Reply to: Advertising availability on LinkedIn

[mrjaywarren]

1. Because the agent will phone you up at least one month before their perceived end of the contract.
2. If they know your current client, they will phone them up at the same time to say that they hear you are leaving, even if you are in discussions about extensions.
3. It gives you a chance to find work directly, before giving up a % in commission to an agent.
4. You're a contractor, it's a good idea to take a few days off between contracts, you then have time for interviews, etc, without having to take time out of the existing contract.

Great advice, my role is niche in the Information and Cyber Security field.

[WTFH]

Why would you suggest adding on a few months to the end of the contract, is this just to take a break?

1. Because the agent will phone you up at least one month before their perceived end of the contract.
2. If they know your current client, they will phone them up at the same time to say that they hear you are leaving, even if you are in discussions about extensions.
3. It gives you a chance to find work directly, before giving up a % in commission to an agent.
4. You're a contractor, it's a good idea to take a few days off between contracts, you then have time for interviews, etc, without having to take time out of the existing contract.

[mrjaywarren]

1. Contractors you have worked with before (if you got on well)
2. Clients you have worked with before
Both of these can be done before the end of the contract

Only after it has ended would you contact agents you know - in the order of the most trustworthy down to the least.

After you've done that, then and only then consider updating your LI profile to say you are looking.

But, while you are in a contract, take calls from agents you know and let them know your expected availability (take the current contract end date and add on a couple of months)

If you are niche then the agents who know you and know that market will know the rates and won't waste your time with contracts that are 1/2 your current one. Agents who don't have a clue will trawl LI to find people, but they will be no good in getting you to interview stage or in securing a good rate.

Why would you suggest adding on a few months to the end of the contract, is this just to take a break?

[Fred Bloggs]

There is a flag you can set on LinkedIn to say you are available to recruiters, but as others have said 8 weeks is far too soon, no pimp would want to speak to you because they all have clients who "need someone to start Monday"

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/career-interests/

I've never noticed any difference how that flag is set to be honest. Though, the last couple of years, LinkedIn does seem to produce more inquiries than it used to. Most of them useless, but I only need one job at a time. Though it always seems that as soon as I start in a job, three weeks later plenty of better ones come along.

[WTFH]

If you are a generic IT bod this may be true but it is different if you have niche skills that are in demand. But in this case it is better to tap up former clients in advance rather than agents.

1. Contractors you have worked with before (if you got on well)
2. Clients you have worked with before
Both of these can be done before the end of the contract

Only after it has ended would you contact agents you know - in the order of the most trustworthy down to the least.

After you've done that, then and only then consider updating your LI profile to say you are looking.

But, while you are in a contract, take calls from agents you know and let them know your expected availability (take the current contract end date and add on a couple of months)

If you are niche then the agents who know you and know that market will know the rates and won't waste your time with contracts that are 1/2 your current one. Agents who don't have a clue will trawl LI to find people, but they will be no good in getting you to interview stage or in securing a good rate.

[SimonMac]

Personally I treat agents as the enemy and try to deprive them of as much information as possible.

If you really hate them I assume you are going to marry one next?

[SimonMac]

There is a flag you can set on LinkedIn to say you are available to recruiters, but as others have said 8 weeks is far too soon, no pimp would want to speak to you because they all have clients who "need someone to start Monday"

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/career-interests/

[BrilloPad]

Personally I treat agents as the enemy and try to deprive them of as much information as possible.

[northernladyuk]

All they want to know is if you are available or not. 8 weeks is too early and giving them any kind of advance warning won't work. They want people that are available and there enough of them. Agents are about the churn so they aren't going to bugger about with someone that might or might not be available in two months.

A week or two before then end of the gig change your title to say you are seeking new opportunities or are avalaible for new work. 8 weeks is far too early. It's hard enough finding someone that will wait a month let alone two.

If you are a generic IT bod this may be true but it is different if you have niche skills that are in demand. But in this case it is better to tap up former clients in advance rather than agents.

[mrjaywarren]

All they want to know is if you are available or not. 8 weeks is too early and giving them any kind of advance warning won't work. They want people that are available and there enough of them. Agents are about the churn so they aren't going to bugger about with someone that might or might not be available in two months.

A week or two before then end of the gig change your title to say you are seeking new opportunities or are avalaible for new work. 8 weeks is far too early. It's hard enough finding someone that will wait a month let alone two.

You mentioned that there are enough contractors out there, is this a particularly bad time to be in the market? Appreciate your comment was very general I'm just interested if I'm missing something.

Thanks for the advice, I'm just trying to plan ahead (wayyy ahead apparently lol)

[mrjaywarren]

You can make a contact list to mail a CV out on LinkedIn? I'm all ears how to do this, it's news to me.

I don't think you're going to get the answer you were hoping for.

Copy and paste each individual recruiters email and maintain and offline list :-(

[PhiltheGreek]

My last gig coming to an end was broadcast on the BBC for 24 hours solid. It even got it's own thread on CUK.

You've done the latter, now how about the former?

[Fred Bloggs]

You can make a contact list to mail a CV out on LinkedIn? I'm all ears how to do this, it's news to me.

[SueEllen]

If say you are available now agents will ask you to leave your current contract so don't bother until 2-3 weeks before it ends.

[northernladuk]

All they want to know is if you are available or not. 8 weeks is too early and giving them any kind of advance warning won't work. They want people that are available and there enough of them. Agents are about the churn so they aren't going to bugger about with someone that might or might not be available in two months.

A week or two before then end of the gig change your title to say you are seeking new opportunities or are avalaible for new work. 8 weeks is far too early. It's hard enough finding someone that will wait a month let alone two.