Contractor interview

[zico]

Hello people

I am a permanent staff who is moving into the contracting world soon!

I have been to 2 interviews already & just wanted to ask, from your experience when you go for a contracting job interview...how long is it, before you hear from the employer\recruitment agencies?

I have had both my 2 interviews last week Friday, the recruitment agencie have said to me that they are waiting for feedback?

Is that a good sign or bad, from your experience?

Thanks

[bless 'em all]

To be honest, the quickest call for me was 30 seconds after leaving the building. That was the offer of the contract. The longest? 6 years and counting.

The best advice I can give you is this. Interview, move onto the next one, keep going until you've a contract signed and you've started working for the client.

Have you tried calling the agent?

[northernladuk]

Have a look at the thread about agents wanting two references in the link below. It will give you an idea of the tricks agents will pull.

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...eferences.html

We have also had many chats about agents and their attitude to getting back to contractors and so on but you will have to dig them out.

At the top of the thread is a sticky about searching. Try searching the Business/Contracts for some terms around agent/response/call back or something like that to find them.

There is a big difference between a permie job and a contractor gig. Mainly the fact that when you go for a permie job you generally want that job. With contracting it is just a bit of work that will last 6 months and there are a lots of them about. Go for the interview and just get back to applying. It is one little bit of work with others to chase. The agent makes money out of you so if he wants you he will be knocking your door down, if he doesn't it's because he has nothing to say. It is in his interests to call you if there is good news so in most cases chasing him for feedback is a waste of time. Don't pin your hopes on every interview like permie world. Apply, interview, and repeat.

[Wanderer]

Is that a good sign or bad, from your experience?

Don't hold your breath, sometimes they never give feedback.

Quite often the agency will be calling you up minutes after the interview acting all coy about how did it go and then they will tell you that you've got the contract if you want it. Other times you will get messed around mercilessly. Just comes with the territory really, I've heard people here say that the job isn't real until you've started work there and had your first invoice paid. A somewhat jaded outlook on things but not too far removed from the truth...

Good luck!

[kingcook]

I have been to 2 interviews already & just wanted to ask, from your experience when you go for a contracting job interview...how long is it, before you hear from the employer\recruitment agencies?

Of the 3 contracts i've had an interview for (for contracts via an agency), i've always found out that the contract is mine within half an hour after the interview.

[Asper A Gus]

Of the 3 contracts i've had an interview for (for contracts via an agency), i've always found out that the contract is mine within half an hour after the interview.

WHS. You hear about the gig in the next few hours typically.

[Notascooby]

Totally depends on the client,the number of interviews and where you fit in the interview pattern.

You could be 1 of 5 interviews that span 2 weeks, if you're unlucky enough to be number 1 then you'll need to wait until all 5 interviews have taken place.

If you're number 5 and the right fit it could be 10 minutes.

You could have a niche skils-set and be the only fit, the client could swan off on holiday for 2 weeks and you could be left waiting.

As mentioned, until your bum is on the seat, assume that you've not got the gig.

[mzivtins]

I have been lucky and always recieved offers within the hour... one actually taking me to meet the HR manager after the interview giving confirmation of the contract offer and a discussion on how soon i could be in the office!

Then on the opposite end of the scale... i have accepted a contract offer, only for the project to go under... leaving nothing after closing off all other lines of enquiry as i like to be nice to agents (That taught me didnt it!)