Is Jobserve a waste of time?

[SteelyDan]

Do you include your car parking arrangements questionnaire alongside jobserve applications?

Hilarious

[washed up contractor]

I get far more contact by agents who've seen my cv posted on Jobsite rather than applying via ads on Jobswerve.

You can still get agents contacting you after applying via Jobswerve but Ive noticed more and more agencies are not putting contact numbers in the ads. Clearly this makes it difficult to speak to the recruiting drone especially if the agency has multiple offices around the country never mind the 200+ cv's they get for many roles.

Only this morning an agent contacted me about a permie role. He said 'the bottom has fallen out of the contract market this year.' Also said he's doing far more permie recruitment now than contract wise.

[SueEllen]

I get far more contact by agents who've seen my cv posted on Jobsite rather than applying via ads on Jobswerve.

You can still get agents contacting you after applying via Jobswerve but Ive noticed more and more agencies are not putting contact numbers in the ads. Clearly this makes it difficult to speak to the recruiting drone especially if the agency has multiple offices around the country never mind the 200+ cv's they get for many roles.

Only this morning an agent contacted me about a permie role. He said 'the bottom has fallen out of the contract market this year.' Also said he's doing far more permie recruitment now than contract wise.

How odd. I've just had 3 calls - no 4 as I got interrupted writing this from agents with contract roles. Unfortunately I'm not looking just yet.

Wonder what skills you have?

Btw last time I was told tulip like that I got a contract I applied for months before. The contract had disappeared as the client was changing agents but they recognised my CV.

[tiggat]

I found two contracts (my first) on jobserve this year.

[Northern Soul]

The high volume of applications that many - and certainly PM positions get - on Jobserve (and others) makes the whole process feel little more than a lottery to me. Having said that, my last two contracts came from it, albeit not for gigs I'd applied, but rather agencies finding my CV on said site.

I'm curious to know, are there really 100+ serious applications for each and every PM position ? Even in the northern towns and cities where I'm looking ? By serious, I mean a strong candidates with a good skills & experience match for the role spec, with a willingness to locate as needed. Or is there than an inordinate amount of people just pinging their CV at each and every role cos they've nothing to lose ? Done it myself over the years when in permieland...having crap day so fire CV off for a role or two in the lunch hour to pretend I'm being proactive. Not serious applications, just testing the water and adding the the agencies inbox.

IMO, a nominal payment of, say, £1 for each application would help reduce the volume to those who are serious and viable for a role, and give the agencies a better chance to assess them accordingly.

Worst part of contracting is the "recruitment" "process". It's can be very disheartening, but you gotta keep plodding on. Good luck to those trying right now.

[northernladuk]

Or is there than an inordinate amount of people just pinging their CV at each and every role cos they've nothing to lose ? .

Well we've one of those in this thread so if he doesn't know better you can bet your bottom dollar there will be plenty more out there.

[northernladyuk]

The high volume of applications that many - and certainly PM positions get - on Jobserve (and others) makes the whole process feel little more than a lottery to me. Having said that, my last two contracts came from it, albeit not for gigs I'd applied, but rather agencies finding my CV on said site.

I'm curious to know, are there really 100+ serious applications for each and every PM position ? Even in the northern towns and cities where I'm looking ? By serious, I mean a strong candidates with a good skills & experience match for the role spec, with a willingness to locate as needed. Or is there than an inordinate amount of people just pinging their CV at each and every role cos they've nothing to lose ? Done it myself over the years when in permieland...having crap day so fire CV off for a role or two in the lunch hour to pretend I'm being proactive. Not serious applications, just testing the water and adding the the agencies inbox.

IMO, a nominal payment of, say, £1 for each application would help reduce the volume to those who are serious and viable for a role, and give the agencies a better chance to assess them accordingly.

Worst part of contracting is the "recruitment" "process". It's can be very disheartening, but you gotta keep plodding on. Good luck to those trying right now.

As all the ads are genuine, that's a splendid way of keeping our esteemed recruitment professional colleagues in hair gel.

[Northern Soul]

As all the ads are genuine, that's a splendid way of keeping our esteemed recruitment professional colleagues in hair gel.

vary fair point, from both the cash cow and gel perspectives.

[pauldee]

The standard procedure in my experience is that I apply for roles through Jobserve, none of those roles seem to go anywhere, but the agents involved have a load of other roles they need to fill and put me forward for them, and this seems to be how I get most of my work. So if they're all just fishing ads, then I get fished and it suits me fine!

Regarding 'the bottom falling out of the contract market': recruiters I know (personally, no professionally) are having tough job filling their permie roles. This could well be something they're saying just to get you to switch to permie.

[SimonMac]

20 applications in 4 weeks, that is only 1 per day, finding a contract sometimes is a numbers game the more you apply for the more your name gets noticed, if there is a shortage of roles you can apply for try expanding your keyword searches.

One thing I did last time which seemed to work, is take advantage of the LinkedIn Premium free trial, set your status as available on there too rather than limiting yourself to one resource for finding a contract.