Agencies Drop Contractors
I think that it is normal IT agency practice that agencies drop contractors like a hot potato if they don‘t get a job after an interview. It seldom happens that you get serial interviews through one agency.
It is all black or white. If you land yourself the job, that‘s great. If you don’t, even if you get to the final stages, you’re damaged goods, and they move on to the next contractor who hasn’t ‘lost them’ a contract.
The other point to note is that you have about a two-week shelf life with agencies. If they don’t get you something in that time, then they move on.
No Agency News
It is a waste of time chasing an agency for news.
If a company wants to see you or they offer you the position the agency would be all over you. Of course it would be polite for them to call you and say that they haven’t heard anything. However, many of then don’t do it.
I can understand you wanting some sort of, ‘closure’ as they say in Americat. However, a lot of the time you’re not going to get it.
No Interview for Contractor
Some IT contractors also find the problem that their CVs are sent to jobs that they are absolutely perfect for – and they don‘t even get an interview.
The reason, often, is that the agency is not on the company‘s Preferred Supplier List. An agency might have sent your CV to a job just on spec. However, if they are not on the Preferred Supplier List, then it will just be binned.
The trick is to get your CV out to as many agents as possible. That’s so that you are going to get out to as many companies as possible.
If you send your CV to only a few agencies then you’ll only have a chance at jobs where they are on the PSL.
Preferred Supplier List
It would be worth asking agents who want to send out your CV if they are on the Preferred Supplier List at that particular company.
If they say that they are, or they say that there is no PSL there, and you discover that they are not or there is a PSL operated there, then you could find out who is on it (a call to HR) and send your CV to those agents.
Either that or you could send your CV direct. Attach a note asking whether they’ll take you direct. If they don’t, ask which agency is the best one to contact.
You could, of course, call up and ask if they would take you direct and, if not, which agencies are on the Preferred Supplier List. However, most contractors are too afraid to cold call, and that is why we have agents.
Agencies drop contractors at the slightest drop of a hat.
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