Reply to: What information to give an agency?

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Sums up clients and agencies. Some like one style, some like another. You cant win!

Whereas all contractors are universal in approach with no different styles from one contractor to the other!

[BolshieBastard]

That is interesting - went for an interview with the company I am currently at - did not get the gig and was told that I said 'I did' to often and I was not therefore recognising the teams contribtuion.

Next interview took note of the feedback - used 'we did' a bit more in another interview for same company (different person) and feedback I get was that she did not understand what I did because i had used 'we did' to often.

I gave her some feedback on this and she looked a little shocked.

Also in that interview they used one of the most annoying questions you can get asked

"Describe yourself in three words"

Answer
" Seriously f**k *ff" (to quote a website not a million miles away from here)

Actually that could be why I did not get that particular gig!

Sums up clients and agencies. Some like one style, some like another. You cant win!

[oraclesmith]

Here's a good piece of advice on a contract ad I just found on the CUK contract search page;

"If you would lie to know more about the role please send me your updated CV and I will contact you asap."

[Another Dodgy Agent]

typos

-

HTH

[original PM]

When Hays Germany took my carefully crafted CV, they replaced all the "I did" with "We did", mutilated the layout and the grammar. I'd have been annoyed, but they did get me a steady stream of work!

That is interesting - went for an interview with the company I am currently at - did not get the gig and was told that I said 'I did' to often and I was not therefore recognising the teams contribtuion.

Next interview took note of the feedback - used 'we did' a bit more in another interview for same company (different person) and feedback I get was that she did not understand what I did because i had used 'we did' to often.

I gave her some feedback on this and she looked a little shocked.

Also in that interview they used one of the most annoying questions you can get asked

"Describe yourself in three words"

Answer
" Seriously f**k *ff" (to quote a website not a million miles away from here)

Actually that could be why I did not get that particular gig!

[donny]

Hi Chef

TBH, different agencies do different things. The majority of clients don't like doctored CVs so we tend to just remove contact details, spellcheck and grammar check (you would be surprised at the typo's in CVs, totally baffles me) and then send onto the client.

typos

-

HTH

[NotAllThere]

When Hays Germany took my carefully crafted CV, they replaced all the "I did" with "We did", mutilated the layout and the grammar. I'd have been annoyed, but they did get me a steady stream of work!

[Another Dodgy Agent]

i thought agency's replace names and contact details with "Consultant A" etc. to prevent them being left out of the loop, if thats the case it's kind of irrelevant what you write as it will only be doctored/butchered anyway..

Hi Chef

TBH, different agencies do different things. The majority of clients don't like doctored CVs so we tend to just remove contact details, spellcheck and grammar check (you would be surprised at the typo's in CVs, totally baffles me) and then send onto the client.

[BolshieBastard]

Tried the co profile route with many other contractors some time ago. Very poor response to it.

Went back to a cv

[SueEllen]

I've been doing this for a year now but only worked direct with clients before. Never used an agency.

To quote something I sent in an email recently:

I work as a contractor/freelancer in the areas of software development & architecture. However, I work a little differently from most contractors. I work entirely remotely, and in the freelance vein I don’t always work exclusively for one client – I might work 40 hours a week for one client and 20 for another, or have a 20/30 split, etc.

I'm not sure if I strictly classify as a contractor...

You do.

You work more like the graphical designers I know.

[d000hg]

Sorry, your initial post says 'us contractors'. Assuming you've already had a contract, why the noddy questions?

I've been doing this for a year now but only worked direct with clients before. Never used an agency.

To quote something I sent in an email recently:

I work as a contractor/freelancer in the areas of software development & architecture. However, I work a little differently from most contractors. I work entirely remotely, and in the freelance vein I don’t always work exclusively for one client – I might work 40 hours a week for one client and 20 for another, or have a 20/30 split, etc.

I'm not sure if I strictly classify as a contractor...

[NotAllThere]

Odd isn't it.

At least we got a bit of old-time Den-ny for added value.

[ratewhore]

So we're talking a standard 1-or-2 page CV, similar to what you'd give to an employer?

Is it normal to list experience as an employee, or only contracting work?

Sorry, your initial post says 'us contractors'. Assuming you've already had a contract, why the noddy questions?

[d000hg]

So we're talking a standard 1-or-2 page CV, similar to what you'd give to an employer?

Is it normal to list experience as an employee, or only contracting work?

[chef]

Even consultancy firms still provide an indivdual consultant's CV to clients. What you can do is instead of using your forename, surname you could use your company name i.e. at the top of CV have Wishy Washy Consultants Ltd. etc.

i thought agency's replace names and contact details with "Consultant A" etc. to prevent them being left out of the loop, if thats the case it's kind of irrelevant what you write as it will only be doctored/butchered anyway..