In the last 7 yrs that I have been regularly contracting in IT, I have been out of work for only TWO WEEKS (apart from some nice long holidays!).
I have got TEN out of the ELEVEN jobs I have been interviewed for!
I have been interviewed by 90% of the companies who have seen my CV
My CV has been forwarded by 95% of the agencies I have sent it to.
I regularly get calls from agencies asking me if I am available for a contract.
(By regularly, I mean at LEAST 2 a week)
I know these are bold claims but they are all true...
I have heard from many fellow contractors and seen on many websites that IT contracting is on the decline and many contractors are out of work for large parts of the year.
WHY?
Could there be many things that they are doing wrong that I’m doing right?
I am reasonably experienced in my chosen field – but many guys have more experience than me!
I am reasonably presentable- but so are they!
I can communicate well enough – so can they!
So what do I have that they don’t?
* Attitude
* Realistic rates
* Flexibility
* Planning
* Reliability
* THE C.V.
OK... Let’s address these things one at a time.
ATTITUDE:
I ALWAYS walk into an interview wondering what this company can give me.
I ALWAYS walk into an interview enthusiastically – Really wanting the contract.
I ALWAYS walk into an interview confidently, knowing that I have the skills to do the job.
I NEVER apply for a job I know I can’t do.
I NEVER lie on my CV or at interviews.
REALISTIC RATES:
It would be VERY nice to get £50.00 per hour for every contract you take.
THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!
Not now... Rates are changing all the time. At the moment good contractors in London are being offered an average rate of £12-£15 for general 2nd/3rd line support!
This is not good BUT - What is the point of waiting for six months just to get another £5.00 more on your hourly rate?
I have averaged just over £25.00 per hour over the last few years – Some contracts have paid at lot more – Some a little less - This works out at about £50- 60k per year.
AND I HAVE NOT BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR A LONG PERIOD!
I’m getting more, consistently per year, (on average) than the guys working on £30.00 or £40.00 per hour for a few months then waiting for the next ‘well-paid’ contract to drop in their laps.
Think about it – Even £15.00 per hour is better than sitting on your backside, losing your skills, while you wait for that ‘juicy’ contract.
£15.00 per hour is still more than the ‘Average Joe’ makes anytime.
Now the good news: Rates that I’m being offered are slowly increasing… Things seem to be picking up!
FLEXIBILITY:
I am currently working in Newcastle Upon Tyne and have been here for 4 yrs. Before that I was working in the Midlands. You have to be flexible on where you work, how many hours you work, what you do. You have to be a ‘Jack of all trades’ even if you are only a master of a few of them
PLANNING:
My CV shows the progression of a good, steady IT career.
I go for contracts that will enhance the look of my CV and will give me extra skills to take to my next contract.
That sometimes means I take a small drop in hourly rate!
RELIABILITY:
I am often amazed by the attitude of some contractors!
The world was not created to give you a living – you have to work for it.
Just turning up for work on time seems difficult for some people.
In all dealings with the client and the agent you must be courteous, reliable and professional.
Work hard and people might not really notice. Don’t bother and they definitely will!
THE CV:
This is your ‘foot in the door’
My CV is easy to read and gives the interviewer instant information about my skills.
Many things have been written about how to format your CV to get you noticed above the crowd, but mostly, this relates to what I call: ‘Permanent Job’ CVs
Forget everything you have heard about only having two pages for your CV – Mine is currently SEVEN PAGES LONG!
Why? Because it shows what I have done and what I can do.
It’s often said that the person sifting through the batches of CVs for the initial selection has only a few seconds to decide whether you get through the next stage.
This is probably true…
You MUST get your skills across – Prove you have the skills to do the job.
BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT,
This is not enough!
Your CV MUST have more substance – You cannot just list your skills – You must SHOW where you have used these skills and how you will be a valuable asset to any company that hires you.
I have a proven format that really works
I am not saying that each and every one of these things is better than anybody else’s.
What I am saying is that in combination they all compliment me and enhance my chances of securing the contracts I want.
These things could be put to work for you!
They work for me and the other guys in the Parker IT family!
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