Dropping off CV - is it a done thing?

[gauche]

Hi all,

I'm trying to secure my first contract. It has forced back into the world of dealing with recruiters, and I'm dying to get out ASAP!

What I'm wondering is whether it would be a waste of time, weird, unprofessional, or downright rude to walk into a large financial firm with my CV and ask to talk to HR/IT recruitment? Or perhaps you have other advice on how to proceed.

I have no doubt that once I talk to someone looking for someone with my skills, they will want to hire me. However, the battle seems to be with the recruitment agencies rather than where it should be: the interview.

Your opinions would be most appreciated.

Thanks

[DS23]

marketing skills and availability is a fundamental element for all companies and i think most it contractors tend to hide behind the recruiting agencies too much.

there are valid reasons why this is so:
endless knocking on doors (ringing telephones) to fit pegs into holes is tedious work that requires the skin of an alligator, a never say die attititude, vast amounts of deviousness and a lot of other things that the profanity filter loves to alter. there's also the fact that the big firms prefer to deal with a limited number professional agencies rather than every tom, dick and harry contracting company and that if there are any job opportunities the agencies have probably already got it sewn up.

generally the idea is that the recruiting agencies uncover the resource needs of the big firms and then fill them with skills of specialist it contractors.

a broad swipe perhaps but most contracting jobs are for 3 to 12 months, are full-time and are filled by one-man-band limited companies. given that broad swipe it is not always practical for an it contractor to be researching for work more whilst in work (though to be honest i think i could and should make a better effort). the conversation with a potential hiring client (assuming you managed to get through to someone authorised to hire you) might go:

end client: "great! love your skills mr paint pot. exactly what we need to get project 'blah blah' underway. when can you start?"

you: "er.. i'm currently under contract with currentclientco and should be finished in about 4 months."

end client: "any chance you can leave sooner"?

you: "er not really. it would leave a bitter taste and a bad name for myself"

end client: "right. don't call us etc."

still, first timers and those out of contract should try every avenue to secure work and this includes direct marketing. target local firms or those that need your skills. go for it. you have nothing to lose.

[JoJoGabor]

Agree to try different marketing methods, but walking into a bank and asking to speak with HR is a complete No no.

The whole reason corporate clients deal with agencies is so that the agency filters out the carp CVs, which are probably about 95% and only send targeted CVs. Imagine if everyone started turning up at the bank to speak to HR. They would have about 200 people per day.

Try it by all means, but I guarantee you will be asked to leave

[gauche]

Agree to try different marketing methods, but walking into a bank and asking to speak with HR is a complete No no.

The whole reason corporate clients deal with agencies is so that the agency filters out the carp CVs, which are probably about 95% and only send targeted CVs. Imagine if everyone started turning up at the bank to speak to HR. They would have about 200 people per day.

Try it by all means, but I guarantee you will be asked to leave

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll just carry on with the recruiters then, and build up some contacts once I finally break into contracting. Hopefully that will save me having to deal with recruiters in future.

[northernladuk]

I don't want to seem harsh but walking in to a large organisation doing this would be a perfect reason NOT to take you on. To get by in a big place you need a certain level of organisational agility/understanding to get things done, a level of management of politics and procedures and a capability to understand how large organsiations work. This method shows absolutely none of those things.

Also put yourself in the company shoes. Have you got time to deal with everyone that walks through the door with a CV? Would you appreciate it after the 10th person that day? I think you have your own answer.

Maybe if the organisation was a chip shop then I would take all that back.

[alreadypacked]

Also large clients have a limited number of prefered suppliers, you will not be one of them. So you need to get the contract via one of their prefered suppliers (Agents)

HTH

[EddieNambulous]

build up some contacts once I finally break into contracting. Hopefully that will save me having to deal with recruiters in future.

Easier said than done...I doubt many of us here (even long time contractors) use them through choice

[Zippy]

If you have contacts in your area of expertise/business I can't see that it would do any harm. They may insist you operate via an agency though.

[PM-Junkie]

I don't want to seem harsh but walking in to a large organisation doing this would be a perfect reason NOT to take you on. To get by in a big place you need a certain level of organisational agility/understanding to get things done, a level of management of politics and procedures and a capability to understand how large organsiations work. This method shows absolutely none of those things.

Also put yourself in the company shoes. Have you got time to deal with everyone that walks through the door with a CV? Would you appreciate it after the 10th person that day? I think you have your own answer.

Maybe if the organisation was a chip shop then I would take all that back.

That's not true actually. Admittedly a while ago now, but I managed to get my foot in the door with one of the banks...when it got down to the nitty gritty all that happened was they insisted I went through one of their preferred suppliers to keep the PHBs happy. It was the easiest money that agency ever made.

Remember, a company only has preferred suppliers to keep the bean counters happy and so the HR idiots don't get too confused. If you can get to the hiring manager, anything is possible.

It's what sales and marketing is all about...and after all, we all run companies - don't we??

[mace]

You can try contacting any potential hiring managers via Linkedin. The larger companies/bank's HR people normally prevent cold calling, but it's easier with the SMEs. As mentioned by a few, it's a pain for hiring managers to deal with all of the pimps out there let alone having to deal with the 100s of candidates. Trying any novel route could pay dividends until everybody else tries it, however.