Reply to: Do certain jobs have a 'prestige factor'

[P1mpAndPr0ud]

Growing up in East London, I worked in a Pie and Mash Shop in the Docklands and McDonnalds in the City

Does that count?

...I used to go to a Pie & Mash in Greenwich about twice a week(I think it was on Park Row). Absolutely delicious, and cheap as chips (or mash...).

[AlfredJPruffock]

Ah used to wirk in a fish factory.

Clients then ken fine there naething fishy aboot me.

[expat]

It's kind of obvious really:
1. having worked at the vendor of a prioduct used at a prospective client will make you look better to that client.
2. having worked in a specific sector will be better for finding contracts in that sector. In some sectors it will be absolutely necessary, e.g. pharma (especially) or banking.
3. Otherwise, apply Rule 1 of bulltulip detection: was it said by somebody who wants you to do something? Rule 1a: was it said by an agent?

[portseven]

Growing up in East London, I worked in a Pie and Mash Shop in the Docklands and McDonnalds in the City

Does that count?

[AlfredJPruffock]

recruitment agents will say anything to try and get you to take a position.

they are sales people, they dont care about improving your cv.

Jings !


And heres me thinking they were aw social workers !

[norrahe]

I used to work in heron quays, the wharf is a tad sterile, but its not that bad. I work in the city (when not on the bench atm) which has a bit more character but you get used to the security shenanigans.

[d000hg]

& I don't know where you got the idea about being strip searched..!

Used to work with a company that worked with a certain large IB on the Wharf, whenever any of us had to go and visit them onsite the door was apparently guarded by large men who would look more suited to bouncering at a night-club...

[thunderlizard]

Canary Wharf

It's not all that bad. Accommodation that describes itself as "Canary Wharf" will be expensive, but don't forget it's still in the borough of Tower Hamlets. You can live a couple of tube stops away in Stratford or Bow for as cheap as London gets.

High-stress?- well there is a ratrace feel about the place, but most contractors have the ability to zone out and let it all wash over them impassively.

& I don't know where you got the idea about being strip searched..!

but spiritually and aesthetically, it ranks somewhere between Basingstoke and Dante's 4th circle of the Inferno, so best avoided nevertheless.

[d000hg]

Previous Canary Wharf experience is a great help in finding your way to the office on the first day. It's like Hampton Court Maze, but with Cafe Nero's instead of hedges.

Lol. I don't especially want to be in that location, I imagine accommodation is expensive if you refuse a long commute and anticipate working there would be quite high-stress, plus having to be strip-searched every time you want to enter the building

[thunderlizard]

Previous Canary Wharf experience is a great help in finding your way to the office on the first day. It's like Hampton Court Maze, but with Cafe Nero's instead of hedges.

[Liability]

There are some clients that really do look good on your CV.

If you're an Oracle contractor, to have worked for Oracle puts you a cut above the rest. Ditto Microsoft.

The same goes for industry sectors. If you're a finance back office specialist, to have done projects for the London Stock Exchange (as long as it wasn't network support...), LIFFE etc will get people thinking you know what you're talking about.

But yes when recruitment consultants say it they are invariably blagging. Have you noticed that they never seem to be recruiting for "a tier 2 investment bank"?

Have to agree with this - where you have worked makes a massive difference between getting the interview and not.

Oracle, Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, all the main vendors stick out a mile -

[d000hg]

Is this not just pure common sense ?

Surely to God you must know which clients, roles etc would enhance your 'CV'??

No. The question is not "would working in a bank help me get more work with banks?" That IS common sense.
The questions are:
- "would working in bank X be beneficial on a CV to working in bank Y?"
- "would working abroad make anyone think you are 'special' that they hired someone from overseas in preference to someone local?"

[HairyArsedBloke]

Never seen anyone look for that vital skill "worked in Canary Wharf". 'In the City', yes, but never there!

[Billy Pilgrim]

Is this not just pure common sense ?

Surely to God you must know which clients, roles etc would enhance your 'CV'??

[Fred Bloggs]

I think they do. In Pharma, for example, if you've had a couple of gigs with GSK then it's easier to get a gig with, say, Novartis for example. If you've worked for Shell, you'll get a job with another oil co etc.... Getting the first job in a new (to you) sector is the hardest.