Java/J2EE Contractor - Cannot get an interview!

[mangr]

Hi All,

I've just moved to London from Australia (coming up to 4 weeks ago). I have been looking for senior java and/or j2ee development work (preferably within investment banking or telco's) with no luck.

I am a senior developer who has been contracting in Australia for 2 and a half years and been in Java/J2EE development for 6 years. I have 2 years of blue chip retail and institutional banking experience and 6 months of investment banking experience alongside 1 year of media and 1 year of Telco experience. I have around 4 years of spring and hibernate (which everyone here seems to love). The rate i have been putting myself is £500-550. I have lowered my rate to £450 to £500 with no luck in the last week.

I have had my CV reviewed by Aston Carter and a few others but even though I have been put up for about 30 positions, which i follow up every 2-3 days, i have not been put forward to interview. I have been told a number of things like:

• My CV is strong and have a lot of skill in java/j2ee
• The market in February is ALWAYS really bad, so be patient
• The market is saturated with UBS developers who have as much java experience, but heaps more industry knowledge

I have no idea what to believe and i feel i am being stuffed around by the agencies. In Australia I am used to only 4-5 agencies helping me get good contracts, here i have dealt with maybe 20. I have read the Newbies guys on contractoruk but yeah no luck.

Can anyone in Java/J2EE give me some pointers about how to maybe rejig my CV so I can at least get to 1 interview!

cheers,

::mark

[EqualOpportunities]

Hi All,

I've just moved to London from Australia (coming up to 4 weeks ago). I have been looking for senior java and/or j2ee development work (preferably within investment banking or telco's) with no luck.

I am a senior developer who has been contracting in Australia for 2 and a half years and been in Java/J2EE development for 6 years. I have 2 years of blue chip retail and institutional banking experience and 6 months of investment banking experience alongside 1 year of media and 1 year of Telco experience. I have around 4 years of spring and hibernate (which everyone here seems to love). The rate i have been putting myself is £500-550. I have lowered my rate to £450 to £500 with no luck in the last week.

I have had my CV reviewed by Aston Carter and a few others but even though I have been put up for about 30 positions, which i follow up every 2-3 days, i have not been put forward to interview. I have been told a number of things like:

• My CV is strong and have a lot of skill in java/j2ee
• The market in February is ALWAYS really bad, so be patient
• The market is saturated with UBS developers who have as much java experience, but heaps more industry knowledge

I have no idea what to believe and i feel i am being stuffed around by the agencies. In Australia I am used to only 4-5 agencies helping me get good contracts, here i have dealt with maybe 20. I have read the Newbies guys on contractoruk but yeah no luck.

Can anyone in Java/J2EE give me some pointers about how to maybe rejig my CV so I can at least get to 1 interview!

cheers,

::mark

I think the Slug and Lettuce need an Assistant Manager...

[moorfield]

All Java/J2EE work is now done by Indians. Try lowering your rate to £300.

[Bumfluff]

Hi All,

I've just moved to London from Australia (coming up to 4 weeks ago). I have been looking for senior java and/or j2ee development work (preferably within investment banking or telco's) with no luck.

I am a senior developer who has been contracting in Australia for 2 and a half years and been in Java/J2EE development for 6 years. I have 2 years of blue chip retail and institutional banking experience and 6 months of investment banking experience alongside 1 year of media and 1 year of Telco experience. I have around 4 years of spring and hibernate (which everyone here seems to love). The rate i have been putting myself is £500-550. I have lowered my rate to £450 to £500 with no luck in the last week.

I have had my CV reviewed by Aston Carter and a few others but even though I have been put up for about 30 positions, which i follow up every 2-3 days, i have not been put forward to interview. I have been told a number of things like:

• My CV is strong and have a lot of skill in java/j2ee
• The market in February is ALWAYS really bad, so be patient
• The market is saturated with UBS developers who have as much java experience, but heaps more industry knowledge

I have no idea what to believe and i feel i am being stuffed around by the agencies. In Australia I am used to only 4-5 agencies helping me get good contracts, here i have dealt with maybe 20. I have read the Newbies guys on contractoruk but yeah no luck.

Can anyone in Java/J2EE give me some pointers about how to maybe rejig my CV so I can at least get to 1 interview!

cheers,

::mark

True there is alot of ex-UBS around at the moment, Aston Carter are the preferred supplier for a lot of the banks so they should come up with something. Also worth noting alot of banks are sorting out there budgets at the moment and until this is done they cant recruit, lots of budget cuts at the moment as well, I got my renewal by the skin of my teeth they had to drop other work from the budget to pay for me and keep me on. Hang on in there something will come up rate wise you look correct.

[rootsnall]

I think you just need to hang on in there and be very flexible on rate and location to get your first start. There can be a lull at this time of year as budgets have been used up until the start of the new financial year ( April I'm afraid ).

[mangr]

Thanks bumfluff and rootsnall.

Appreciate the help! I just landed my first interview this morning, but it's with Big Oil, not banking. I really was looking for banking and telco but i guess any job is better than no job at this stage!

I still have to go well in the interview. In the interview i organised here with RBS from Australia i went REALLY REALLY bad on some questions (maybe its the 1 and a half months at Torquay beach - Australia with my girlfriend and not working that got me!). I'll have to knuckle down before this one!

cheers,

::mark

[BlasterBates]

You hit the nail on the head with the UBS Java developers, and also Morgan Stanley etc. A lot of these are very good indeed, so you'll find it very difficult to get a Java banking role. Java are used in a lot of the applications (picture based development) being scaled back unfortunately. I would focus on where your very strong.

[Dow Jones]

Wtf???

The rate i have been putting myself is £500-550. I have lowered my rate to £450 to £500 with no luck in the last week.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Really?? That's very generous of you! You're way too expensive for your skills, I'm surprised you haven't yet realised we are not living in the Y2K era anymore. In banking/finance (where I work btw), expect £ 400 tops for a snr developer these days, even new PMs are on £ 500 ffs. Not saying this is fair or anything, just be realistic.
Nothing against Aussies/Kiwis - in fact I've got a lot of time for some, but guys that earn the same amount in AUSD down under come over and expect the same in £ - it doesn't work like that anymore.
Either get real or check the Qantas flight (daily from LHR) back home.

[Peter Loew]

I'm familiar with your position. You're pitching yourself too high.

Try going in at average 350 per day and build on that.

P

[Peter Loew]

I'm familiar with your position. You're pitching yourself too high.

Try going in at average 350 per day and build on that.

P