Agent Feedback - Contract applications

[ancient]

a) do you find yourself putting in for Contracts and wondering about progress / outcome with no feedback

b) Do you ring the agent to progress things or assume after a couple of weeks it just did not happen?

c) Do you think agents should let you know when an application is no longer active as part of their service? - esspecially if you where submitted

d) Do you apply for anything appropriate, regardless of existing applications and take the first offer?

e) anything else?

What is the view?

[Lucifer Box]

At the end of the day, if you hear nothing, you didn't get the gig. If you had, you'd've been beating off the agent with a tulipty stick. If you're interested "why", you can try phoning the agent but invariably you find they're not at their desk right now / on holiday / in a meeting / no longer work here. They don't want to speak to you because you "cost them" the gig. If you do manage to trick one into answering the phone to you, they will just tell you the client filled the position internally.

Basically, I "fire and forget" and work on the principle that hearing nothing means there's nothing to hear.

[Not So Wise]

My procedure:

a)Send off CV

b) Call either at end of day (if submitted in the morning) or next day to verify they received CV, read it (be susprised how many have not read it yet) and if are going to put me forward.

Do this for 3 reasons, to make sure they read the damn thing, as sometimes if they get loads of cv's they only read them till they find X amount suitable to put forward and just ignore the rest, to give them a chance to ask any questions and to get myself "stuck" in their minds

c) Forget about it unless i hear back from them

As to application types, generally only apply for what is 100% appropriate and desired, though if go a bit without getting something start first includeing non desireable contracts (mainly location for me as hate commuting or having to stay away from home) and then if still get nothing start to apply for things where i will have to "blag" somewhat

assume after a couple of weeks it just did not happen?

Weeks?!?! Days more like it. In 10 years only had one position that took more that 5 days from initially hearing about to signing/starting contract

As to agent calling back with "progress reports", would be nice, could save a lot of bad feelings between agents and contractors and make relationships between the two a lot more frendly, because of all the benefits it will generally never happen.

[voron]

I don't expect an agent to give me a progress report on all applications. That's just not feasible in reality. If, however, I make it through to interview, then I do appreciate an answer. My experience has been that if I'm unsuccessful at interview the agent won't even bother to inform me. That's just bad manners and poor business sense, and I remember how an agent has treated me when it comes to hiring more contractors for the project.

What I really find irritating is when an agent calls me, discusses the role, decides I'm not suitable (for whatever reason) but doesn't have the courage to tell me and so pretends s/he will send me various bits of information, which of course never arrive. Agents only have themselves to blame for making contractors so suspicious.

[milanbenes]

ancient if you have been contracting 30 years as you said in the other thread then you should already know the answer to these questions

you noddies eh

Milan.

[BoredBloke]

I call them up immediately after I have sent it so that I get my name in there first. If you wait until the end of the day then the reason the pimp has not read it is because he/she has been too busy because people like me have got in first.

[milanbenes]

seconded.

Milan.

[n5gooner]

seconded.

Milan.

3rd'd

[ancient]

ancient if you have been contracting 30 years as you said in the other thread then you should already know the answer to these questions

you noddies eh

Milan.

could be, I am still learning alot, and am humble about what I know.

Many of my contracts have been repeat business with several clients - each one on average 3-5 years. Luckily, I have never had a contract terminated and normally leave once it gets boring. Contacts have been a major source of contracts. I guess if you are an unknown quantity then one needs to work harder to secure new work.

Thought Harry's synopysis was useful and Rebecca put it quite well.

It can get harder as the number of contracts / experiences grow over the years to cram it into three pages.

The 4 P's spring to mind

P = Price
P = Product (you and how you can meet the requirement)
P = Place (being in the right place at the right time e.g. available)
P = Promotion (CV, yourself, attitude, ideas etc)

[The Late, Great JC]

7 Ps Surely...