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London market - dead? Overcrowded?

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    London market - dead? Overcrowded?

    I'm northwest contractor and started applying in london to score these awesome rates.

    Current experience : 15-25 calls a day. Rarely any interview. Managed to get 2 over a 3 weeks of looking with that amount of calls daily. Ridiculous

    Interview #1. 550pd javascript/ hedge fund: 5 min slot, queue outside of the room with other candidates. Manager is rushing me, handing me over some tests and quickly asking few questions. 4 min later Thank you NEXT!

    Interview #2. 450pd javascript: Waiting in reception reading newspaper. Manager approaches me, left newspaper on table. Technically excellent. Feedback: Receptionist told the manager I was rude that i left newspapers like that. Didn't get the gig.......
    Haha

    Interview #3 450pd javascript: Technically excellent. Manager had many other excellent candidates and chose among us.

    Now I wonder what it takes to be contracting in London. Contacts? Be wordclass, Davos speaker authority?
    Last edited by diseasex; 23 January 2017, 10:59.

    #2
    London isn't paying much more than the north atm.
    And like everywhere there are plenty of candidates for not many roles.

    If you want Java jobs for 450 a day stay north and have patience IMO
    See You Next Tuesday

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by diseasex View Post
      Now I wonder what it takes to be contracting in London. Contacts? Be wordclass, Davos speaker authority?
      You need to have a clue what you are doing. I'd stick to the NW if I were you.

      Cool story though. Thanks.
      Last edited by northernladuk; 23 January 2017, 10:52.
      'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
        You need to have a clue what you are doing.
        Thats rude. I would pass that feedback to your client.
        Haha

        At least agent from Dublin called and as he need to fill 25 contractors in some major bank. Ireland seems booming if they can't find contractors on local market
        Last edited by diseasex; 23 January 2017, 11:08.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by diseasex View Post
          I'm northwest contractor and started applying in london to score these awesome rates.

          Current experience : 15-25 calls a day. Rarely any interview
          Spotting BS in the CV?

          You need to be clued up and savvy to work in the city, I'm not sure you will be able to perform the needful.

          For that reason I'm out
          Last edited by MrMarkyMark; 23 January 2017, 11:14.
          The Chunt of Chunts.

          Comment


            #6
            [QUOTE=MrMarkyMark;2361536]
            Originally posted by diseasex View Post

            Spotting BS in the CV?

            You need to be clued up and savvy to work in the city, I'm not sure you will be able to perform the needful.

            For that reason I'm out
            Well some are put off that I'm based in Manchester, other putting me forward along with 50 other CV's.
            Given they do call me it can't be that bad?
            The only real chance to get a contract was with this receptionist issue which i failed.

            Comment


              #7
              At £450 a day how would you be making the NW > London thing viable without upping sticks? I've been plugging in the numbers for a while on this (on slightly higher rates too) and it barely seems worth it no matter how I pretend I'll be able to reduce expenses.

              Comment


                #8
                [QUOTE=diseasex;2361544]
                Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post

                Well some are put off that I'm based in Manchester, other putting me forward along with 50 other CV's.
                Given they do call me it can't be that bad?
                The only real chance to get a contract was with this receptionist issue.
                So you were perfect for the role but got rejected because you left your copy of the Daily Star on the table, I think maybe you weren't the shoe in you thought you were...

                Comment


                  #9
                  [QUOTE=diseasex;2361544]
                  Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post

                  Well some are put off that I'm based in Manchester, other putting me forward along with 50 other CV's.
                  Given they do call me it can't be that bad?
                  The only real chance to get a contract was with this receptionist issue which i failed.
                  Can work against you.

                  Little heads up you didn't not get that contract because you left a newspaper behind.
                  You think anyone uses a receptionist as a deciding factor?
                  The Chunt of Chunts.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    [QUOTE=MrMarkyMark;2361550]
                    Originally posted by diseasex View Post

                    Can work against you.

                    Little heads up you didn't not get that contract because you left a newspaper behind.
                    You think anyone uses a receptionist as a deciding factor?
                    I failed that interview and not blaming anyone else. Maybe I wasn't smiling enough.

                    So the question is , the experience for contractors in London might be similarly frustrating or I'm just odd case, and it's all rainbows and unicorns once you are estabilished contractor with good names on CV?

                    Comment

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