Reply to: How long and how many applied for?

[dang65]

My guess is the feedback was from the agent. Yes, I have multi versions of my CV.

Yeah, it could well be feedback from the agent, but equally I come across agents that won't deal with contractors who don't provide links, and this one did specifically want links. The client is apparently notorious for looking at hundreds of applicants before taking anyone on (from what I've gleaned from other agents advertising the same role, which has been on Jobserve for weeks now, possibly months).

I do have a few different versions of my CV too, depending on roles being applied for and that, but I'm not sure how you get around the agent seeing it? They sit in the middle and send the CV to the client. Unless you give a different CV to the client when you get to the interview?

Whatever, I've found having links on my CV to be more of a benefit than a drawback. So far at least.

[alreadypacked]

Sorry, in what case? I thought we were discussing my story about the client looking at my links and somehow deciding that the code didn't match what they wanted. What's that got to do with sending links to agents? I don't have a separate CV which I send to agents. Is that common practice?

My guess is the feedback was from the agent. Yes, I have multi versions of my CV.

[dang65]

I think there is a big difference what I would show Clients and agents. In this case the CV with links was sent to agents.

Sorry, in what case? I thought we were discussing my story about the client looking at my links and somehow deciding that the code didn't match what they wanted. What's that got to do with sending links to agents? I don't have a separate CV which I send to agents. Is that common practice?

[alreadypacked]

Yeah, difficult one. I added them originally because I was constantly being asked to provide links on my CV - i.e. the original CV wasn't working, so I changed it.

The story above is the only time I've had such feedback. If it was a common response then, believe me, I'd dump the sample sites like a shot, but a lot of the time clients say they've looked at them and would like to discuss them with me.

I think there is a big difference what I would show Clients and agents. In this case the CV with links was sent to agents.

[dang65]

I would not provide links on your CV.

Adding links could makes you look arrogant or insecure depending on the mood of the agent.

No matter how right you think you are, if it's not working change it.

IMHO

Yeah, difficult one. I added them originally because I was constantly being asked to provide links on my CV - i.e. the original CV wasn't working, so I changed it.

The story above is the only time I've had such feedback. If it was a common response then, believe me, I'd dump the sample sites like a shot, but a lot of the time clients say they've looked at them and would like to discuss them with me.

[xoggoth]

Every single time I have sent my CV in this year I have had an interview and every interview I have had has resulted in a contract offer. 0,0,0 - 100% record. Beat that!

[TheFaQQer]

I would not provide links on your CV.

WSS - get to the interview and then show them what you can do, rather than risk them finding another excuse not to interview you.

My last contract I ended up sidelined because the other developer in the team didn't like the way I used the ANSI join syntax and capitalized reserved words in my code....

[alreadypacked]

I had a bizarre one today where I was told that the client had looked at my code and I don't code in the way that they do, so they didn't want to interview me.

This is all without me ever speaking to the client at all.

I do have a couple of sample site links on my CV, but at least two of them are longstanding, large corporate sites which I only worked on certain parts of, which I would discuss and demonstrate in an interview if required. And the other one is really quite cutting edge at the moment (I would say) and followed very strict coding practises laid down by the client.

I'm not quite sure what this client was actually looking at, or how they figured out what bits I'd coded, but I do know that I'm quite happy not to be working for anyone who sifts potential candidates in that way.

(Or the feedback could have been completely made up by the agent, but I couldn't possibly comment.)

I would not provide links on your CV.
You should give people just enough information to make them want to interview you. Let them ask you to see more.

Adding links could makes you look arrogant or insecure depending on the mood of the agent.

No matter how right you think you are, if it's not working change it.

IMHO

[dang65]

I had a bizarre one today where I was told that the client had looked at my code and I don't code in the way that they do, so they didn't want to interview me.

This is all without me ever speaking to the client at all.

I do have a couple of sample site links on my CV, but at least two of them are longstanding, large corporate sites which I only worked on certain parts of, which I would discuss and demonstrate in an interview if required. And the other one is really quite cutting edge at the moment (I would say) and followed very strict coding practises laid down by the client.

I'm not quite sure what this client was actually looking at, or how they figured out what bits I'd coded, but I do know that I'm quite happy not to be working for anyone who sifts potential candidates in that way.

(Or the feedback could have been completely made up by the agent, but I couldn't possibly comment.)

[alreadypacked]

How shocking - a client who only wants to pay for the work that you do, rather than have a disguised employee there. Whatever next

There is always other stuff to do. I would not be happy having enforced holidays at short notice and invoicing only 12 days a month.
/

[TheFaQQer]

I have a friend that went the strata-partners route, not recommended. Not only will they cut your rate, they will wait a while and cut it again. Also if there is no work on your project for example DB is down for 2 days refresh, they will not pay you for those 2 days, you will be told to take a holiday. Short term ok, keep looking. Your 5 years at BT is over, it will never be the same again.

How shocking - a client who only wants to pay for the work that you do, rather than have a disguised employee there. Whatever next

[lukemg]

Why bother ?
If they want you they call - end of.
If they don't call, either they didn't send you through (but didn't want you going in through someone else) or the client says no.
Forget the feedback, it will almost certainly be some made up combination of internal candidate, job withdrawn, spec changed blah blah blah.
Don't waste your time, fire, chase up if you really want to, then forget...

[alreadypacked]

OK, so I've been on the bench now for 2 full months (since BT got rid of me after 5 years) - I've applied for 92 contracts, have had 2 interviews (unsuccessful). BT are back sniffing about but looking to get me in via one of their integrator strata-partners (since they killed off Hays) who are looking for a 25% commission of the dooable £400 BT are willing to pay them - the PM is trying one of the offshore partners.

I have to say I can't believe the number of roles where I have managed to get my CV through the useless agents to the clients that have just died a death - were these bulltulip roles or did they not have the finances in place before requesting CV's?

So who's been benched the longest and how many contracts have you applied for so far?

I have a friend that went the strata-partners route, not recommended. Not only will they cut your rate, they will wait a while and cut it again. Also if there is no work on your project for example DB is down for 2 days refresh, they will not pay you for those 2 days, you will be told to take a holiday. Short term ok, keep looking. Your 5 years at BT is over, it will never be the same again.

[yermawn]

My BT contacts say it is impossible to get internal resources on a project let alone get a contractor. The only way in to BT is via one of the offshore providers.

Yup, I'd say there's only a handful of old Hays contractors left, those (unlike me) whi really did have an insurmountable ivory tower so it's TechM, TCS and there's a new kid in town Virtusa. But they're guaranteed to screw you on the rate and try and swap in one of their own resources at your first renewal.

I'm not sure what BT are playing at - they've gotten rid of the people who ran their systems (the contractors) and they still have 2k+ FTE's sitting on the bench who they're never going to be able to skill up to replace the contractors. Let alone the FTE's not on the bench who aren't worth a damn. But it's better to not be seen making compulsory redundancies!

[RichardCranium]

Them: Oh they've just gotten up from their desk.

He's in a meeting.
He's on a client site today.
He's working from home today.
Err, I can't see him at the moment.
He's on another line.
He's not in yet.
He's still at lunch.
His line's engaged.
I can see he's currently on a call.
He's just popped out.
He's already left for the day.

Tedious, innit?