War chest Almost Depleted and Getting Desperate

[quackhandle]

In all seriousness, the post by the OP should go in a sticky somewhere, for all that come on here thinking "I'll just give that contracting lark a try..."

qh

[BR14]

I AM a Yorkshireman!

oh, well, we can't all be perfect,- just try to rise above it

[Tractor Trace]

In all seriousness, the post by the OP should go in a sticky somewhere, for all that come on here thinking "I'll just give that contracting lark a try..."

qh

Never a truer word spoken....

[Tractor Trace]

Update... still no progress. I've resorted to applying for really low paid contracts i.e c£100+ a day and not even getting a sniff of a phone call or interview there! Granted they've not been directly in my field but they're not looking for specialist experience.

Has anyone who has been in my position taken a permanent job temporarily, and how long did you stay before securing a gig again? How did you deal with the whole 1 month's notice thing, given that with most contracts they want you to start within a week or two? I'm just thinking about how to deal with the likely questions by interviewing hiring managers, maybe not convinced that me going for the job would be nothing more than filling a stop gap. Then maybe a couple of months (or less!) down the line jumping ship when a gig comes up and really p****ng everyone off.

[uk contractor]

Update... still no progress. I've resorted to applying for really low paid contracts i.e c£100+ a day and not even getting a sniff of a phone call or interview there! Granted they've not been directly in my field but they're not looking for specialist experience.

Has anyone who has been in my position taken a permanent job temporarily, and how long did you stay before securing a gig again? How did you deal with the whole 1 month's notice thing, given that with most contracts they want you to start within a week or two? I'm just thinking about how to deal with the likely questions by interviewing hiring managers, maybe not convinced that me going for the job would be nothing more than filling a stop gap. Then maybe a couple of months (or less!) down the line jumping ship when a gig comes up and really p****ng everyone off.

Applying for low paid contracts will not usually work as they want specific experience & as you said many will sniff its a stop gap role for you so avoid you as a viable candidate. If you take a perm role (if you can even get one that is) make sure you stay at least a year otherwise once again it will show on your CV its a stop gap role. Contracting is very hard nowadays unless you have an in demand niche skillset.

[jmo21]

Update... still no progress. I've resorted to applying for really low paid contracts i.e c£100+ a day and not even getting a sniff of a phone call or interview there! Granted they've not been directly in my field but they're not looking for specialist experience.

Has anyone who has been in my position taken a permanent job temporarily, and how long did you stay before securing a gig again? How did you deal with the whole 1 month's notice thing, given that with most contracts they want you to start within a week or two? I'm just thinking about how to deal with the likely questions by interviewing hiring managers, maybe not convinced that me going for the job would be nothing more than filling a stop gap. Then maybe a couple of months (or less!) down the line jumping ship when a gig comes up and really p****ng everyone off.

Depends what you mean by temporarily.

It might be the case you should get a permie role, and stick with it for a few years to both build up your war chest, and potentially re-train/move sideways into something, or even just plain get a bunch more experience (how many years have you been in the industry, and doing your current job role that you are targeting for contracts?)

[Lance]

Update... still no progress. I've resorted to applying for really low paid contracts i.e c£100+ a day and not even getting a sniff of a phone call or interview there! Granted they've not been directly in my field but they're not looking for specialist experience.

Dropping your price, to get a role you're not experienced for, is not a good strategy.
At least put your price up for roles you can't do. If you're gonna wing it, then wing it like a pro.

If I was an agent I would smell desperation. An agent wants the best return, for the least amount of effort, for the longest perios of time. You clearly aren't appearing as that otherwise you'd be in a role by now.

Go perm is the best I can suggest.
As for your CV. Rewrite it for permieland. Use your LTD as the employer (and hope the agent doesn't notice).
If a client notices at interview (they may well do), tell them you've had enough of contracting and want to settle down. You can't cope with the cowboy nature, yadda yadda blah blah blah I really want this job... yadda.

The thing that makes employers nervous about taking contractors on as perms is that they're just filling in a gap. Which you are trying to do, but being blunt, you don't sound like you are cut out for it. Dropping your price to £100 a day is NOT the action of a businessman. Harsh maybe, but that's my take.

[Big Blue Plymouth]

Update... still no progress. I've resorted to applying for really low paid contracts i.e c£100+ a day and not even getting a sniff of a phone call or interview there! Granted they've not been directly in my field but they're not looking for specialist experience.

Has anyone who has been in my position taken a permanent job temporarily, and how long did you stay before securing a gig again? How did you deal with the whole 1 month's notice thing, given that with most contracts they want you to start within a week or two? I'm just thinking about how to deal with the likely questions by interviewing hiring managers, maybe not convinced that me going for the job would be nothing more than filling a stop gap. Then maybe a couple of months (or less!) down the line jumping ship when a gig comes up and really p****ng everyone off.

I was in this situation in 2003 when I first started contracting.

Completely ran out of money. I put ads in the local rags and shop windows advertising myself for landscaping work and rented out a room in my house. Did this for about 3 months - damage limitation really to avoid maxing out the credit cards. Then I eventually got a crap 30k permie job miles away from home which I stuck with for just under 3 months until a contract came along. ISTR I was on a 3 month probationary & I had an easy get out clause so no real issues with notice periods.

Good luck OP.

[cojak]

Never a truer word spoken....

Done (but more in sadness TT).

Hope it works out for you.

[SimonMac]

Done (but more in sadness TT).

Hope it works out for you.

OT but it might be an idea cleaning up the stickies in Business/Contracts as there is now 8

Lose the Germany one (not been updated in over a year), move the PS one to one of the sub forums in L&A and is the survey one still relevant?