Reply to: Interview Response Time

[ashly007]

Thank You

Thank you guys for all the tips & guidance.....and thanks for some of you to put some filler jokes in there....it makes the thread really interesting to read!!!

I finally got the response from Santander after 3 weeks & was called for the face-to-face interview. Now the wait for the face-to-face interview begins.

Does anyone know if Santander is fine with contractors who do not have their own ltd company? Basically associated with umbrella ltd company because as they would be on Tier 2 General visa category & not Tier1 or British citizen?

[OwlHoot]

I bet he spelled ashley wrong too

[TheFaQQer]

Hi,

I have got 2 questions.

1. This is my first contract, have been applying & following up with all possible agencies. Getting good response, my CV is been placed in almost 45 locations in the past 1 month. But till date there is not even a single response to my CV. What is the avg response time from applying by the agency to secure a contract.

2. Finally got 1 interview call for Santander (Milton Keyens) for a position of PM. Its been 3 days and no response on the interview, followed up with the agent but even he is clueless. What is the avg response time for PM contract interview with Santander & other places in general?

has
to
Keynes
It's

HTH

[Scoobos]

I only send my CV to known jobs, rather than spray it around, then follow it up within the hour with a phone call.
If there are no good vibes within 24 hours I write it off.

when I am looking, I will go after about eight a day.


treat it like a production line, dont fret, and develop balls of steel

WHS . Its the same for me too (when it does actually bloody happen)

[OwlHoot]

Bottom line is that if there's any positive news the pimp _will_ get back to you immediately, after hunting you down to the ends of the Earth with a pack of bloodhounds if necessary, to tell you the good news and ask when you can start.

With no news, there's obviously no point in contacting them, or v.v. With bad news they'll hardly ever let you know either, even if you phone and ask. The reasons for this are (I imagine) either why waste time and money on a phone call or (if the clientco feedback was positive but someone else was slightly better) to string you along until they have another suitable opportunity to put you forward for.

[oscarose]

It can vary. Current contract was offered during the telephone interview. On the other hand, I interviewed for a contract in 2006 and still awaiting feedback from the agent .

Good luck

HTH

O Rose esq.

[Mupps]

Hi Ashley,

Same thing happened to me. i've been in contracting for over 4 years but most of that has been the same contract, so i've just had my first real time on the bench. It became depressing, applying for jobs every day, speaking with agents, gradually learning their pattern of BS vs good leads, CV going off to multiple companies, never hearing anything back, all the while running out of money... It does come right in the end though - I eventually got one last week, I start on Monday.

So stick with it, something will turn up - it only takes one hit and you're sorted for maybe another 12 months. Maybe use the downtime to study something new - I got a new vendor certification last week, so at the very least i acheived one small thing while wasting all those days on the jobsites.

[NickFitz]

What about guinea pigs?

All guinea pigs are also equal, and sum to 180°

[mudskipper]

I mean armour yourself

I thought we'd agreed that clanking was a no-no.

[EternalOptimist]

I imagine steel balls would be rather uncomfortable and may clang when walking which probably isn't going to create the right impression at an interview.

It's a metaphor, I am not saying grow actual, prima facia steel balls. I mean grow a thick skin when it comes to dealing with agents. I dont mean literally grow a thick skin, I mean armour yourself

[EternalOptimist]

"Develop balls of steel and don't fret" would have been unambiguous, and not required use of the controversial Oxford comma.

True,
how about, 'dont worry too much if you have any setbacks and try to grow a thick skin to armour you against the slings and arrows of outrageous agents'

[mudskipper]

clearly I was advising that he shouldn't fret and have balls of steel, he should have balls of steel whilst not fretting. I have never met anyone who fretted whilst sporting balls of steel, and I would never recommend that. I suppose a Bhuddist might not fret and not have balls of steel

sort of khama down, khama down


what were we on about again ?

"Develop balls of steel and don't fret" would have been unambiguous, and not required use of the controversial Oxford comma.

I imagine steel balls would be rather uncomfortable and may clang when walking which probably isn't going to create the right impression at an interview.

[EternalOptimist]

All monkeys are equal



Indeed - a perfect example of the Oxford comma being required to make things clear

clearly I was advising that he shouldn't fret and have balls of steel, he should have balls of steel whilst not fretting. I have never met anyone who fretted whilst sporting balls of steel, and I would never recommend that. I suppose a Bhuddist might not fret and not have balls of steel

sort of khama down, khama down


what were we on about again ?

[suityou01]

Hi,

I have got 2 questions.

1. This is my first contract, have been applying & following up with all possible agencies. Getting good response, my CV is been placed in almost 45 locations in the past 1 month. But till date there is not even a single response to my CV. What is the avg response time from applying by the agency to secure a contract.

2. Finally got 1 interview call for Santander (Milton Keyens) for a position of PM. Its been 3 days and no response on the interview, followed up with the agent but even he is clueless. What is the avg response time for PM contract interview with Santander & other places in general?

Couple of suggestions.

1] Do a jobserve search for the ideal contracts you are after. Print out a page or two and stare at it until you spot the patterns and buzz phrases, a bit like one of those magic eye pictures. Then make a list of these key phrases and then sit down with your CV and weave them in where appropriate. If you have no extensive knowledge of something but have used it for a few months then put "working knowledge of" or some such. Agents are simple folk that just match buzzwords against CVs so you want to make sure your CV has the right lingo in it.

2] Get your CV on jobserve, monster and jobsite. Then about once a week go and update them, even if only to move a comma. This will change your "last updated date" and move you nearer the top of the agents' lists and show you are actively looking.

3] Go on forums that deal with your specific skills, and answer questions. Not only is this a good thing to do, it will keep you sharp and possibly give you the chance for an annecdote in an interview situation. "A developer asked me recently about that, and I told them . . . ." etc etc.

[mrdonuts]

if you can find 45 contracts a month to apply for these days you are doing well