Getting a foot in the door

**stek** · 30 January 2018, 11:32

Originally posted by Rastko View Post

Morning all,

How hard should it be to get your first contract?

Been a BA in Banking for 30+ years – took VR (gladly), took a few months out and now looking to contract for the next 5-10 years – in a similar sort of role (BA, big bank, London) – registered with a few boards / agencies (jobserve, reed, hayes, spring) – but there seems to be very little going on – seen maybe 3 or 4 roles that have been a loose fit.

OK, it’s a rubbish time of year and I’ve only been looking for a few weeks, but, must admit, I thought there’d be plenty more choice out there.

What does anyone reckon? Head down and be patient? or am I looking in the wrong place? or going about it the wrong way?

Cheers for any advice / thoughts.

Br*x*t, all the banking work flying away to Fwonkfwort and Dublin, plus generally contracting itself being rogered up the back passage like never before.

**ladymuck** · 30 January 2018, 13:22

My first contract was in 2005 and took a total of about 12 hours' effort. Nowadays things are a little different

**BR14** · 30 January 2018, 15:39

Originally posted by ladymuck View Post

My first contract was in 2005 and took a total of about 12 hours' effort. Nowadays things are a little different

Mine was 1974 and took no effort! - but, as you say, things are different now.

**Hertsseasider** · 31 January 2018, 11:33

Was in a similar position when I started contracting 8 years back now. Had spent 30+years as a BA in one area. BA skills are very much transferable so look outside banking, I've done retail, Insurance, travel and education BA roles. At lot of it is luck, hard work and being in the right spot at the right time.
Keep looking and good luck

**Rastko** · 31 January 2018, 15:26

Originally posted by Hertsseasider View Post

Was in a similar position when I started contracting 8 years back now. Had spent 30+years as a BA in one area. BA skills are very much transferable so look outside banking, I've done retail, Insurance, travel and education BA roles. At lot of it is luck, hard work and being in the right spot at the right time.
Keep looking and good luck

Cheers. Yeah, that was one of my starting points, "BA skills are very transferable" but, what with the number of ads I'm seeing where they consider domain-specific skills & experience as essential to the role, I'm beginning to hesitate - guess it's down to me to tailor the CV / application so that I convince them otherwise :-)

**northernladyuk** · 1 February 2018, 19:20

Originally posted by Rastko View Post

Cheers. Yeah, that was one of my starting points, "BA skills are very transferable" but, what with the number of ads I'm seeing where they consider domain-specific skills & experience as essential to the role, I'm beginning to hesitate - guess it's down to me to tailor the CV / application so that I convince them otherwise :-)

What is your network like and have you tapped it? I have't got a gig via an ad for years (actually I've only ever got one), although I know plenty still do.

**BR14** · 1 February 2018, 20:01

Originally posted by northernladyuk View Post

What is your network like and have you tapped it? I have't got a gig via an ad for years (actually I've only ever got one), although I know plenty still do.

What she said, - talk to all your contacts at 'big bank' and the ones now at 'other big banks' etc

**northernladyuk** · 2 February 2018, 09:02

Originally posted by BR14 View Post

What she said, - talk to all your contacts at 'big bank' and the ones now at 'other big banks' etc

Especially at the OP's presumed age (I'm not too far behind). If you don't have a network you can 'work' for finding contraacts at that stage in life, it may be hard work competing for advertised roles.

Not trying to put you off, OP, if that's the way it has to be, but just looking to see if there's another way.

If you're not sure how to tap your network, hopefully you at least know who is working where via LinkedIn. Then I suggest you need a plan of attack. Start meeting contacts for coffee, lunch, pint etc. Difficult if the travelling distances are great but a good way to go about it. Let them know about your availability and abilities. Show what you can do for them, but don't be afraid to ask for a bit of assistance as well. Just my way of doing things - other methods are available.

**ShandyDrinker** · 2 February 2018, 17:26

Originally posted by stek View Post

Br*x*t, all the banking work flying away to Fwonkfwort and Dublin, plus generally contracting itself being rogered up the back passage like never before.

^^ This. For anyone starting contracting now, it's tough and I'd question your sanity, especially if you had a decent job already although as the OP has said in this case they took VR.

Not sure about Frankfurt but the thing I find amusing about Dublin being trumpeted as a destination for all these banks is that they struggled to find sufficient candidates as it was, primarily because of the woeful rates on offer, the extortionate cost of living and taxation if you were to go via an Irish Ltd or Umbrella.

That being said, I really enjoyed the contract I had in Dublin as the client I was with at the time were excellent and arguably helped me get a break to work in the City back home in the UK.

If I were to advise someone trying to break into investment banking in the UK now I'd recommend trying to get a role in Dublin (BAML, JP Morgan, Citi, etc) or perhaps trying somewhere like Glasgow (JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Barclays, etc).

Getting a foot in the door