Reply to: Face to face interviews

[gadgetman]

Last two contracts were both offered after phone only, current one (for a bank in London) was after a single F2F. Don't think there's any hard and fast rule.

Personally (having been on the other side of the fence many times) if you come across well by phone and the CV is good then I don't think F2F is a necessity.

[topgun]

In my last contracts, I didn't have any f2f interview, even C/C++ test. On contrary, when I had f2f interview, even got C/C++ test 100% correct, I still failed to land a contract.

[PAH]

All feedback was good until just found out today that I didn't get it with no proper feedback apart from that I haven't got the right kind of handshake!

Bloody freemasons.

[Turion]

I would not do a F2F interview now, unless it was very close, and would not take time off work to do one. Fortunately in my sector (Specialist SAP Apps) I have been offered roles soley based on telephone interviews for last 5 years, with rates up to £700pd. On several occasions the contract was offered based on CV only without a TI, but in these cases I always telephone the client to assertain exactly the suitability of the role.

My advice to contractors is to avoid F2F where possible, always insist on TI first, and then if that was successful try to persuade the agent/client to take you on the basis of the TI. To make it more palatable offer a (reciprical) zero notice termination period during the first week to make it easy for them to bin you if you turn out to be useless.

[hotpot]

really ***** off

Long time reader, first time poster sorry! Felt I should post something here because of my experience.

You are right not to travel that far if you are unsure, at least get a phone interview first and I would recommend even getting a second phone interview if you can. I tried to get second phone interview, but they wouldn't budge and they 'had' to see me!

Maybe this sounds pedantic, but I have just had a really bad experience where I did a 600 mile round trip to the south (after 1 telephone interview) for f2f on Friday. All feedback was good until just found out today that I didn't get it with no proper feedback apart from that I haven't got the right kind of handshake! I'm infuriated and considerably poorer, not to mention loss of a day's money. Never again, I have learnt my lesson now.

[Ruprect]

I got my current one on just a telephone interview. I had worked at ClientCo before though and got a ref of one of the directors - kinda swung it in my favour.

Eddie Stobart

[PAH]

Face to face is also rare in my game, it is a few years since my last one and I'd only agree if it was local or the market was very tough. Most managers experienced at recruiting contractors can suss you out over the phone in 10 minutes. If you are tulip they can get rid asap so why bother wasting time on face to face interviews.

Do you put a mugshot on your CV then? If there's no face to face how do they protect themselves from being scammed, where the person doing the telephone interview isn't the same as the one that turns up to do the job!?

I suppose they could get shut after the blagger's been found out, but I've seen some right numpty contractors blag it for months, and usually only get binned at the first renewal.

[rootsnall]

Not for my skill set it's not!

I'd suggest that for some clients, they insist on a face to face interview for whatever reason. Most people here seem to think this is the norm.

In my experience, it's not. The clients that I deal with get a good enough feel from a phone interview, CV and reputation that they don't need to waste their time and mine with a face to face interview. They are usually so grateful that I'm available and interested in the role that they want to sort the role out quickly before I find something else to do.

Face to face is also rare in my game, it is a few years since my last one and I'd only agree if it was local or the market was very tough. Most managers experienced at recruiting contractors can suss you out over the phone in 10 minutes. If you are tulip they can get rid asap so why bother wasting time on face to face interviews.

[PAH]

I agree. I used to drive into Edinburgh from Ayrshire on a monday morning, together with hundreds of other cars driving from Glasgow to Edinburgh. I would see virtually an identical amount of vehicles driving to work from Edinburgh (or locality) to Glasgow.

Just think of all the petrol saved, not to mention the "reduction in emissions" (sigh), if people could only work in the city in which you lived - or live in the city in which you worked. Obviously there's not a 1-2-1 job match in each city but if a company had to import a skill from outside their city they would have to pay a premium to cover the cost of the journey time of the individual concerned.

It's very much like the time when companies in Japan were "paternal" in providing housing and other amenities for the workers that they employed - i've got an idea that this is no longer the case.

Hmmm. Could be a Plan B. Arranging for people to swap jobs with others who live and work in the opposite locations, for a small fee of course. May even get a government grant by promoting the green aspects through reduction of commuting.

On second thoughts, no it's a daft idea, would never work, please delete from your memory.

[KathyWoolfe]

The ironic thing is there will be contractors from Scotland working in the midlands for just the same reason. About time someone set up a contract swap site where we just invoke our rights to substitution, and never have to work far from home again!

I agree. I used to drive into Edinburgh from Ayrshire on a monday morning, together with hundreds of other cars driving from Glasgow to Edinburgh. I would see virtually an identical amount of vehicles driving to work from Edinburgh (or locality) to Glasgow.

Just think of all the petrol saved, not to mention the "reduction in emissions" (sigh), if people could only work in the city in which you lived - or live in the city in which you worked. Obviously there's not a 1-2-1 job match in each city but if a company had to import a skill from outside their city they would have to pay a premium to cover the cost of the journey time of the individual concerned.

It's very much like the time when companies in Japan were "paternal" in providing housing and other amenities for the workers that they employed - i've got an idea that this is no longer the case.

[Sockpuppet]

I have never ever, in 25 years, been considered for a gig in the UK without a face to face.

I got my current one on just a telephone interview. I had worked at ClientCo before though and got a ref of one of the directors - kinda swung it in my favour.

[PAH]

I put being able to earn a living over being close to my family. I work in Scotland (and therefore have to live there) and my sister (and a lot of my friends are in the midlands) live in the west midlands.
I would give a lot to be able to move back so that I'm closer to my sister but while I'm able to earn money that means having to live where the work is (or quite close to it).

The ironic thing is there will be contractors from Scotland working in the midlands for just the same reason. About time someone set up a contract swap site where we just invoke our rights to substitution, and never have to work far from home again!

[KathyWoolfe]

Quite depressing really, that people value their 'career' over being close to their family.

I put being able to earn a living over being close to my family. I work in Scotland (and therefore have to live there) and my sister (and a lot of my friends are in the midlands) live in the west midlands.
I would give a lot to be able to move back so that I'm closer to my sister but while I'm able to earn money that means having to live where the work is (or quite close to it).

[TheFaQQer]

don't forget "modest"

Indeed - it's on the CV as a key skill

[Ruprect]

Guess I'm lucky (and am incredibly good at what I do, with in demand skills)

don't forget "modest"