What's your record number of consecutive interviews before landing a contract?

[pootle]

With all due respect mate, without trying to be rude if you're constantly doing interviews without any offer then you need to stop and evaluate.

Ask yourself:
- are your interview skills strong, are you maybe getting nervous / flustered?
- does your appearance match the client, I.e. if the city are you suited and booted?
- are you maybe applying for jobs that are unsuitable, outside your skillset?
- are you maybe setting your rate too high?

You maybe need to look at something and aim on improving that area if you're not getting bites.

In answer:
I am very well prepared for interview, spending as much time as i can on research, prep and even taking on life coaching.
I always wear a very good suit etc-better overdressed than not.
Sometimes things are sprung on me that were not spelled out initially-lack of spec, job description etc, makes it difficult to chose whether to attend interview.
My rate has been negotiable and I am prepared to lower at least 25%.

[captainham]

In answer:
I am very well prepared for interview, spending as much time as i can on research, prep and even taking on life coaching.
I always wear a very good suit etc-better overdressed than not.
Sometimes things are sprung on me that were not spelled out initially-lack of spec, job description etc, makes it difficult to chose whether to attend interview.
My rate has been negotiable and I am prepared to lower at least 25%.

So in true permie interview stylie, what are your weaknesses then? Your last post reads like you don't think you have any, when, not being rude, something must be a little amiss if you need to attend that many interviews. And let's fact it, we all have weaknesses, anyone who says otherwise is a big fat liar, I'd be the first to own up to mine.

Not asking you to list them here of course, but something for you to consider if you want to improve on that ratio anyway.

[mos]

With all due respect mate, without trying to be rude if you're constantly doing interviews without any offer then you need to stop and evaluate.

Ask yourself:
- are your interview skills strong, are you maybe getting nervous / flustered?
- does your appearance match the client, I.e. if the city are you suited and booted?
- are you maybe applying for jobs that are unsuitable, outside your skillset?
- are you maybe setting your rate too high?

You maybe need to look at something and aim on improving that area if you're not getting bites.

I had a long string of unsuccessful interviews in Q1 (4 to be precise). However most of the time I am having to choose between multiple offers and I chronically suffer from the lack of the downtime.

In my experience getting the gig also depends as on the short term market trends and opportunities available out there - for instance are you willing to settle for transferring know-how to Boblandolore? Because this field have been booming in the last 12-18 months. Unfortunately, long term prospects suck because at that rate in a few years time there will be no knowledge left onshore.

[stek]

Normally for me it's a phone 'chat' rather than an interview, and since at least 2006 its been a case of if I get to that stage I get the role - 100%. Indeed, sometimes not even an phone chat, nothing, at least three times since then.

However lately I am at the one in three ratio, times are harder, clientco more fussy but it's there - even now in these crappy times work wise at this time of year I've been bi-boomed this month - two roles on offer at once....

I find it best to approach these interview/chats as a pitch for a sale, not as a bloke looking for a job, you have to go in as equals, not a cowering wage-slave!

Having said that I had one recent phone 'chat' with an Indian and it was a nightmare as I knew it would be - pure point-scoring exercise, questions about running IBM AIX HACMP over RS-232, I mean, Christ. I just said no idea, I'd just Google it.....

[pootle]

So in true permie interview stylie, what are your weaknesses then? Your last post reads like you don't think you have any, when, not being rude, something must be a little amiss if you need to attend that many interviews. And let's fact it, we all have weaknesses, anyone who says otherwise is a big fat liar, I'd be the first to own up to mine.

Not asking you to list them here of course, but something for you to consider if you want to improve on that ratio anyway.

I have not gained feedback from 90% of these interviews; Rudery seems to be the way forward. I know I have weaknesses, but I think the perpetual recession and the competition in the job market means that the scalpers move onto the next "big thing"

[stek]

In answer:
I am very well prepared for interview, spending as much time as i can on research, prep and even taking on life coaching.
I always wear a very good suit etc-better overdressed than not.
Sometimes things are sprung on me that were not spelled out initially-lack of spec, job description etc, makes it difficult to chose whether to attend interview.
My rate has been negotiable and I am prepared to lower at least 25%.

I don't prepare at all, I know my stuff and I don't care about the company itself, it is of no consequence to me. ClientCo justs want my knowledge and me, ie ContractorCo just wants the money. Life coaching, come on....

Suit - yeah so do I, but it's a crappy one. After that I just fit in. Last face-to-face I had I was in a suit in front of three right scruffy gets!

Job-spec? Permie speak. Who gives a fook? Can I do it? Yes/no, proceed/not proceed.

Rate - stick to that offered in role desc., I've gone lower because rates are dropping, but I'd never go lower than that offered.

[kingcook]

I don't prepare at all, I know my stuff and I don't care about the company itself, it is of no consequence to me. ClientCo justs want my knowledge and me, ie ContractorCo just wants the money. Life coaching, come on....

No Prep++

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to stek again.

[bless 'em all]

4 gigs in the last 6 years. Two F2F interviews, one phone chat, one straight in on the strength of my c.v alone.

I did attend an interview for a gig I was interested in but didn't need at the time. The permie interviewer asked some deep and meaningful questions such as "What would you do if you found a bug?" and "Why do we test software?".

Answers were, of course, "" and "money".

[worzelGummidge]

If you arent landing at least 1 contract offer for every 3 interviews, there's something majorly wrong. Anyone going to 19 or 20 interviews and not getting an offer is wasting everyone's time.

I take your point. Don't forget though that there are two sides to an "interview". I am usually interviewing them also and checking out the location of work.

[Torran]

Thinking back over the last 13 years I think I have only had 1 interview and not got the job. It was in Leeds though so small mercies