Reply to: Yet Another Knock Back

[alluvial]

This is quite common, people who are average or below average (or even incompetent) were able to find roles in the boom years easily. Now the market isn't as buoyant they struggle and start to find more rejections as they go up against the A players. Just be glad you made some cash on the boom time.

What boom? There hasn't been a boom in IT since the dot com crash over a decade ago.

I suppose that if your CV looks like a patchwork of 3 month contracts with the odd gap where you neglect to include the ones where they found you out early on, then you may assume that everyone is like you.
Mine isn't, it is a series of long contracts, and I fully intend to extend it for the next few years to come.

[mrdonuts]

you are unemployed whilst untold thousands, possibly millions of non uk citizens are working in this country

[Scoobos]

WHS

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

I can't believe it.
Five bloody interviews in the last couple of months and each time it's been that I was really good but just pipped by someone else.
Bah! Used to be that if I got to interview, I got the job. I've never had two failing interviews in a row before, let alone five. Perhaps I've become a bit tulip in my dotage.

Actually, one thing that I have noticed is that I think my CV has become a bit too detailed. This gives the interviewer too much scope for probing questions about projects I've worked on and as I spend my time fielding questions, I don't get enough opportunity to highlight what I want to highlight. Time to do some trimming I think and to see if that helps.

There again, I am quite enjoying being able to stay up into the wee hours drinking Stella and then wasting half the day by lying in bed. Followed of course by getting up and undertaking a frantic hour or two of DIY tasks before the wife gets home to make it look like I've been busy since she went to work in the morning.

You have done well to get 5 interviews in current market, so that is a good sign in itself.

[russell]

This is quite common, people who are average or below average (or even incompetent) were able to find roles in the boom years easily. Now the market isn't as buoyant they struggle and start to find more rejections as they go up against the A players. Just be glad you made some cash on the boom time.

[alreadypacked]

Cheers all.

I think I need to get my own the interview head back on.

One thing that I think may be the problem is the intrusion of HR into the recruitment process these days.
It used to be that you'd have a meeting with the hiring manager, he might ask you a few technical questions but it was more likely that you would discuss the role and the project with the aim on both sides of deciding if the person/role is suitable.

Nowadays, I'm getting a lot more of the formula interview where the whole interview is planned and even scripted in some cases. I had one where the interviewer was asking pre-prepared questions (including the weaknesses one) from a printed sheet. I used to find as well that it was rare to have more than one interviewer, now there always seems to be the questioner and the scribe who furiously notes down everything you say.
I never really had to prepare for interviews in the past, just read through the job spec and CV. Now though, I think one really has to get the head around the HR questions that seem to come in from left field.

I did have one weird one where the interviewer cam in and gave me a presentation. I mean WTF? I wondered if I was supposed to compliment him on a well laid out and thought out presentation with perhaps some marks out of ten. I just smiled and nodded though as one does with a toddler that presents you with the mud pie they are so proud of.

Guess I could work on my Plan B. I was going to discover the Higgs Boson. I mean it can't be that difficult. I've already knocked up my particle accelerator in the workshop from some empty coke cans and an old washing machine motor but I see that some bugger went and beat me to it. Ah well, I did manage to get a fusion reaction going at room temperature but I can't see there being much interest in something like that.

<Dr. Phil>
And you think the interviewer didn't pick up on that?

The interviewer may have to do what he is told, and give you a presentation, but he still has the power not to give you the job, try to remember that the next time you are sitting there.

Sorry to be hard, but you come across as very bored of everything. Maybe you need a holiday from contracting, or you could try volunteering with people who are worse off than you.

</Dr. Phil>

[Doggy Styles]

Don't forget that most clients like someone who cheers up the office with really funny jokes. That stands me in good stead.

Seriously, good luck at your next interview!

[Scoobos]

It's alright Alluvial, these things happen.

You'll be much more experienced than the majority and although I know its hard not to take it personally, things will come round..

It's absolutely torrid out there, I've been involved with hiring in the past few weeks and have been staggered by the number of contractor CV's agents are getting in just a 2 hour period.

I was also out of play benched against my will for at least 6 months previous to this gig too.

It's not you, its the market...

[lukemg]

First - forget the 'they liked you but just pipped by another person' line - it's a sh1t sandwich agency fob off to make you feel better.
Second - Don't forget the sales aspect, in my experience, it's 50% knowledge and skills (pretty much decided in advance on CV, you need to confirm) and 50% do they fit in with team, personality, worked in similar environment/industry/situation.
It's like a first date, you need them to like you so turn on the positivity a bit and make sure you can back up with examples for every competency Q that comes in.

[alluvial]

Cheers all.

I think I need to get my own the interview head back on.

One thing that I think may be the problem is the intrusion of HR into the recruitment process these days.
It used to be that you'd have a meeting with the hiring manager, he might ask you a few technical questions but it was more likely that you would discuss the role and the project with the aim on both sides of deciding if the person/role is suitable.

Nowadays, I'm getting a lot more of the formula interview where the whole interview is planned and even scripted in some cases. I had one where the interviewer was asking pre-prepared questions (including the weaknesses one) from a printed sheet. I used to find as well that it was rare to have more than one interviewer, now there always seems to be the questioner and the scribe who furiously notes down everything you say.
I never really had to prepare for interviews in the past, just read through the job spec and CV. Now though, I think one really has to get the head around the HR questions that seem to come in from left field.

I did have one weird one where the interviewer cam in and gave me a presentation. I mean WTF? I wondered if I was supposed to compliment him on a well laid out and thought out presentation with perhaps some marks out of ten. I just smiled and nodded though as one does with a toddler that presents you with the mud pie they are so proud of.

Guess I could work on my Plan B. I was going to discover the Higgs Boson. I mean it can't be that difficult. I've already knocked up my particle accelerator in the workshop from some empty coke cans and an old washing machine motor but I see that some bugger went and beat me to it. Ah well, I did manage to get a fusion reaction going at room temperature but I can't see there being much interest in something like that.

[norrahe]

Sorry.

And that's how I created the world wide web. Which was nice.

and discovered the Higgs Boson particle, which should have been called the MF particle but this Higgs guy took all the credit ( bloody permies)

[oscarose]

I can't believe it.
Five bloody interviews in the last couple of months and each time it's been that I was really good but just pipped by someone else.

Keep plugging away old boy.

[Doggy Styles]

.... and that's where the Austin Allegro came from.

Finish the story MF, finish the story!

Someone's already invented the Austin Allegro?

Feck, another Plan B bites the dust.

[MarillionFan]

.... and that's where the Austin Allegro came from.

Finish the story MF, finish the story!

Sorry.

And that's how I created the world wide web. Which was nice.

[bless 'em all]

once had a client thank me for the input and gave the design I had white boarded to their internal team to develop......

.... and that's where the Austin Allegro came from.

Finish the story MF, finish the story!