Recruiters and IT contracts

[ellhn]

Hi,
I am a Front End Developer and I 'd like to find a contract here in London. Since this will be my first job in UK, I am not asking for high salary rates (I will be okay with 300-350 pounds per day). The problem is that I am sending applications, mainly via jobserve, and I am getting no response from the recruiters. This is very strange because my CV has great response for permanent roles. Is it something I am missing?

• What do I have to do as to draw recruiters' attention?

• For what reason do they prefer the permanent roles and they suggest only these ones?

• Is there any way to slide over recruiters? Most of them are just objectionable.

• I am using jobserve.com for finding contract opportunities. Is there any other place to search for?

• Do you think it will be difficult to find something given that I do not have UK experience?

Thank you very much

[alreadypacked]

Take a full-time job in the best company you can find in London.
Or one of the top level consulting companies.
After 3 month apply for contract roles again.
Low rate request ring alarm bells, you sound like a chancer.
If you are good then ask for the rate.
HTH

[SueEllen]

You need UK experience.

Get yourself a job over here then in a few months apply for contracts.

[ShandyDrinker]

Take a full-time job in the best company you can find in London.
Or one of the top level consulting companies.
After 3 month apply for contract roles again.
Low rate request ring alarm bells, you sound like a chancer.
If you are good then ask for the rate.
HTH

While for the most part I agree with you, particularly about getting a permie job first, where I disagree is the highlighted parts.

Perhaps for the OP the rate reflects the experience, the role and the current demand in the market place.

While I wouldn't want to go and work in a city based IB for £350 per day for example, I've noticed there seem to be many agencies trying to recruit for people in the city and Canary Wharf for those kind of rates for .Net developers. While I wouldn't be prepared to work for that rate myself, I think it shows the current state of the contracting market in the UK.

One of the most interesting dilemmas I think we face as contractors is if the market is and remans slow and well paying contracts are thin on the ground with the competition fierce, do you wait for 6 months for the £X per day contract to come along or in the interests of keeping money coming in do you go for and accept contracts paying say £(X-100) instead as that's all the market will bear, particularly if you can get one in a matter of days instead?

[alreadypacked]

While for the most part I agree with you, particularly about getting a permie job first, where I disagree is the highlighted parts.

Perhaps for the OP the rate reflects the experience, the role and the current demand in the market place.

While I wouldn't want to go and work in a city based IB for £350 per day for example, I've noticed there seem to be many agencies trying to recruit for people in the city and Canary Wharf for those kind of rates for .Net developers. While I wouldn't be prepared to work for that rate myself, I think it shows the current state of the contracting market in the UK.

One of the most interesting dilemmas I think we face as contractors is if the market is and remans slow and well paying contracts are thin on the ground with the competition fierce, do you wait for 6 months for the £X per day contract to come along or in the interests of keeping money coming in do you go for and accept contracts paying say £(X-100) instead as that's all the market will bear, particularly if you can get one in a matter of days instead?

I guess it depends if the OP is at the top of their game. As you say rates are comming down, you could pick the place that will look good on the CV and an easy commute. Not worked in the UK for a few years, it was ok when I left don't know what you guys have done with the place.

For me I usually spend the time between contracts on a beach and waiting a couple of months for the right contract was not an issue.

[WTFH]

What experience do you have?
What countries have you worked in?
Do you have all the necessary documentation to work in the UK?


Most recruitment agents are objectionable, you'll get used to it if you want to be a contractor. If they receive 200 CVs for one role, they will look for the ones with the best experience, best fit, or most likely to give them an easy profit.


It is also worth while taking your time to talk to agents first, rather than just sending your CV in response to an advert.

[bobspud]

Hi,
my recommendation would be to leave the contracting game alone altogether. I say this for a number of reasons but mostly your lack of understanding of the UK's company law and HMRC. We are under quite a bit of scrutiny right now and there is a fair chance that things will be getting a darn site worse in the years to come. Taking contracts successfully is not a short term game and many of the best contractors have been at it continually through several recessions and booms. Find a decent role in the permanent market and take time to grow your knowledge of the risks and the market that you are talking about entering.

Best of luck.

[LondonManc]

What experience do you have?
What countries have you worked in?
Do you have all the necessary documentation to work in the UK?


Most recruitment agents are objectionable, you'll get used to it if you want to be a contractor. If they receive 200 CVs for one role, they will look for the ones with the best experience, best fit, or most likely to give them an easy profit.


It is also worth while taking your time to talk to agents first, rather than just sending your CV in response to an advert.

Pretty much this - they'll adopt least line of resistance and most chance of success approach, regardless of rate. As long as you're within budget, you'll get looked at, but that appears to be the only box that you're ticking at the moment.

[alreadypacked]

What experience do you have?
What countries have you worked in?
Do you have all the necessary documentation to work in the UK?


Most recruitment agents are objectionable, you'll get used to it if you want to be a contractor. If they receive 200 CVs for one role, they will look for the ones with the best experience, best fit, or most likely to give them an easy profit.


It is also worth while taking your time to talk to agents first, rather than just sending your CV in response to an advert.

Agents use filter software to scan CV's and only read the CV's that have % match with the requirments for the role.
If they have a lot of CV's the will increase the %. Lot's of CV's the may set the keyword match to 90%.
Some tools even send standard emails to the selected CV. First time the recruiter see your CV is when you reply to the generated mail.

So when you call an agent in responce to their mail, and they don't seam to know what is on your CV, this is why.

HTH

[Cirrus]

Supply and Demand

There are far less candidates for permanent jobs than contract. Companies are always trying to find permies and thus the agent will steer you in that direction.

It may seem like agents are horrible and don't want you but they're not really - it's just footfall. You need lots of people coming in your shop before they buy anything. Keep plugging away at Jobserve and eventually (100+ applications) you'll get a buyer.