State of the Market

[rocktronAMP]

Snap - same here. It's been a way I've met recruiters in the past who have placed me and other than the odd here's what I'm up to post (to keep relevant) I typically only post when a gig is coming to an end to let folks know that I am available again. Other than for my first contract role 8 years ago I've never visited a job board.

Granted, I typically work in Logistics - same industry I worked perm in for 15 years so over that time have made some contacts with folks so maybe it's that too. Far easier having a network than trawling job boards though.

I had my flag at "Open To Work" for five/six weeks to see who bites on LinkedIn.
There are recruiters sending me "senior software engineer" stuff but most of the time, no mention of salary or contract rate.
I knock them back as I am a tech lead or equivalent level.
I tend to get 3-5 approaches in a week.
C++, C#, Java, Python and even Salesforce and even Murex (must be 2010 at HSBC, I thought I had deleted that rubbish.)
It is a very weak job market from my echo chamber.
Recruiters are just using the buzzword bingo, and the algorithm just spits out near enough matchings based the registered data/profile.
I don't see the specialised resource hunters like I did in 2019, 2021 and even 2023.

After both UK budget and US election, I am still looking for the signs of green shoots recovery. They are lacking.
I find searching for job on LinkedIn tiresome in comparison to jobserve, jobsite and totaljobs.
I cannot stand that most ads that I see, have no salary or contract rate so how do you know? It is just job jingle mungle talk.
"Proven expertise in specifying, designing, developing, and testing complex full-stack software solutions"

There is reason why the job search experience is poor.
LinkedIn was never designed from the UX/UI point of view as a Job Website. It is a poor bolt-on side-ware as the default option.
Is it better when you pay for it as Premium user? I never bothered/ to find out. I wonder what UI/UX the recruiter sees. Anyone know exactly?
In the past, recruiters have found me, but maybe LinkedIn is past its prime.
We need a better alternative business network resource platform in 2025/2026.

[Bluenose]

That's the problem with this current generation of AI. It's looking for patterns . You'll need 50 tags and you can't be generic unfortunately I can see why a C++ dev would struggle more on the platform, not because you are less valued but how can you differentiate yourself from another C++ developer using the tags ?

and yes being badge verified with premium does help.

you almost need a 2011 CV expert who can now in 2024 describe you using 50 tags. As LI doesn't use your CV and therefore your CV is worthless.

Once you get your head around that and embrace it you might be able to find the right key to game the algo properly for the type of C++ dev you are.

[Cookielove]

Still looking with no joy…the job at £400 day/£70k never materialised agent said they took someone lees experienced on £300 per day inside.

I’m find LI beyond tedious and not helpful so many ads and pointless stuff and more desperation posts by the day …lot of single parent sob stories and begging for work/am losing my home type stuff .

I haven’t verified as they want your passport details also not got premium either am not convinced it would be any better as it seems like it’s had its day!

I scroll through a lot of nonsense but I find v slim pickings …not interested to see a team nosh up at the Ned or whatever or self congratulatory stuff like popping a sprog/getting a promotion why is that on LI??

I am despairing of getting a role now this year …jobs I could do with my eyes shut not even an interview ..applicant numbers seem high so it’s v tricky ! Personally I’ve never known it this bad or maybe my memory isn’t what it was 🤔

[Ketto]

You might find it useful to gather recommendations. Is the recommendations feature useful to you finding roles? I very much doubt. It's the one area I never bother to read.

Inclined to agree.

It’s one of those things my brain tells me must be helpful, but i’ve never had a shred of direct or indirect evidence that is has actually helped me. No recruiter or client has ever said “I saw your recommendation from X and….”. Recommendations have never once been mentioned during a contract search.

[Ketto]

Still looking with no joy…the job at £400 day/£70k never materialised agent said they took someone lees experienced on £300 per day inside.

I’m find LI beyond tedious and not helpful so many ads and pointless stuff and more desperation posts by the day …lot of single parent sob stories and begging for work/am losing my home type stuff .

I haven’t verified as they want your passport details also not got premium either am not convinced it would be any better as it seems like it’s had its day!

I scroll through a lot of nonsense but I find v slim pickings …not interested to see a team nosh up at the Ned or whatever or self congratulatory stuff like popping a sprog/getting a promotion why is that on LI??

I am despairing of getting a role now this year …jobs I could do with my eyes shut not even an interview ..applicant numbers seem high so it’s v tricky ! Personally I’ve never known it this bad or maybe my memory isn’t what it was 🤔

Hope things work out for you. Linkedin’s best utility for me is giving you a quick and easy way to announce to all agents, former clients, colleagues, suppliers and associates that you’re available. Being able to post a positive sounding message detailing what your looking for and what you have been working on recently to a network of 500-1000 is incredibly useful. I don’t green banner personally but don’t think it hurts if you do, i find it is the attitude alongside the green banner which causes some people issues. I nearly always get 3-4 messages with offers or strong potential leads when i post that I’m available soon. Building up wide awareness of your availability via job board applications and othernon-LI means takes much longer.

The downside the last couple of times is that the leads tend to be from clients so bad i have no intention of ever working with them again, but it has been reassuring that there are options if absolutely necessary!

[zonkkk]

Hope things work out for you. Linkedin’s best utility for me is giving you a quick and easy way to announce to all agents, former clients, colleagues, suppliers and associates that you’re available. Being able to post a positive sounding message detailing what your looking for and what you have been working on recently to a network of 500-1000 is incredibly useful. I don’t green banner personally but don’t think it hurts if you do, i find it is the attitude alongside the green banner which causes some people issues. I nearly always get 3-4 messages with offers or strong potential leads when i post that I’m available soon. Building up wide awareness of your availability via job board applications and othernon-LI means takes much longer.

The downside the last couple of times is that the leads tend to be from clients so bad i have no intention of ever working with them again, but it has been reassuring that there are options if absolutely necessary!

I take the same approach, and it always seem to work. Open to Work was set on for about 2 weeks before my last contract ended with a message saying what I am looking for. Started new contract a week after my previous one finished.

[oliverson]

I deleted LI earlier this year and never looked back. Never got anything from it. Its worse than FB because it pretends its a professional platform, and well at least FB has some decent second hand advertisements. Not even mentioning all the corp cringe slop and bulltulip its always putting in your feed.

I'm longing to do the same. Been on the platform since 2004 but these days I shudder at the crap I read. And these hard luck stories are pathetic. Bound to do more damage than good. I'm really relishing the day I can delete my profile completely. That day is coming soon I feel.

[oliverson]

...
After both UK budget and US election, I am still looking for the signs of green shoots recovery. They are lacking.
...

That's because Two Tier Starmer and Rachel From Accounts ****ed up any chance of recovery with their destructive budget and policies. Mark my words, there will be NO recovery while these clowns are in charge.

[SussexSeagull]

That's because Two Tier Starmer and Rachel From Accounts ****ed up any chance of recovery with their destructive budget and policies. Mark my words, there will be NO recovery while these clowns are in charge.

Yes, because the 14 years before that were an unbridled success.

[oliverson]

Yes, because the 14 years before that were an unbridled success.

Agree, they were an unmitigated disaster, which is why I didn't vote for the fake tories (or Labour).