Avoiding agencies and finding a diff. route to a contract

[virtualm]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site so welcome everybody.

I'm an IT contractor, been doing it for 3 years now, Ltd company, VAT registered (just paid my tax bill!). My background is in Logistics / WMS systems, never been out of contracts for 3 years until now and even spent a stint in Sweden with Ericsson....v.interesting indeed.

Anyway, my current bugbear is finding a new contract. Firstly does anybody else find the Jobserve link doesn't always get through to the agency? I've started to google the agencies names / company and email direct.

Plus, I have also started to find routes to contracts direct. Sometimes the agencies let you know who the companies are and I play the game and contact the IT Director of that company direct (researched through google again). Anyway, my problem is I've never been successful via this route! I even put a read receipt on the email and the person never comes back. Which surprises me when agencies take 20% of fees and I am much cheaper direct.

Anybody else have this problem and how you overcome it?

Market looking bleak at the moment eh!

[BolshieBastard]

Hi all,

I'm new to this site so welcome everybody.

I'm an IT contractor, been doing it for 3 years now, Ltd company, VAT registered (just paid my tax bill!). My background is in Logistics / WMS systems, never been out of contracts for 3 years until now and even spent a stint in Sweden with Ericsson....v.interesting indeed.

Anyway, my current bugbear is finding a new contract. Firstly does anybody else find the Jobserve link doesn't always get through to the agency? I've started to google the agencies names / company and email direct.

Plus, I have also started to find routes to contracts direct. Sometimes the agencies let you know who the companies are and I play the game and contact the IT Director of that company direct (researched through google again). Anyway, my problem is I've never been successful via this route! I even put a read receipt on the email and the person never comes back. Which surprises me when agencies take 20% of fees and I am much cheaper direct.

Anybody else have this problem and how you overcome it?

Market looking bleak at the moment eh!

Most companies have an HR dept to do the lackey work so the IT Director can do something else! The IT Directors of this world dont want to be answering telephone calls and emails from us lot (think about it) 'pestering' them for work.

Finding the relevant IT Director is quite easy. Getting to speak to them and maintaining their interest in what you are saying is completely different.

Basically, its cold calling you're talking about and its a numbers game. The 'cold calling' industry reckons anything better than 2 successes per 100 calls in exceptional. And a successful 'cold call' is getting the person being called to actually take up your wares not just speaking to them.

TBH, you'll have far more success with agents than you will cold calling IT Directors. But goodluck all the same.

Oh and believe me I've tried it!

[Durbs]

Most Co's worth contracting for have an approved supplier list and i'm guessing your Ltd isnt on it.

Its far easier for them admin-wise if they just stick to a handful of agencies.

[BrowneIssue]

Firstly does anybody else find the Jobserve link doesn't always get through to the agency?

Yes. It has been a known problem for well over a year. I have a few agents I am friendly with and have done tests with them proving applications done through Jobserve do not always go to the agent. My guess from last time I was seriously looking was about 1 in 3 go astray. (Then another 60% are ignored by the agent...)

Plus, I have also started to find routes to contracts direct. Sometimes the agencies let you know who the companies are and I play the game and contact the IT Director of that company direct

Brave & clever bunny! Well done!

What you have to do is speak to them, either over the phone or face-to-face. IT Directors and IT managers get approached by recruiters and applicants all the time and either employ a gatekeeper to keep them away or just ignore them.

(researched through google again). Anyway, my problem is I've never been successful via this route!

It is a basic sales problem.

Bimble down to the library and borrow half a dozen books on sales. Skim them. Ignore any that have 'special' or 'unique' methods - they probably won't work for you. Instead, notice which bits of advice keep coming up in all of them, especially the "how to get to speak to the potential customer", "price", "getting to yes" and "closing the sale" bits. Then try them out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[Peter Loew]

It's true. Jobserve doesn't always play good.

I got a call from an agent last week who said he received a cover letter but with no CV attached. Frankly I am surprised he even called me. Sent him the CV and voila, interview pending...