pigeonholed - how do you break the mould?

[norrahe]

I don't know if anyone else who is in the same situation whereby they've been working in a certain industry from day one and when applying for new contracts the agents will always fix you up with something that is the same old tulip you've been doing since the year dot.

Is it possible to move industries? Is there some way of making your skills look more transferable??

Would appreciate the advice?

[NotAllThere]

I've worked in travel, utilities, manufacturing, telecoms and pharmaceutical in the past 20 years.

Mostly the transferability of your skills across industries depends on what your actual skills are. Mine have always been pretty generic.

[Fred Bloggs]

The typical eejits in some agencies don't seem able to read past the last two or three gigs. It is easy to get pigeon holed and it can be tough to move sectors. I've worked in Chemicals/Petro Chemicals, Pharma and also Nuclear energy sectors but the pimps do tend to call you only about roles similar to the last two on my CV I find.

In my profile at the top of the CV I try to make sure I mention the industry sectors I've worked in and that I have many years experience in design, development, troubleshooting as well as maintenance etc. It might help you.

[DodgyAgent]

Before you start whining about this, please bear in mind that you guys are paid a huge amount of money to repeat more or less what you have done before. You may think that you can switch and you probably can, however no agent is stupid enough to put someone up for a job when there are others with more specific experience.

If you want to switch skills, take the hit and learn the new skills, then provide a service if need be for free to get the experience.

[Badger]

Before you start whining about this, please bear in mind that you guys are paid a huge amount of money to repeat more or less what you have done before. You may think that you can switch and you probably can, however no agent is stupid enough to put someone up for a job when there are others with more specific experience.

If you want to switch skills, take the hit and learn the new skills, then provide a service if need be for free to get the experience.

[ratewhore]

Before you start whining about this, please bear in mind that you guys are paid a huge amount of money to repeat more or less what you have done before.

Isn't it great

...however no agent is stupid enough to put someone up for a job when there are others with more specific experience.

Although most agents ARE stupid, no one would disagree with that.

If you want to switch skills, take the hit and learn the new skills, then provide a service if need be for free to get the experience.

The point is new skills aren't required. Our existing skills can fit multiple industries.

[norrahe]

Before you start whining about this, please bear in mind that you guys are paid a huge amount of money to repeat more or less what you have done before. You may think that you can switch and you probably can, however no agent is stupid enough to put someone up for a job when there are others with more specific experience.

If you want to switch skills, take the hit and learn the new skills, then provide a service if need be for free to get the experience.

not whining, given that the market is not the best at the moment, and that other industries do not seem to be hit so bad, it would be good if agencies could see that some of the skills are transferable.
It is understandable that you will will be up against those of us who HAVE worked in the industry and have more relevant experience.

At the moment taking the hit and learning new skills doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

[Spacecadet]

not whining, given that the market is not the best at the moment, and that other industries do not seem to be hit so bad, it would be good if agencies could see that some of the skills are transferable.
It is understandable that you will will be up against those of us who HAVE worked in the industry and have more relevant experience.

At the moment taking the hit and learning new skills doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

But why would an agent put forward someone with no experience although might have some transferable skills over someone who has all the relavent experience.
Agent is there for the paying customer, not for the contractor

[DodgyAgent]

not whining, given that the market is not the best at the moment, and that other industries do not seem to be hit so bad, it would be good if agencies could see that some of the skills are transferable.
It is understandable that you will will be up against those of us who HAVE worked in the industry and have more relevant experience.

At the moment taking the hit and learning new skills doesn't seem to be doing the trick.

It wasnt you I was "whining" about

[DodgyAgent]

Although most agents ARE stupid, no one would disagree with that.



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we sometimes get things right by default