What am I doing wrong?

[Arthur Fen]

Hi I'm new to this board and I'd like some advice/pointers regarding landing my first contract.

I'm a project manager with 10 years experience and I'm currently working as a permie. I've been seriously looking to get into the contract side of things and over the past few weeks I've applied for a number of positions. However, I've only had one interview and whilst a number of other posititions looked hopeful, with a lot of interest being expressed by the agency, nothing has happened.

I suspect that it's one or more of the following reasons -

1. It's just the way things are
2. Clients don't like taking a chance with a permie and would prefer an established contractor
3. My notice period is too long (3 weeks)
4. My CV is crap ( I don't think it is but how do you ever know?)
5. Clients/agencies suspect my motives for wanting to go contracting.

Any help/advice/comments would be appreciated

[rootsnall]

Just keep plugging away until something comes up ! Still being employed and needing to give notice will put quite a few off I would think. ie. you can't start straight away and you might change your mind

[threaded]

You're probably dealing with the wrong sort of agencies / agents.

This is actually the hardest thing to do in the contracting business: sorting the decent agents from the spivs.

For your kind of thing you need to find a few decent agents and develop relationships with them.

That being said, it may be easier to try finding work direct.

I had one email popped up last night, wanting a project manager to be able to start Monday. Now I ask you: what sort of management planning has occured to end up in that situation? Previous PM hit by a bus is the only realistic excuse I can think of.

[Arthur Fen]

Thanks, I appreciate the advice

I'm determined to keep plugging away and I suppose you learn about the good/bad agncies as you go along. Apart from buiklding up contacts/networking, how do look to work directly for the client/company?

[threaded]

You build up a reputation and they come to you... :-)

Otherwise you do what the agents do and go banging them fones, scattergun your cv about.

What would you do if your current employer folded up tomorrow: how would you go about getting your next gig? Well, it is just the same.

[tim123]

2 and 5 are irrelevant.

3 is not a problem (3 months would be)

it must be 1 or 4.

No idea what the market is like for your skill set so can't help you narrow it down any more.


tim

[castoff101]

I have also been trying to find my first contract for the past three weeks. Had a number of telephone calls after posting my cv on 'jobsite'. I have been told that I have been short-listed for a number of positions - but then a big black hole - nothing happens.

I have been looking for a contract in the south-east/London. My main skill set is Lotus Notes, but I got diverted into Testing for the past year, so chasing either.

Has anybody any idea now many punters are normally on a short-list?

Too many from my point of view!

[tim123]

"short listed" is often agency speak for "we haven't put you forward yet".

You need more positive feed-back than this.

[Underscore]

Send you CV direct to a couple of agents. I'd recommend Lorian and Spring for PM work. The finance places are crying out for PMs at the mo - so maybe your cv is a bit dodgy? Do you have Finance exp?

[Arthur Fen]

I reckon it could be my CV - I seem to be updating it/changing things most weeks. It's 3 pages long with the first page as a profile/summary - is this too long?

Most of my PM experience is in the card industry - I guess I'll have to broaden my horizons and do a complete re-think on the CV.

Thanks for your help