Contract Search Diary!

[Tasslehoff]

So I have done it. Most on here will call me crazy but the train is in motion now. Notice handed in and 3 month notice period started.

My boss was really good about it actually and basically once my handover is done I can work on a 2 week rolling notice unill my period is up.

So basically I have 3 months to land a contract… easy right?

The search starts!

I have been through the CV section on the website and refined my CV to a point where I think it’s ok. Considering a CV re-write service if things get desperate. Posted it to CWJobs and JobServe. Set up all the relevant alerts etc.

I get about 2-3 jobs per day that fit my skills and are within commute. Towards the end of the 3 months I am going to consider “stay aways” but with a family I would like to avoid if possible. Failing that its back to the Perm Market!

My phone rings A LOT, possibly 8-10 times a day. It’s either

• Indian chap/chapess speaking broken English offering me roles in London then being surprised that I wont relocate
• Agents offering their services, then pushing me for who I have applied for (so they don’t duplicate?) or if they are backfilling my current role and the name of my manager!
• Or genuine leads ringing back

I have also fell foul of “phantom” job roles. Applied heard nothing, Agent dodges me, never at desk and the same role with the exact working gets posed 2 days later, then again, then again

It’s all part of the learning experience.

I have had 3 roles now where I have been shortlisted and they have fell down getting sign off at Director level. Starting to wonder if this is a Agents “line” or if I have just been unlucky.

My tactics tend to be something like

Morning :

Sweep job boards, target CV, apply.
Phone any roles applied for previous afternoon

Afternoon :

Sweep job boards, target CV, apply.
Phone any roles applied for this morning.

It’s scary the amount of times I have had to speak to an Agent to get information, they NEVER get back to you of their own back. It just does not happen.

Learning fast I hope, The search continues!

[TheFaQQer]

Update the CV regularly and upload it regularly. Agents frequently have a filter to only pick up recently changed CVs.

[Tasslehoff]

Update the CV regularly and upload it regularly. Agents frequently have a filter to only pick up recently changed CVs.

Thanks, will do.

[SimonMac]

Who have you applied with so far, just asking for a friend like

[TheFaQQer]

Who have you applied with so far, just asking for a friend like

You lie. You have no friends.

MF

[Tasslehoff]

Who have you applied with so far, just asking for a friend like

If you asked a week ago I probably would have told you.

Learning the game now though.

[Tasslehoff]

So 1 week in and :

19 Applications
6 (to my knowledge) shortlists
2 technical interviews
6-7 roles awaiting feedback for the client.

Learned a shed load. Most importantly how to week out the "sharks" from the genuine calls. Started to build a half decent relationship with a couple of pimps. Job search tactics (the amount of times I have rang an agent that only then pushed me to the next stage is scary).

I doubled up on a couple of roles also which I am sure set me back with clients. Similar job description, same county its the same role 99% of the time!

Couple of really promising irons in the fire, shocked at how many roles are advertised then "funding is pulled" or "not signed off yet" starting to wonder if that's a line pimps use.

Had a sit down with the missus and we discussed me over-nighting a few days a week, which means I can widen my search a little.

I am starting to think I am going to been to pitch myself way below what I was hoping for (money wise) to get my foot in the door. A lot of clients baulk at the lack of contracting experience. Start at the bottom I guess.

Anyway hoping to build on this next week and fingers crossed get a couple of face to face interviews.

[TheFaQQer]

I am starting to think I am going to been to pitch myself way below what I was hoping for (money wise) to get my foot in the door. A lot of clients baulk at the lack of contracting experience.

Be very wary of this - just because an agent tells you that the client is wary of someone with no experience doesn't mean that they aren't putting you in at a higher rate and then creaming the profit.

If the agent suggests that you cut the rate because the client is nervous about taking someone on without the experience, counter offer - a one month contract with an immediate termination clause. This shows that you are confident in your ability to deliver, plus no-one is taking any risk (apart from you). And since they could terminate your contract with no notice anyway, it's no real loss to you.

[TheFaQQer]

A lot of clients baulk at the lack of contracting experience.

Can you break your CV down into project roles? Even if they are for the same client, then it might look like you are more used to contracting work-style than if you aren't.

eg.

PermieCo - Senior Widget Wangler

2012 to date - Implementing the Widget project. Key tasks included wangling the widgets on a daily basis. Key technologies used included Microsoft Widget, SAP and Oracle Wangler.

2011-2012 - Senior consultant, project Doodah. Implementing Microsoft Blah in a highly complex environment. Working with consultants from BobCo and BishBosh Consulting etc.

[northernladuk]

So 1 week in and :

19 Applications
6 (to my knowledge) shortlists
2 technical interviews
6-7 roles awaiting feedback for the client.

Don't want to be rude but if you are putting this much time in to logging what you have done you are going to get very demoralised very rapidly. Apply for it and forget it. If it comes up it does, if it doesn't it's forgotten about and you move on. Some contractors apply for 100s of roles and are still on the bench. 4 or 5 years ago I was applying for 10-15 a day! Don't get too hung up or you will get pissed off quicker.

I doubled up on a couple of roles also which I am sure set me back with clients. Similar job description, same county its the same role 99% of the time!

Some will say otherwise but IMO avoid doing this like the plague. I got binned by a client sitting in the carpark waiting to go in for the first interview when it turned out two agents put me forward for the same role. They started a bun fight over who had dibs and the client just said forget it. One was in Cheshire, one was in Manchester so I could have been forgiven for applying for both due to the inaccurate location so do your homework and ask the agent if you even suspect it is the same gig.

Couple of really promising irons in the fire, shocked at how many roles are advertised then "funding is pulled" or "not signed off yet" starting to wonder if that's a line pimps use.

Again, don't get excited or hung up about it or you will get despondent a lot quicker. You have nothing until you are sitting at the desk first day with a signed contract. We have stories of people being canned while sitting in reception on the first day. Getting excited and expecting gigs is just going to bite you. Get over the shock quick and just let it wash over you like water of a ducks back. Sometimes it is sometimes it isn't. Bottom line is it matters squat. Gig is not yours move on.

I am starting to think I am going to been to pitch myself way below what I was hoping for (money wise) to get my foot in the door. A lot of clients baulk at the lack of contracting experience. Start at the bottom I guess.

Absolutely not. They offer an amount because they want a level skill. They are not interested in paying less for less experience. Offering a reduction is showing a weakness and it will only end up in the agents pocket. He won't reduce the cost to the client. You are either worth a rate or you are not.

Also don't fall in to the trap of disrespecting agents. They are not pimps, they are agents. They can be a bit sneaky but it is the business. Don't start on the wrong foot and go in to an agent hating mode right from day one. They are who they are so all you have to do is set your expectations and manage it. Like it or not they are an essential part of the process so deal with them professionally, particularly when you are starting out. That doesn't mean let them pull the wool over your eyes or screw you at every opportunity. If you start with the attitude it will show in your dealings with them which you cannot afford right now. Save that until you have experience and are much more marketable. Then you can start playing them as you know the clients want you and the agent is just a middle monkey.