Stop sending CV's, you're not a permie.

[DrewG]

I applied for a new role Monday last week. I sent a PPT with three slides instead of a CV.

The first slide was an exec summary split into two sections:

1. Situation: my understanding of the client’s current situation.
2. Recommendation: What needs to be done to move the project towards its goals.

The second slide was a rough plan (with high-level detail) of what I’m going to do.

Third slide was a high-level overview of me, my experience, and the top three things I’ll bring to the project. It’s basically a CV one-pager.

I interviewed Thursday and received an offer email a few minutes ago (Sunday evening, maybe a bad sign?).

In this bear market, are you still pumping out generic CVs to JobServe? Maybe think about bidding for work like an independent professional consultant instead of a low-level contractor. Client said this is the first time they’ve seen this type of application; it was well received.

Read Alan Weiss.

[northernladuk]

We aren't permies but it is permies that are reading them. With any communication the key is to think about your audience. If a CV is the standard format they understand then carry on sending them. If your new idea (that no one has ever thought of before of course) hit someone drone that doesn't understand what you are doing then you are actually putting a blocker in the way.

If you have the right skills you could send it in on toilet paper and still get the gig. I'd say don't go round thinking you are king dick just because this method worked. It's likely you'll have got the gig whatever so it isn't your amazing new idea that has made a difference...

But that said, this is just another 'look at me, see how good I am' thread so no point having any discussion around it. Well done, you are the best.

[JustKeepSwimming]

I applied for a new role Monday last week. I sent a PPT with three slides instead of a CV.

The first slide was an exec summary split into two sections:

1. Situation: my understanding of the client’s current situation.
2. Recommendation: What needs to be done to move the project towards its goals.

The second slide was a rough plan (with high-level detail) of what I’m going to do.

Third slide was a high-level overview of me, my experience, and the top three things I’ll bring to the project. It’s basically a CV one-pager.

I interviewed Thursday and received an offer email a few minutes ago (Sunday evening, maybe a bad sign?).

In this bear market, are you still pumping out generic CVs to JobServe? Maybe think about bidding for work like an independent professional consultant instead of a low-level contractor. Client said this is the first time they’ve seen this type of application; it was well received.

Read Alan Weiss.

Oh so that was the clapping I heard on Thursday.

[jamesbrown]

[GJABS]

[FONT=Arial]I applied for a new role Monday last week. I sent a PPT with three slides instead of a CV.

...

In this bear market, are you still pumping out generic CVs to JobServe?

So you sent a PPT out to Jobserve?

[DrewG]

So you sent a PPT out to Jobserve?

No, why would I ever upload anything to Jobserve?

[dsc]

[...]I sent a PPT with three slides instead of a CV.[...]

[...]Third slide was a high-level overview of me, my experience, and the top three things I’ll bring to the project. It’s basically a CV one-pager.[...]

[DrewG]

Are you really discounting the concept of sending a highly tailored pitch to win a professional services consulting piece of work? lol

We aren't permies but it is permies that are reading them. With any communication the key is to think about your audience. If a CV is the standard format they understand then carry on sending them.

So I should send a "standard format" to win the work?

TO be honest, I don't really know what you mean by this,. I'm not sure why your audience is permies that only understand CVs? You're best targeting the real economic buyer, or a key influencer of the buyer, with a targeted sales pitch. If you're an inside IR35 bum on seat kind of contractor, I can understand why you'd shoot off a generic permie style CV to a faceless HR person.

If you're a legitimate outside IR35 vendor/consultant, this is not the way, especially in a bear market. This is evidenced by the sheer number of out of work contractors on this board. There may well be less roles, that just means you have to get more professional around how you sell yourself and your services.

If you have the right skills you could send it in on toilet paper and still get the gig.

You've contradicted yourself. It's also unlikely that I'm the only person with my skills and there are many applicants for contracts now. I guess toilet roll would make me stand out though.

In a bull market, anyone can get a contract. In a bear market, you have to work harder on business development and sales. We are supposed to be independent vendors aren't we?

[DrewG]

Don't misunderstand. I worded it like that for the non-thinking person to understand.

It's common to include some information on the resources that are staffing a project. This is common practice within any professional services firm. It's not the consultants bio that wins the work though, it's the pitch. The bio (or multiple bios) at the end of the pitch, add a final layer of credibility. There is no way anyone would consider the last slide to be a CV, it's nowhere near as comprehensive.

I'm scratching my head as to why people on this board, supposed independent professionals, are discounting the idea of highly targeted sales pitches sent to the economic buyer?

Professional services includes business development and sales as well as delivery. I appreciate delivery is the comfort zone for most people here but you're really going to laugh at a discussion on getting clients when people are starving?

[TheDude]

I applied for a new role Monday last week. I sent a PPT with three slides instead of a CV.

The first slide was an exec summary split into two sections:

1. Situation: my understanding of the client’s current situation.
2. Recommendation: What needs to be done to move the project towards its goals.

The second slide was a rough plan (with high-level detail) of what I’m going to do.

Third slide was a high-level overview of me, my experience, and the top three things I’ll bring to the project. It’s basically a CV one-pager.

I interviewed Thursday and received an offer email a few minutes ago (Sunday evening, maybe a bad sign?).

In this bear market, are you still pumping out generic CVs to JobServe? Maybe think about bidding for work like an independent professional consultant instead of a low-level contractor. Client said this is the first time they’ve seen this type of application; it was well received.

Read Alan Weiss.

Were you applying for a position on The Apprentice?