An IT Contractor Bursary from The CV & Interview Advisors

There are encouraging signs that the UK is heading for better times with inflation easing, the promise of lower interest rates, and even the odd LinkedIn post that IT contractor recruitment might have turned a corner in March.

But context is king. These few green shoots follow some challenging conditions for the UK’s contracting community, writes Matt Craven, founder of The CV & Interview Advisors.

What is the CV & Interview Advisors’ IT Contractor Bursary?

Partly in response to these financial challenges, and partly to help tech contractors gear up for an upturn in trading conditions, The CV & Interview Advisors is delighted to announce a personal branding bursary for benched IT contractors who otherwise could not afford such support.

To be made under our new pro bono service which will provide future bursaries for other professions in the future, The CV & Interview Advisors IT Contractor Bursary will grant our award-winning, 5-star rated contractor CV and LinkedIn profile-writing service to an individual who has been jobless for three months or more.

Usually costing £573 for this personal branding package, if you receive the bursary, it is effectively a grant that does not need to be paid.

Rationale

The essence of this financial aid lies in our recognition of the recent hardships faced by contractors, but also -- the hugely important need to be market-ready for the hoped-for upturn which, as I said at the top, is potentially coming into sight.

Under our new pro-bono service, various professions and sectors will receive a £573 bursary each month,  and the first is aimed at providing a substantial boost to contract IT professionals. We’re handing to one such professional the tools integral to finding new opportunities – in the foreseen good times but also invariably still lingering for some, the bad times too.

Inspiration

My inspiration for this bursary was while watching one of my favourite TV dramas, Suits.

The programme is centred around a New York-based law firm’s leaders and employees who, from time-to-time, navigate between the cutthroat world of corporate law and the opportunities to help people through pro bono work.

This won’t be news to IT contractors. The legal sector is widely acknowledged for providing its often services on a pro bono basis, but other industries often don’t. It made me ask the question – is this something we could, and should do?

Lockdown support

During lockdown, professionals across various sectors, including local trades, were extending help in any way they could.

Likewise, we put a package of support together to help contractors, but does it have to be during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that this type of financial aid is available?!

Even with our paid-for services, we feel blessed that what we specialise in often has a life-changing impact on the people and their prospects. We’ve found ourselves in a position where we can help others, so this offer is our way of giving back. We’d like to leverage our expertise where it's needed most and arguably can make the biggest difference.

CV woes

We’ve noticed a common thread among contractors benched for three months or more – their CVs and LinkedIn profiles often fail to effectively communicate their commercial value.

If the CVs of such individuals do communicate a value proposition, they then fail at the next hurdle --  aligning the CV’s content with the market’s demands.

Are you, too, falling at one of these two hurdles in your IT contractor job search?

The tools and services within our IT contractor bursary aims to rectify this by enhancing the selected contractor’s professional image and their online presence, thereby significantly improving their chances of landing contract roles.

The CV & Interview Advisors’ IT Contractor Bursary: criteria for entry

We're seeking contractors who have been impacted by the challenges of recent times but who demonstrate a keen desire to make 2024 their best year yet, even though they have been benched for at least the last last three months.

To apply for the bursary, please email [email protected] before the end of March to request an application form quoting CUKPBA1.

We’ll then send you a short application form where you can apply yourself -- or nominate someone you know.

The key condition of the bursary is that it’s for IT contractors who have been out of work for three months or more. You can read the full T&Cs of our pro bono service, here.

Each application will be meticulously reviewed by our team, with the bursary awarded to the most compelling case.

And even if you're not selected, every applicant will receive a £25 voucher towards our services, along with three months of free access to our comprehensive career portal, worth £59.97!

Free CV review

And remember, all Contractor UK readers are already eligible for a free CV and /or LinkedIn profile appraisal. Head over to this page if you would like some confidential and constructive feedback: https://cvandinterviewadvisors.co.uk/partners/contractor-uk