Born again contractor

[BrilloPad]

Have you thought about learning a new skill? Also helps to keep you busy!

I believe some open source projects are looking for assistance......

[TheBigYinJames]

Could it also be that as far as the agencies are concerned, I am new to contracting as its been so long?? And the fact that only 1 agency has asked why I have been off for so long??

Well it's pretty slow at the moment too, so don't read too much into it. Also there's always a slight hesitancy to take on a permie for their first contract, since you're unproven. The slow market may just be exaggerating that effect.

[Old Greg]

There's some reasonable advice on CVs here http://www.contractoruk.com/jobs/index.html

Apart from that, I can't offer much advice as I'm looking for contracts with the NHS or NHS suppliers and I'm not at all techie. There is loads out there in the NHS at the moment - I guess the downturn will filter down later. Best of luck.

[Bill]

OK, here goes.......

I am putting myself at the mercy of all. I have managed to get my cv online, it can be seen on http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfbjrb6v_04jqs8jft

This is my third attempt, 1st attempt was very permi oriented. 2nd attempt had no skills listed. 3rd attempt and has not yet been posted anywhere.
All feedback is welcomed, constructive criticism is good in my book.

[themistry]

You need to change your objective, I would remove it all together. Basically, you are really great at saying what you want out of the role... ever thought about telling the client what they would get from you? Who cares what you want buddy. Remember that.

Profile is good. Get rid of the objective, as before, who cares?

You have only really worked as a PM for 1 company. Yes, 8 years is a long time, but 1 company on a CV, to me, seems too permie, and well, might be difficult to land something at the moment.

TM

[pmeswani]

You need to change your objective, I would remove it all together. Basically, you are really great at saying what you want out of the role... ever thought about telling the client what they would get from you? Who cares what you want buddy. Remember that.

Profile is good. Get rid of the objective, as before, who cares?

You have only really worked as a PM for 1 company. Yes, 8 years is a long time, but 1 company on a CV, to me, seems too permie, and well, might be difficult to land something at the moment.

TM

Any chance someone can comment on mine as well please?

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddwh2cfp_2hpm6vwfr

My phone has gone pretty quiet lately, am getting a bit worried that I'm no longer wanted.

[lilelvis2000]

Sue,

thanks for the reply. 2 questions.
1. Call me stupid, but if i split up my roles and put them down as contracts, isn't that lying? I'm not bothered about the agencies, but the company taking me on may question it.
2. I can't post my cv anywhere. I can't add attachments yet as i'm a newbie, and don't have access to a website to upload. You don't by any chance now the name of the poster who reviewed CV's do you.

It doesn't take long to make a hotmail account and put it up into the "your space" section. When you're done with it...delete everything.

[SantaClaus]

1. You can write your CV yourself. Get someone to review it. Even people on here will review it for you. (There was a poster who did that this year and managed to get a contract within 3 weeks of the sites major peer review.) Up load a word copy to a website and make sure you strip out your real name, address and other contact details.

2. Tell the agencies you are a contractor. and have been for the last x years. Divide your jobs up on your CV into separate projects. Don't admit to being permanent.

3. Agencies talk tulip to see how much they can screw you by. As far as you are concerned you took the summer off to do xxxxxx and now are ready to for a new contract.

Best advice on this thread so far.

Its a bulltulip game and once you realise this Bill, you will get further.

Agencies are a thickle bunch and they get scared by the following:

• People out of work for more than 3 weeks
• Permies becoming contractors
• 1 missing skill from a job that requires 20

Therefore, take the advice above and:

• make your CV looks like a contractors CV.
• Learn the latest, greatest skill and invent a project that you did at your old company with it. Live, eat and dream this project until you know it back to front.
• fill all gaps on your CV with travelled South America/Far east etc.

A contractors career involves the above steps ad-infinitum.

Tulipting agents is the only way to make it in this industry. After all, they wouldnt dream of tulipting us

[TheBigYinJames]

Tulipting agents is the only way to make it in this industry. After all, they wouldnt dream of tulipting us

Agree with all of that but remember one important thing about tulipping on your CV: You tulip on your CV for one reason and one reason only: to get past the 'idiot filter' of an agent.

This is the 'idiot filter' which won't put you forward for a C# job you have 5 years experience of, because he can't see any Dot Net on your CV. It's the 'idiot filter' that sees you have PRINCE2 but doesn't think your CV has enough Project Management training. It's the 'idiot filter' that sees you have AJAX but can't see very much web development work on your CV.

Agents (with a few exceptions) have no idea what they are selling, so make it easy for them. Don't assume they know what the acronyms mean, spell it out. Say how long you have used each skill, they can't add up dates. Use alternative names for the same thing, because their keyword filters may not find it otherwise.

Once you get to the interview with the client, you should cut down your tulip to a low level.

[DS23]

OK, here goes.......

I am putting myself at the mercy of all. I have managed to get my cv online, it can be seen on http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfbjrb6v_04jqs8jft

This is my third attempt, 1st attempt was very permi oriented. 2nd attempt had no skills listed. 3rd attempt and has not yet been posted anywhere.
All feedback is welcomed, constructive criticism is good in my book.

brave. welcome brave bill. you have a lot of work to do there. but since you are out of work there's no reason why you can't get to it! by my reckoning you have at least 20 more iterations before you will have a cv that will close to being usable as a basis for bespoking for each role.

ignoring the content for the moment - your cv has to look good. at the moment all you have is doodling. search the web for other peoples cv's - see if you can find one that presents itself well and copy the format. then tailor the content.