Getting that first contract

[VectraMan]

I have the same problem: where on my CV do I put that I'm good?

It's true. The interview for my first contract they gave me a coding test, which I completed in the time given, wasn't too hard. But they told me they'd interviewed 10 other contractors and I was the first to even get close to finishing it. Which makes me wonder a) who are all these people getting interviews without the skills to do the job, and b) is my cv just so crap that I'm considered at the same level and how do I get across that I'm better?

Answers on a postcard. If I was a designer I'd have loads of examples of work on a website, but that's not so easy with software projects.

[thunderlizard]

2 months isn't much. I'd generally recommend not going contracting unless you have spare cash for 6 months out. Not because you'll need it (usually), but because you don't want to get panicky after 3 months. Sorry this is advice too late in your case.

Getting the interest from agents can be the hard bit, so well done on that. You sound pretty technically focussed, so try and make the CV look like you're a nice feller aside from all that (e.g. you say you did well on the technical questions at interview but didn't click personally). Technical ability is just one side of contracting.

Yes, certs can definitely help, and you should be able to breeze through MCDBA at least within a month or two. Publications are even better.

5-6 hours a day is a lot, unless you're doing very tailored proposals and talking to agents and clients lots. If you're just scanning websites, you should be able to cut it down to about 2-3 hours, and enjoy the rest of your time.

Basically hang in there (or else get a permanent job, save up some cash, and try again later). Contracts are like bird cages. The birds on the outside are all fighting to get in, and the birds on the inside are sitting there biding their time and looking forward to when they'll be free again.

[expat]

It's true. The interview for my first contract they gave me a coding test, which I completed in the time given, wasn't too hard. But they told me they'd interviewed 10 other contractors and I was the first to even get close to finishing it.

At, or rather just before, the interview for my first contract they gave me a coding test.

Some time into the contract, one of the other guys criticised the test to the PM and the team in general. I agreed, and remarked that in fact I had made that criticism at the interview. So did I, said another.

The PM said with a grin, You all did. That's why I hired you.


... no question then of taking on people who couldn't even do it, never mind write a better test themselves. But that was ...zzzzz... we were real programers then ...zzzzz...

[threaded]

It is better to put it in coded terms on the front page: I have things like "Contracted by Sun to help write the Java certification exams administered by Sylvan Prometric", slowly remove the veneer of modesty and at the end just put "I is a bit good, respect."

[expat]

I'm not taking the piss either but why on earth would an agent ever see that? Unless they look at this board and then link my username to me. My CVs are worded a bit differently to say the least

OK, 'scuse me. But I can help thinking it's either because there are no contract requirements out there (and some roles, most notably DBA, don't get contracted out so much) or because the agents don't recognise what you can do.

[expat]

Contracts are like bird cages. The birds on the outside are all fighting to get in, and the birds on the inside are sitting there biding their time and looking forward to when they'll be free again.

No, permanent jobs are like bird cages. The birds in cages are safe and well-fed, but it's the birds flying around outside that do the singing.

[VectraMan]

At, or rather just before, the interview for my first contract they gave me a coding test.

Some time into the contract, one of the other guys criticised the test to the PM and the team in general. I agreed, and remarked that in fact I had made that criticism at the interview. So did I, said another.

The PM said with a grin, You all did. That's why I hired you.

Tis a good point. I've interviewed loads of people for permie roles (fresh graduates mainly), and what I was always looking for was not that they knew how to do stuff, but that they understood how and why stuff worked.

[vetran]

Think estate agent

Look for your USP's and highlight them, make sure they are easy to read.

Tailor CV to each job, have a 6 page CV and cut it down to 2 for each job making sure each buzzword is in there with a positive result.

[ASB]

at your company's expense

Companies[I][B]'[B][I] could be ok too.

[Fleetwood]

If he had more than one....