I have been out of work for a year..

[thunderlizard]

Put "Travelling in South America". Everybody else does and nobody bats an eyelid. Carry a couple of photos of yourself standing in some fog with a straggly beard in case you're questioned.

[Torran]

It was for a contract working with HP rolling out for a 3rd party and I get the impression that she'd not read my CV properly before phoning me and that she wasn't happy sending on a CV with that gap of relevant experience in it to a big client. Can't think of anything else really as I put myself forward for the role on jobserve and was called within 5 minutes and it all sounded very positive (she asked me whether, given my experience, I'd be happy working for the quoted rate etc etc). Was called back 5 minutes later with back-peddling and saying she couldn't see anything on my CV after 2004... I told her I'm employed by my own ltd co and we'd been working on local sme stuff that wouldn't be relevant to the role and she said "I'm sorry I can't put it forward like that". End of conversation. My CV does have me down as working for my ltd co currently (which is true as I'm not unemployed and it still pays me a wage, though not for much longer if I don't get a contract).

Buckie

based in Edinburgh by any chance?

[buckie]

based in Edinburgh by any chance?

Aye it was... migration console jockey.

You working on it?

Buckie.

[hattra]

I worked as a self-employed PC Technician for three years - it comes up at interview, and for some it's a problem. I tell them straight that it was Plan B - I intended to stay in contracting, but there was a downturn and the contracts dried up, and after about three months, when all the agencies started saying "weeeeeeeell, you've been out for a bit now...." and binning my CV - I took the opportunity to have some time with the children, and built a small business (took me a while as well) that allowed me to do that. Now the kids are older, and its time to get back into the mainstream again, so here I am.

Must've struck a chord here (the interviewer used to be a contractor) - I've been back in for six months now, & just got a second extension to the current contract.

[Torran]

Aye it was... migration console jockey.

You working on it?

Buckie.

sure am. What agency was it?

[buckie]

sure am. What agency was it?

I don't think it would be politic to say on here I'm sure the agencies must scan these boards to see what esteem they're held in.

[simes]

Definitely just lie.

Fill it up with similar roles, similar companies. Get some friends to act as referees if required.

Everyone knows as a contractor you're free to take copious time off. Trouble is, reality ups and smacks you in the face with bothersome hurdles.

A lie sends you straight over these hurdles.

[NickIT]

Definitely just lie.

Fill it up with similar roles, similar companies. Get some friends to act as referees if required.

Everyone knows as a contractor you're free to take copious time off. Trouble is, reality ups and smacks you in the face with bothersome hurdles.

A lie sends you straight over these hurdles.

Until you are caught.

[darmstadt]

I never put actual dates, as in months, on my CV just something like:

2001 -2001 blah blah
2001 - 2003 more blah
2003 -2003 some more blah
2003 - 2005 loadsa blah
2005 - ongoing blah

[wackadu]

Doesn't that get queried at interviews, putting years instead of month/year?