Reply to: Classic agent quote!

[SantaClaus]

I've taken permie roles in the past to fill in between contracts

I just fed them the line about wanting stability (which we know permiedom doesnt give), wanting to settle down, pointing them to long contract durations, etc.

Then I jumped ship as soon as another contract came along. Excuses for taking days off for interviews ranged from car being serviced to bad flu. And you WILL need excuses when youre stuck in the middle of an industrial estate in Cambridgeshire and got to attend a contract interview in the City.

Just telling it how real life is

[Mich the Tester]

That's the tack I used to cover up bench time in the 1990s. A potential snag is them asking for references from XYZ. Easy if you have a fellow director, not so easy if you are the only one.

Ask someone who's worked with you on a project to give a reference; that way it's someone from a 'business partnership'.

'Myco Ltd' worked in partnership with 'HisCo Ltd' to provide a back office solution for 'SomeCo Ltd'; this partnership led to the implementation of the system on time and on budget to the satisfaction of SomeCo Ltd.' The director of 'HisCo' has provided the follwing reference;

'I can thoroughly recommend Joe Bloggs as he is a jolly fine chap etc bla bla bla'

[Sysman]

No need to lie. Your were employed by your limited company? You can legally choose a "trading as" name for you Ltd Co. You then can put on your CV that you were employed by XYZ for 10 years or whatever.

That's the tack I used to cover up bench time in the 1990s. A potential snag is them asking for references from XYZ. Easy if you have a fellow director, not so easy if you are the only one.

[Sysman]

Paternity is a week. You have a nice little lady sitting at home playing wifee while you earn the crust as the only bread winner. IE you'll work your nuts of for your family. A lot of businesses like this...

Yep. I remember a local wholesaler looking for a truck driver, and he definitely wanted a chap with a wife, kids and large mortgage rather than a single bloke. The chap with responsibilities was going to a lot more reliable in his opinion.

[Paddy]

No need to lie. Your were employed by your limited company? You can legally choose a "trading as" name for you Ltd Co. You then can put on your CV that you were employed by XYZ for 10 years or whatever.

[swamp]

All you can do is try and reassure the agent (or client) that you are a "committed career professional" or some such bulltulipe.

Downplay your 'contracting' past. Just don't bring it up, and certainly don't give a cringe worthy "I've changed" speech! Emphasise completing projects and your wide experience.

Some firms just won't hire ex-contractors, so get over it. Others will be wary, but like a girl dating a known womaniser, if you're good enough some will be too tempted not to hire you!

[Mich the Tester]

Paternity is a week. You have a nice little lady sitting at home playing wifee while you earn the crust as the only bread winner. IE you'll work your nuts of for your family. A lot of businesses like this...

True. Here in NL they often ask your marital status and whether your have kids; it comes over as friendly chat, but I know from talking to other managers it's actually intended to find out how much you are tied down to working at a particular company in a particular place. If you have no kids and a small mortgage, you aren't easily intimidated by the thought of the sack. On the other hand, there are roles where that's an advantage; if you are expected to travel a lot or might be asked to move abroad then they might see it as a good thing that you can uproot easily.

[RichardCranium]

Paternity is a week.

Two weeks, apparently. Anyway, sorry, my mistake, for some reason I was under the impression paternity leave had been upped to six months.

Link proving myself wrong:

Paternity Leave & Pay

The right to paid paternity leave under the Employment Act 2002 is in addition to the 13 unpaid weeks' parental leave entitlement. The entitlement is two weeks paid leave. The leave is paid at the same rate as Statutory Maternity Pay, £123.06 per week (or 90% of the employees average weekly earnings if this is less). An employer is entitled to reclaim Paternity Pay from the government.

[Jeebo72]

Really?

"So, you want to be a permie here so you can claim paternity leave? You cheeky sod. Get back to your dodgy contracting."

I would not have expected "Starting a family" to work for men these days, just as it has always been the wrong thing for women to say.

Paternity is a week. You have a nice little lady sitting at home playing wifee while you earn the crust as the only bread winner. IE you'll work your nuts of for your family. A lot of businesses like this...

[gingerjedi]

You need to lie on your CV, stretch dates and turn old contracts into perm roles.

Your recent contracts could be seen as proactive in a tough market whilst you've been looking for another job.

I've been too honest all my life and it's got me nowhere, time to live up to image they already have of contractors.

[Mich the Tester]

Do something else, for yourself. I'm a qualified personal fitness trainer; it gives me another option, and if next week's interview doesn't turn out positive, I'm going to do it. I'll do it anyway, it would just be nice to have a bit more money first.

Look around and think of what you can do as a self employed person. Really I think that even buying a chip van and driving around council estates is probably better than permiedom.

[RichardCranium]

Usually "starting a family and need stability" etc etc is quite good.

Really?

"So, you want to be a permie here so you can claim paternity leave? You cheeky sod. Get back to your dodgy contracting."

I would not have expected "Starting a family" to work for men these days, just as it has always been the wrong thing for women to say.

[DimPrawn]

You are the career equivalent of a crack whore.

Stick to giving clients a quick blow for £20.

[Jeebo72]

You need to big up how you see contracts through to the end, that you have never walked, and some appropriately plausible story as to why you will just die if you don't get into permie work.

Usually "starting a family and need stability" etc etc is quite good.

[Jeebo72]

It's pretty valid, there's plenty of permie jobs out there, that they don't want filled by "ex" contractors, because they (rightly) fear that as soon as the market picks up they'll be off. And let's face it, you prob would...