What am I doing wrong?

[Stuart@itworksrec.co.uk]

oh yeah excuse my english i am supposed to be working!!!

[cojak]

Yep - jobserve will send you email alerts every time a job matching your key words is posted. If you're really serious get JS's SMS alerts sent to your mobile.

Keep a Draft email (with CV attached) always to hand.

And here's the real tip.

Modify the mail to include the Key words in the alert and the jobserve reference (I assume your CV already does this...).

Example:

To: dodgy@dodgyagency.com
From: cojak@cojak.co.uk

Subject: IT Guru [exact job title] Ref js12345

Hello,

I am applying for the role of IT Guru you entered on Jobserve. I have been an IT Guru for the last 50 years and have worked on 2 of The Biggest Projects in The World.

I have managed 10000 people/created M$ Vista [maybe not...]/tested Vista [beware of adding things that don't exist]. I have 100 years experience in .NET/Mono/Perl/C# and believe that I would be an excellent match for this role.

I look forward to speaking with you,

Regards,

Cojak
Tel: 01111 234765

Send this off immediately directly to the agency - do not bother with the application button. Every loser uses this - you'll just be in the queue...


Sorted.


PS. If you want to break into Project Management, look for Project Support roles - competent PS staff always seem to be in short supply (certainly where I've worked... )

[Cockney Rebel]

"Oh and I'm nearly 40 by the way but I still have all my own teeth and full head of hair"



I reckon it's your attitude that's the problem

[Billy Pilgrim]

Do you ever get to chat to any of the agents / agencies that you are applying to?

I have a decent rapport with 2 or 3 agents and if there is something in the pipeline they will keep me well informed. I know that I have got one contract without it ever appearing on jobserve or wherever.

Get to know a few of them if you can to the point where you can have a decent bit of banter with them (it helps if your football team is doing better than theirs though!)

[twice_nightly]

u r Richard Whitely

No afraid not, I just didn't want to be honest and call myself twice_yearly. Although maybe the agencies also think I'm Mr.Whitely as sadly he died last year didn't he?

Anyway thanks for all the replies and very useful info, it never occured to me to check jobserve earlier in the day, it's something I tend to do last thing at night. I'll maybe try and tweak the old CV too tomorrow. I must admit I've lost a bit of confidence in the PM work as I had quite a few knock backs after passing the exam, I suppose I now doubt that I could actually do the job as it's been over 12 months since the course etc, that's why I'm appying for desktop roles as I'm more confident with this.

I guess if I'm honest, being made redundant after 12 years hit me quite hard and all this is a bit new to me again, so thanks for the support it's really appreciated.

[twice_nightly]

"Oh and I'm nearly 40 by the way but I still have all my own teeth and full head of hair"



I reckon it's your attitude that's the problem

Maybe, but my attitude hasn't changed since I started in this business in 1984, you needed a sense of humour then and still do.

[MarillionFan]

"Oh and I'm nearly 40 by the way but I still have all my own teeth and full head of hair"

Firstly you've got an old mans attitude. I turned 37 this week and I'm still as cocky and arrogant as I was when I in my early twenties. Back then I used to think I new it all. At 37 I know I do!

Contracting is firstly about confidence.

You sound more then qualified, but you have made a fatal mistake here. You are checking at the end of the day. As pointed out agents only send out a few CVS and they like to get in early. If the role went in at 10am, they're looking to send CV's at 3pm!! So I am afraid you need to sit in and use Jobserve like a 'day trading tool'. Wait for the adverts to come in and get in quick.

Secondly, you must phone the agent shortly after applying not the other way around. After all, you are a resource and you are selling yourself.

If you get a dick who says they're out. Leave a message or try again in 1/2 hour - 1hour. If after two messages. Forget it, you've done your bit.

If you get no answer or I'm just collecting CVS or some guff. Forget it and cross it off the list.

And if you get through (bit like one of those tv quizes) then you're in and have a chance to win.

Yes you are available. Yes you're the f-cking best for the job and yes you want a decent rate for it.

Act quiet, act unsure, act nervous, act anything but the attitude which says 'send my cv through, Ill get an interview and you get the commission' then you get nothing.

Confidence and persistence!!!

Look at RealityHack! You dont have to actually be any good.

hth

[Cockney Rebel]

Agents read between the lines with CV's and telephone conversations and can clearly detect an attitude problem

[cojak]

I must admit I've lost a bit of confidence in the PM work as I had quite a few knock backs after passing the exam, I suppose I now doubt that I could actually do the job as it's been over 12 months since the course

I fear that Cockney Rebel has hit the nail on the head wih this.

You are a permie pushed into contracting. This is not an insult - it happens when people get made redundant when they were happy as they were.

You almost got out of permie mould as you made the effort to get qualifications and you got your first contract. But the moment you started you became a permie again. I know this because you said "unfortunately it's come to an end" - of course it's come to an end - it's a contract!

You need to acept this fact and look to alternative paths.

1 - accept that contracting isn't for you and look at getting a permie role.

2 - become a real contractor.

Even if you get pushed into no 2 because there are no jobs on the no. 1 path you must become a real contractor until a you find a permie job (note I did not say "until a permie job comes along". If you don't you won't be in a position to find that job).

And this is the nub of the problem. The differences between real contractors and permies are subtle but make the difference. MF has already mentioned confidence, so let's go onto the next one.

Real contractors are proactive and look to the future, the next contract before the existing one finishes. Generally they think 1 - 2 months ahead if they intend staying with the same skillset. 6 months or longer if they intend upgrading or switching. They go out and look for opportunities before some other bugger grabs them. They do not sit and wait for things to happen to them.

The last thing is pragmatism. Please do not expect that simply because you have a Prince2 certificate that People will place you in a Project Manager's role - it simply doesn't work like that. What you need is experience and the certificate. The way to get into anything like this is to start at the bottom and work your way up. I was serious about Project Support jobs, many PMs start there and get projects of their own when they've shown a bit of competence. There is also another way to get in.

I was an ITIL trainer but wanted to break into ITIL process design. The way I got in was to drop my rate by £100 per day to get my 1st 3 month contract. After that 3 months they were fighting over me and I negotiated a rate £100 over my pre-contract rate.

Basically be a bit imaginative about finding that next contract, don't expect anything to be done for you - the world doesn't owe you a living...

I don't mean to dishearten you; there was a very good post from one of the regulars here who had realised that he'd been a bit complacent in recent years and who was having problems getting a contract. It was an inspiring post as after a bit of straight talking and a courageous admission of laziness got back on the path of contracting.

You can do this too.

[tim123]

"Oh and I'm nearly 40 by the way but I still have all my own teeth and full head of hair"

Firstly you've got an old mans attitude. I turned 37 this week and I'm still as cocky and arrogant as I was when I in my early twenties. Back then I used to think I new it all. At 37 I know I do!

Except how to spell!

tim