Reply to: noobs elusive 1st contract

[northernladuk]

Okay thanks, even if it was just for 3 months? Then you went o to work on another gig elsewhere?

What?? Are you just making up situations or is there some basis for this?

I wouldn't have even gone for the permie gig for a start... And would I take an inside gig but claim outside thinking I might get away with it? Absolutely not.

[rjoe]

No. It's extremely rare and if you do your IR35 status is pretty much shot.

Okay thanks, even if it was just for 3 months? Then you went o to work on another gig elsewhere?

[northernladuk]

Out of interest has anyone here ever gone for a permie role, interviewed, client liked you and you successfully landed the gig on a contract basis?...
i.e. is it worth going for permie roles with likelihood of being offered contract?

No. It's extremely rare and if you do your IR35 status is pretty much shot.

[rjoe]

Out of interest has anyone here ever gone for a permie role, interviewed, client liked you and you successfully landed the gig on a contract basis?...
i.e. is it worth going for permie roles with likelihood of being offered contract?

[rjoe]

Hi all - been reading the forums for a while and here seemed as good as any to jump in and share my experience.

Former Big 4 consultant (Finance/PM), took the decision to go contracting around August and took the leap at the end of the year as it worked out nicely with a holiday I had planned - realistically with a 3 month notice period I wasn't going to be able to find somewhere beforehand.

Between handing in notice (October/November) and starting looking (February) the availability of roles seem to drop off a cliff - luckily I'd built up a bit of a war chest to see me through. After a couple of interviews where it was clear I was going for the wrong role (thanks recruiter) and one where I just plain stuffed up the interview, I landed a role mid-April, 12 weeks after I started looking. Lower rate than I was looking for but the client is great, the rate's increasing and it's a lot more income than I was getting sitting around at home

Congratulations!

[LadyPenelope]

Oddly, reads like a Radiohead lyric

Haha! I'm hearing a Phil Daniels Parklife voice.

[elpato]

Hi all - been reading the forums for a while and here seemed as good as any to jump in and share my experience.

Former Big 4 consultant (Finance/PM), took the decision to go contracting around August and took the leap at the end of the year as it worked out nicely with a holiday I had planned - realistically with a 3 month notice period I wasn't going to be able to find somewhere beforehand.

Between handing in notice (October/November) and starting looking (February) the availability of roles seem to drop off a cliff - luckily I'd built up a bit of a war chest to see me through. After a couple of interviews where it was clear I was going for the wrong role (thanks recruiter) and one where I just plain stuffed up the interview, I landed a role mid-April, 12 weeks after I started looking. Lower rate than I was looking for but the client is great, the rate's increasing and it's a lot more income than I was getting sitting around at home

[Cirrus]

Was made redundant from my permie PM job during the financial crisis, just before Christmas so no chance to find something immediately. Found first contract in about 8 weeks, in Finance

Out of the frying pan...into the frying pan

[lukemg]

So to sum up:
1 - You have to get on the agent list first - tailor your CV to job advert and do it quickly before he closes the list and stops reading email replies to the advert.
2 - You need to be 80%+ match or dont bother and you need to back that up at interview, no matter what they ask you have an example of when you have done it.
3 - Completely disregard any feedback from the agent, not specialised, someone who worked there before got it, job requirement has changed blah blah, they are just fob offs to get you off the phone without complaining. It's a no, move on.

[northernladuk]

Just lie to the agency about the notice period or say something along the lines of "normally they are willing to let people go within 4 weeks", if you have a successful interview and they really really want you, you explain the situation and they are most of the time willing to wait a few weeks extra.

And when you do this and the gig evaporates a week before you start because they found someone immediately available please come and moan about it on here so I can laugh my tits off.

[Eirikur]

I think finding a contract whilst still a permie on a notice longer than 4 weeks would be close to impossible these days. I also resigned from my previous job before taking the plunge - I had a 7 week notice and although my cv was getting attention the conversations I had with agents were really short when I dropped my notice period. I managed to find my first contract 2 weeks after my last day but I think I was a bit lucky..

There's a lot of competition out there and permies are a much higher risk as quite often they can be persuaded to stay.

Just lie to the agency about the notice period or say something along the lines of "normally they are willing to let people go within 4 weeks", if you have a successful interview and they really really want you, you explain the situation and they are most of the time willing to wait a few weeks extra.

[heyya99]

The real glory days were when it was a genuine finish Friday, start Monday, rate increases without asking in case you fancied clearing off, as soon a you finish a role, phone rings it's knackers off, no real need to look for a role, faxing timesheets, typing invoices, actually posting stuff in a postbox, easily outsmarting HMRC and VAT people, no need for building access, no compliance, 486SX25 desktop or IBM PS/2, DEC TeamLinks, 10Base2, jumpers for goalposts, three rings when you get there, stray dogs, manual chokes and Pounds, Shillings and Pence....

Oddly, reads like a Radiohead lyric

[StillBreathing]

For most contractors I've met over the years, I think they usually have the first one lined up before making the leap from permiedom, often through contacts at their current employer (or competitor).

Sometimes it's finding the second one that can be tricky!

HTH.

I think finding a contract whilst still a permie on a notice longer than 4 weeks would be close to impossible these days. I also resigned from my previous job before taking the plunge - I had a 7 week notice and although my cv was getting attention the conversations I had with agents were really short when I dropped my notice period. I managed to find my first contract 2 weeks after my last day but I think I was a bit lucky..

There's a lot of competition out there and permies are a much higher risk as quite often they can be persuaded to stay.

[SueEllen]

no one states a rate in a CV for each contract.

You can just say "interim" for the FTC

Or you can say nothing.

I had many agents presume my last permie job was a contract.

I only corrected people if asked directly.

[northernladuk]

Sorry for stating the FTC. The only reason I said it is because it will show he has been contracting on his CV.

If it did he would be lying. FTC is a contract if employment and has nothing to do with contracting.