1st Ever Contract Interview - What to expect?

[MitsMaan]

Hi, Im going contracting for the first time ever,

Ive set up an unbrella company, and i have a interview lined up for a 3 month contract in a project role.

Are there any key differences between a permanent position interview and a contract interview??

What should i prepare on?

please help!!!! i need to land this baby

[thunderlizard]

I only had permie interviews during the university milkround and I failed all of them, so maybe I'm not the best person to respond. But that's never stopped me in the past so...

Firstly, there won't be any 'name 25 personal strengths and 35 weakness, and suggest a 5 point plan on how you might address these over the next 40 years' nonsense. It's about what you can do for them right now, rather than your future potential.
Also they're expecting you to be the expert and take more of a lead: e.g. it's your job to start off small talk and put them at their ease, not vice versa.
Generally there's only one meeting (but it might have loads of people in it). You won't get a second round in an assessment centre in Stoke Poges, where you have to pair up with a recovering alcoholic to build a model of the Alhambra out of condoms.

And you can expect there to be a bloke sitting in the corner wearing a polo shirt. He'll nod silently through the whole thing, then right at the end read you a question about databases off a piece of paper.

[mace]

Difference is that contract interviews are usually short and sweet and more often than not held over the phone.

They'll ask mainly technical questions rather than obscure aptitude/personality tests which tend to dominate in permie interviews.

I do find the difference rather wierd. The longest job I ever had was a contract position. HR is quaintly old-fashioned in treating IT permies as if they have a 40 year career with them in the same company. Either that or they like to give that illusion otherwise all the youngsters would say sod that I'm going contracting. Having never been a manager, I've never figured out the bizarre ways in which companies operate. From conversations with a lot of managers, neither have they.

[Fran]

I agree.

So far only had two contracting meetings but landed both of them (haven't failed many permie interviews either). Both meetings were much shorter than permie interviews and with less messing. I wasn't expected to ask questions at the end of anything like that. The majority of both meetings were taken with talking about my experience and what my skills are, and about the project they wanted me for.

My best interview/meeting advice is this. Write down all the skills you have, technical and personal. Then read it back to yourself over and over until you have it drilled into you. Put weaknesses out of your mind, tell yourself you are the one they want, try not to be worried about not getting it (even if you have to lie to yourself). Basically psych yourself up on how great you are and how much this company need you more than anyone else.

Then when you walk into your interview you will bowl them over, you will be confident, chatty and approachable. They will pick you over people who have bags more experience.

Also remember that you need to find out what you are doing there, don't leave with any questions in your head. This is your chance to evaluate the company as well!

[MikeC1408]

I often found they where more nervous than I was. Their looking at hiring you due to a shortage of expertise in their existing team, expertise which you have.

Your there to sell you skills. there will be no where do you see yourself in 5 years rubbish.

Good Luck.

[Sausage Surprise]

I often found they where more nervous than I was. Their looking at hiring you due to a shortage of expertise in their existing team, expertise which you have.

Your there to sell you skills. there will be no where do you see yourself in 5 years rubbish.

Good Luck.

I hope you're not a contract english teacher

[Bluebird]

Hi, Im going contracting for the first time ever,

Ive set up an unbrella company, and i have a interview lined up for a 3 month contract in a project role.

Are there any key differences between a permanent position interview and a contract interview??

What should i prepare on?

please help!!!! i need to land this baby

The spanish inquisition....

[opc]

When I left my permy job to go contracting, I helped to interview/recruit and then hand over to contractors taking over my original role.

On the basis of this experience (and seeing first hand afterwards what made a good/bad contractor), I'd say at the interview you want to demonstrate:

1) That you're highly competent and experienced in the field
2) That you can hit the ground running and not need handholding
3) That you have a genuine reason to want to work for the company other than "for the money and it's the only thing available right now - I'll be off like a shot when I find something better".
4) That you're not a weirdo and will "fit in" with the permies.

There are probably plenty of people with the experience and on-paper competence but 2,3 and 4 would be the determining factors for me.

[swamp]

It's always good if you can provide some form of free added value, like an extra skill or past experience that's relevant to their project. However small, these things can help clinch the deal.

[beaker]

When I left my permy job to go contracting, I helped to interview/recruit and then hand over to contractors taking over my original role.

On the basis of this experience (and seeing first hand afterwards what made a good/bad contractor), I'd say at the interview you want to demonstrate:

1) That you're highly competent and experienced in the field
2) That you can hit the ground running and not need handholding
3) That you have a genuine reason to want to work for the company other than "for the money and it's the only thing available right now - I'll be off like a shot when I find something better".
4) That you're not a weirdo and will "fit in" with the permies.

There are probably plenty of people with the experience and on-paper competence but 2,3 and 4 would be the determining factors for me.

Exactly right. To this I'll add:
5) you're expected to be an expert - act like it.
6) you're not there to "develop your skills", you're there to deliver