Getting my first contract

[farout117]

Hi all,

So I recently moved to London, and am searching for my first contract. However I am hardly getting any calls. I have read through the forum and I have tailored my CV to the different roles I am applying, and my daily rate is a normal one for development, ie not asking for a lot of money.

I have been applying on job boards mainly, jobserve, cwjobs, ITjobboard and the search in this website.

Is it a case of a bad market at the moment? Should I wait for another couple of weeks and then start applying for a perm role?

[cojak]

Keep going until you get a contract or your money runs out. The last time I was out at Christmas I didn't get a contract until June.

[farout117]

Keep going until you get a contract or your money runs out. The last time I was out at Christmas I didn't get a contract until June.

Wow I hope I do not have to stretch till June! But at least its seems normal than.

[kaiser78]

Hi all,

So I recently moved to London, and am searching for my first contract. However I am hardly getting any calls. I have read through the forum and I have tailored my CV to the different roles I am applying, and my daily rate is a normal one for development, ie not asking for a lot of money.

I have been applying on job boards mainly, jobserve, cwjobs, ITjobboard and the search in this website.

Is it a case of a bad market at the moment? Should I wait for another couple of weeks and then start applying for a perm role?

What's your background, skillset, experience ? Securing a first contract is one of the hardest factors of being a contractor, as you are likely to be against experienced contractors going for the same role, especially generic development roles for example.

Make sure your CV is up to date and makes you stand out, be prepared to accept a lower than normal rate to get your foot in the door and make sure you are good at what you do.

And are you set up ltd/umbrella, accountant, bank account etc wise ready for when first contract is secured ?

[farout117]

What's your background, skillset, experience ? Securing a first contract is one of the hardest factors of being a contractor, as you are likely to be against experienced contractors going for the same role, especially generic development roles for example.

Make sure your CV is up to date and makes you stand out, be prepared to accept a lower than normal rate to get your foot in the door and make sure you are good at what you do.

And are you set up ltd/umbrella, accountant, bank account etc wise ready for when first contract is secured ?

Yeah I am ready to accept a lower rate to secure my first contract.

I am not set up as yet, I am waiting for my first contract to get the setup ready, however I already have an accountancy in mind, and also read the guides on the right hand side, so I know what exactly I need to do once I do get the first contract.

Thanks for the help!

[BolshieBastard]

Hi all,

So I recently moved to London, and am searching for my first contract. However I am hardly getting any calls. I have read through the forum and I have tailored my CV to the different roles I am applying, and my daily rate is a normal one for development, ie not asking for a lot of money.

I have been applying on job boards mainly, jobserve, cwjobs, ITjobboard and the search in this website.

Is it a case of a bad market at the moment? Should I wait for another couple of weeks and then start applying for a perm role?

The market is quiet across a number of sectors right now (so agents tell me) but there are normally jobs in London when the rest of the country hasnt got any. There seems to be a lot of roles coming available especially in the public sector and NHS (wonder why that is ) but the rates being quoted are truely pathetic at between £100 to £200 a day.

Speaking to agents, they are telling me for my specialism they literally only have 1 live contract role.

Im not surprised the public sector and NHS in particular have a number of jobs available with the latest attacks on off payroll contractors but the low rates quotes does surprise me.

One can only summise we'll soon hear these bodies proclaiming they cannot recruit any suitable candidates and asking government to allow more far east cheap asian labour \ tier 1 or 2 visa slaves into the country.

[kaiser78]

Yeah I am ready to accept a lower rate to secure my first contract.

I am not set up as yet, I am waiting for my first contract to get the setup ready, however I already have an accountancy in mind, and also read the guides on the right hand side, so I know what exactly I need to do once I do get the first contract.

Thanks for the help!

Suggest you get on and do this now so that you are not having to mess around with this when the contract comes - for example setting up a bank account takes a few days etc.

Good luvk anyway.

[farout117]

The market is quiet across a number of sectors right now (so agents tell me) but there are normally jobs in London when the rest of the country hasnt got any. There seems to be a lot of roles coming available especially in the public sector and NHS (wonder why that is ) but the rates being quoted are truely pathetic at between £100 to £200 a day.

Speaking to agents, they are telling me for my specialism they literally only have 1 live contract role.

Im not surprised the public sector and NHS in particular have a number of jobs available with the latest attacks on off payroll contractors but the low rates quotes does surprise me.

One can only summise we'll soon hear these bodies proclaiming they cannot recruit any suitable candidates and asking government to allow more far east cheap asian labour \ tier 1 or 2 visa slaves into the country.

From what the agents are telling me, I have a strong CV, however they are telling me that most of the contract will come live in March/April. At the moment its more about fishing.

[farout117]

Suggest you get on and do this now so that you are not having to mess around with this when the contract comes - for example setting up a bank account takes a few days etc.

Good luvk anyway.

You reckon? But what if I do not get a contract role after all and I have to settle for a perm? It would be all in vain.

Thanks will keep you folks updated

[MyUserName]

From what the agents are telling me, I have a strong CV, however they are telling me that most of the contract will come live in March/April. At the moment its more about fishing.

Never trust anything an agent says - they are not necessarily bad people it is just that it is often in their interest to tell you what they want you to believe rather than what might be true

e.g. they might have 5 live vacancies but are pretty sure you would not get them. If they told you then you might be on their backs nagging and moaning at the to put you through even though they think you have no chance, much easier to tell you there is nothing.

Is there a specific sector you are aiming for (please do not say finance)?