Finding work

[Gbeer7]

After my first post last week a lot of the replies were saying, contracting is different, you have to find the work. I've only been a contractor for a year, 16 years as a permie, and both my roles came about from agencies approaching me.
But being fresh faced in the contracting world, I'll be interested to know how people go about getting contract roles. Job boards, contacting companies direct, speaking to former contract friends ? I would really value people's views and advice, hoping it will help me.

[lukemg]

So, Jobserve, Jobsite etc are still worth a look BUT you have to get in there quick so they aren't swamped by responses, soon as the agent gets 3 or 4 and a couple in reserve they will stop looking at the replies... Sign up for email notifications and log a CV on to the sites too (and refresh every week or so - they filter on when the CV was added).
However - Recently, I have seen vast majority of contracts going to previous contacts of the person hiring OR recommendations from people in their team. Same goes for names sent in, people on the team who know them are giving feedback, often just a yay or nae. So your previous contacts are very important, find them all on Linked in and baltantly state you are looking for work in whatever type of job.
Linked-in needs to be up to date too, state available for work and make sure it shows a coherent track record in your work area (a bit of creative job titling helps here).
Expect no feedback, no call backs from agents unless you are in, b***sh*t fishing from agents (including trying to backfill any role you are leaving) and make sure you are ready when the call comes in to sell yourself at interview (shrinking violets need not apply).

Welcome to the game...

[BrilloPad]

Jobserve is a waste of time these days.

Personal contact with agents. There are some good ones out there - though they are hard to find among the dross.

[Gbeer7]

Jobserve is a waste of time these days.

Personal contact with agents. There are some good ones out there - though they are hard to find among the dross.

Any recommendations ?

[MrMarkyMark]

Any recommendations ?

Depends what you do really.

Generally you have to build these contacts up yourself.

[jerryatrick]

I am just returning to contracting after a few years of permie and befire that a nice, stable contract and things have changed significantly. It took me about a week to realise that simply sending the CV in for roles wasn't going to cut it like the good old days. So, it is on the phone chasing agents and letting previous contacts know I am available. Apparently I am lined up for 2 interviews but have yet to have the details of when.. either I am being dragged along (but cannot see any purpose in doing this) or things just are moving slowly for the hirers at the moment.

The agent of one of the companies that want to hire me said there werre some two-hundred responses to the role of which about 80 where credible on paper.

Startting to call previous contacts...

[quackhandle]

Despite what some on here say about it, I have found LinkedIn to be good at gaining contracts, I got my last two from LI.

It depends on how you set your profile up. I went on a one day course from a guy who told me how to get the most from LI without paying a subs for it.

qh

[PerfectStorm]

Jobserve, all day every day. Has by far the largest feed of jobs, people need to work on their search criteria if they don't think it works.

[BlackCountryContractor]

After my first post last week a lot of the replies were saying, contracting is different, you have to find the work. I've only been a contractor for a year, 16 years as a permie, and both my roles came about from agencies approaching me.
But being fresh faced in the contracting world, I'll be interested to know how people go about getting contract roles. Job boards, contacting companies direct, speaking to former contract friends ? I would really value people's views and advice, hoping it will help me.

Don't get region locked when building your CV/looking for work, be able to demonstrate you can work in multiple regions which will open opportunities and jobs as you go along (don't put down details of your address on your CV , let the agency ask for that or just put down your home region along with the other regions you might want to work in which you can utilize for what I will say next). Talk to family and use their place as a starting jump point (if they live near the desired job application region), even if you can only stay there for one night then simply BnB it and put it in as overhead costs for work (e.g. fuel & food etc).

I have always found work through this method and originally I tried to get work locally but it meant I got benched for months at a time chasing down contracts which quickly got filled up. The good old days of work been aplenty for contractors have gone now and with the market been smaller and crowded, your first priority is to get a paycheck as a contractor first and foremost even if it means you might have a 1-2 hour drive for it.

[Spikeh]

I'm struggling to find work for the first time ever at the moment - I used to stand out, and I'm not sure why I don't any longer.

Trying to get work via networking, jobserve, reed, direct agent contacts, and a fair few freelancer websites. I'm getting interest, but all jobs fall into the following:

* Project "cancelled" after interview stage
* Position filled internally
* No response from agent whatsoever - even after chasing on the phone every day
* Client's expectations are WELL out of sync with reality (i.e. budgeting £200k for a £2m project)

I closed down two other businesses a few years ago because my contracting / freelance was going so well and I just didn't have the time for them.That'll show me, eh?