThere]

If the skill is niche, then it's possible. My first contract was in something I hadn't used for four years.

[squarepeg]

Yes. I have on my CV something I haven't used in five years and then an agent found me a client using that tech this year. There's no rule. You could say that ZX Spectrum Basic is dead but with the growing interest in retro computing someone who still knows how to code in it could get a contract and a good one at that. I've seen stranger thing happen.

[AnotherGuy]

Yes. I have on my CV something I haven't used in five years and then an agent found me a client using that tech this year. There's no rule. You could say that ZX Spectrum Basic is dead but with the growing interest in retro computing someone who still knows how to code in it could get a contract and a good one at that. I've seen stranger thing happen.

Was the agent who contact you out of the blue regarding that tech (maybe CV keyword), or were you already trying to get a contract with that tech?

Unfortunately the case I'm talking about is a fairly common programming language, so no really niche at all...

[sal]

Just apply/send your CV and see if anyone bites, doesn't cost you anything, you are overthinking it.

[vwdan]

Just apply/send your CV and see if anyone bites, doesn't cost you anything, you are overthinking it.

Yep - at the end of the day, you don't have to the best in the world, you just need to be better/a better fit than whoever else applies. We can all target ourselves to some degree, but on a case by case basis, there are just too many variables that are invisible. Sometimes you'll spark their interest because of something else on their CV that they want to look into doing, sometimes someone else will do that even if you were 'perfect' according to the advert.

I was always reasonably choosy about what I applied to, but you still have to keep the application numbers up if you're seriously looking because you just don't know what will win you that interview.

[squarepeg]

Was the agent who contact you out of the blue regarding that tech (maybe CV keyword), or were you already trying to get a contract with that tech?

Unfortunately the case I'm talking about is a fairly common programming language, so no really niche at all...

Yes, that tech was on the list of "essential requirements" for the role.

[northernladuk]

Yes, that tech was on the list of "essential requirements" for the role.

Don't give the Agents too much credit though, I left and old CV on Monster that had my HNC in Electronic Engineering on it but had 15 years IT work and I was still contacted a few times for Electrical Engineering roles.