Why it's so difficult to get a @#%$

**Mark Snowdon** · 20 October 2004, 09:29

why not try direct ?

Given that you have the skills and the finance exposure, what contacts do you have ?

Why not try approaching some of the clients direct ? If you know people at ubs I would start there, perhaps your swiss managers could give you an intro or at least names ?

**Mozza** · 20 October 2004, 11:11

Swiss Tony.....

Being Swiss, and therefore not in the EU, are you legally allowed to work in the UK?, if you are, does it state that clearly on your CV?
Perhaps the additional worry of any visa problems puts them off?

Moz

**rebeccaloos** · 20 October 2004, 11:21

Hi Drausche,

You have contacted a numebr of well-connected agencies already, but among those agencies, there are some that also fake job ads and just fish for CVs.

The best way to get a good contract is to go to Jobserve and similar sites 3 or 4 times a day and apply to anythig that looks like what you're after. Taylor the CV for the job (although the market is good, there are also lots of contractors looking for better contracts than they've currently got at the moment - so you are competing against a large number of people)

I would have thought there are quite a large number of jobs in your field. With your investment banking experience, you should get agents and clients interested, I think.

To answer your questions specifically:
- the market is not bad BUT it is peaking slowly and is not constant from one week to the next: some weeks are bad, some are excellent. That's why you need to be on your sites 24/7 almost, to be able to respond instantly when ads appear
- no
- yes, quite a lot - it is a competitive market both ways
- can't see any problems with being Swiss, just make it obvious on your CV that you are allowed to work in the UK with no restrictions (Switzerland is not in the EU so you need to make it obvious that you are allowed to work here)
- Jobserve and other sites are good (I think), but as Mark said nothing beats personal connections and contacts, so if you can talk direct to all the big banks here (deutsche, Credit Suisse FB, JP morgan, Lehman, Morgan Stanley, Goldman sachs etc) you have a headstart.
- not me, I don't know anyone in banks HR depts - I have tried 3 months ago!
- your skills look fine to me but I am not an agent. There was lots of J2EE stuff a few months ago. Often banks look for either J2EE or C++.
- for 3 years experience J2EE, and with credit risk experience, I would have thought you can aim for £400 a day although maybe start with less to get a foot in the London investment banking market maybe.
- agencies will ask you to opt out, meaning that for extensions beyond your first contract with the same client, you have to go through the agency an can't go direct. If you don't like that, don't opt out but agencies will give you a hard time or even not put you forward at all.

Good luck!
Rebecca
-

**Karl1** · 20 October 2004, 13:52

Some thoughts.
The credit risk market at the moment is being driven by Basel II and to a lesser extent by Sarbanes Oxley. Get on the Bank for international settlements website and go through the basel 2 documentation.
The basel 2 market is heavily populated by larger consultancies (eg EDS and MA have locked down the largest Swiss bank).
The agents are largely cutting each others throats to win this business you need to identify, if possible, which of the agencies has the best relationship with the client. (Hays at HBOS, Best at Natwest / RBS etc).
The other issue oyu have is that you have developed solutions in CRM not worked with the main software companies.
6 months work with Credient will get you an interview at ABN, 7 years CRM dev won't.
Try talking to the consultancies and software companies - it might not pay as much but might get you through the door.
best of luck

**BlasterBates** · 25 October 2004, 09:22

.

Hello drausche I'm experiencing the same as you. Apparently the market is booming, agencies sound optimistic but nothing ever comes of it. The thing to bear in mind is that agents always sound optimistic even if you haven't much chance. To me the market doesn't seem any better than last year when the market was "officially" bad. I'm bracing myself for another period on the bench at the moment.

I would stay where you are for the moment, but plug away.You never know.

**errorista** · 28 February 2006, 17:50

If the market is as good as they say then the only thing stopping you is the agencies.

There is an army of them

and it seems to be an army that marches on databased CV's . . . not contracts

**nobody here but us chicke** · 28 February 2006, 19:01

Burke & Hare vs Lazerus

Is this random resurrection ?

**expat** · 28 February 2006, 19:11

contract

I've worked with Aston Carter (once) and found them OK. I would not have any comment to make about some of the other agencies on the list.

Visa? Don't know for certain that way round, but there are many reciprocal agreements in place between the EU and Switzerland. Working visa is one of them: EU citizens can work in Switzerland on an L visa, which is highly reminiscent of intra-EU working not long ago: no need to try locally first, anyone eligible unlless actually personally barred, can start work right away and do paperwork concurrently. So I'd guess that must wotk both ways, i.e. no problem for a Swiss to work in the EU. As for every agency barrow-boy knowing that, your guess is as good as mine....

PS you'll notice that the Bulletin Board auto-censor deletes from the subject any word beginning with C and ending with T, even if it's as innocent as Contract, Cant, Cut, Coot, Court.... but in the actual message it only deletes **** itself.

**errorista** · 28 February 2006, 19:33

this new coffee mill is fantastic !

Why it's so difficult to get a @#%$