Do jobs actually exist?

**Lucifer Box** · 9 November 2005, 12:58

Spud, if you've been in the contracting game for more than 20 years, by far your best approach will be to phone everywhere you've ever contracted before and ask them if they have any work for you. Only if this comes up a complete blank should you turn to agencies.

If it does turn up a complete blank (say you are a perma-temp who although has been contracting for 20 years only has a couple of gigs), phone a handful of agents you've spoken to who seem sensible and tell them all you will give £500 cash to the one who gets you a gig within your chosen parameters. Your phone will melt with the contracts being offered to you.

**Marcus Aurelius** · 9 November 2005, 13:08

Spud, you're too old, and you stink of piss! Now, go and find somewhere quiet to die.

**spud** · 9 November 2005, 13:25

Lucifer, trouble is it's with one company, so there aren't many other contacts out there.

Your idea of the bonus is a sound one but I don't think it's the agencies that are the problem. I think that employers are sitting on cv's just for the fun of it - so I was wondering if that is the current trend. I've experienced outsourcing first-hand and it doesn't look good for developers, which is why I've shifted to the business side of things that I've done over the years.

Maybe Marcus is right

**Lucifer Box** · 9 November 2005, 13:28

Ah, so you've been contracting for over 20 years for one client? Have you made no contacts at all in that time? Is there really no one at all you can phone and ask "do you have any work for me"?

If your theory is correct that clients either have no vacancies or are sitting on CVs for no real reason, you are buggered.

Try offering money to agents. After all, if they turn up nothing it costs you nothing.

**BlasterBates** · 9 November 2005, 13:37

I'm looking for BA/Sys analysis/PM roles but I come from a developer background (C#/Java/oracle/unix/legacy etc).

Well I do admit I am as daft as a brush, but....

...isn't this the problem?

**tim123** · 9 November 2005, 14:59

Originally posted by spud

I don't think it's the agencies that are the problem. I think that employers are sitting on cv's just for the fun of it

I'm not so sure.

Following on from my post elsewhere, I'm seeing in the same problem. Got good generic skills, historically (until 2000) could walk into a new job on the back of thoes skills, but am now getting knocked back for (interesting) job after job because I'm not an exact match.

Yet here, in my current role I'm sitting alongside a guy from a software house who I asked what specific relevent experience he had for this job and he has none at all.

If these software houses can push the round pegs into the square hole, why can't the contracting agents do likewise, it's not like the job gets filled by a square peg from another agent, it either remains unfilled or is filled by the aforementioned software house's round peg.

No, I think it's at least partly the agent's fault for not (bothering to) explain to clients that the square peg that they are seeking is unobtainable and that they just happen to have the next best round peg available and willing to do the job.

Tim

**spud** · 9 November 2005, 15:07

Hi Tim,
This supports Lucifer's 'flash the cash' method for making sure the agent does his best to sell your skills then - something I'm trying with a few agents today.

By software house do you mean permie working as a consultant for another firm?
I'm completely baffled by what seems to me an IT/corporate strategy to just get rid of contractors however good they are.

**partimer** · 9 November 2005, 15:16

20 years with one client ????

That has to be a record !!! You've been there longer than probably anybody else.
And don't tell me, you're outside IR35, right

(I know length of duration is only a slight indicator with IR35).

Tim,
It depends. For a permie role, a good candidate is somebody that almost fills the job spec. as you can then give them training (and offer a lower salary due to this fact). Contract role is different since you want the candidate to be able to do everything from the word go. It's just the way things are in the contract world.

I won't pay a contractor a large rate who didn't satisfy my wishlist. BUT the agent will never compromise with the client by saying "I've got a contractor who has 7/10 of what you're looking for. We can lower the rate." I reckon it's because of the competition between agents.

If that agent can't provide a 100 percent match than another agent will ... (or pretend they can)

PS I don't hire any more so I could be out of touch with current practises.

**AlfredJPruffock** · 9 November 2005, 15:16

Originally posted by spud

Hi Tim,
This supports Lucifer's 'flash the cash' method for making sure the agent does his best to sell your skills then - something I'm trying with a few agents today.

By software house do you mean permie working as a consultant for another firm?
I'm completely baffled by what seems to me an IT/corporate strategy to just get rid of contractors however good they are.

Never ever make the mistake that IT Corporate Management Policy is rational, for it is not.

The best way to anticipate a companys policy is figure out what the best approach to an issue may be , then completely invert that to determine what in fact will transpire.

Do jobs actually exist?