Scatter Cv's or Be Specific to a job

[icw]

Hi,
Should I scatter my Cv around several Agencies (in the hope they will get me something) or should i watch the job boards and apply to specific ads?

If I send to agencies, which ones are reccomended to be fairly decent?

Thanks guys

[Spartacus]

Apply for specific jobs. Just sending a CV to an agency on the off-chance they might have a position for you is inviting them to scam you for leads.

[icw]

Thanks Spartacus

[lukemg]

Agreed, waste of time. The right agency is the one who has the job that matches you, especially these days when they only make half an effort to maintain a db of candidates (if any at all).
You can always register your CV on a site. I don't do this but if I did I would specify very strict criteria for location and rate etc to avoid some of the fishing calls coming in.
HTH

[DodgyAgent]

Hi,
Should I scatter my Cv around several Agencies (in the hope they will get me something) or should i watch the job boards and apply to specific ads?

If I send to agencies, which ones are reccomended to be fairly decent?

Thanks guys

Apply for every job that looks of interest. For multiples of the same jobs check the PSL and try even to establish whether the agency is indeed a bona fide supplier. Establish a regular network of agencies to whom you send your updated CV regularly. Simply keep an eye on their ads even while you are in contract to see if they continue to have jobs for you. It is also worth you finding out which companies operate in your business/technical/geographical areas and keep your own market information.

Remember agencies prefer to look at CVs that come in as a result of an ad and only bother with database searches as a secondary option unless thay are after a specialist skill that will not turn up in huge numbers on a CV search.

So for project management or "C" programming keep agents "warm". If it is something like Murex or Oracle financials they are both smallish communities.

If I were a banking contractor I would be looking to exchange information all of the time with fellow contractors, at least then you are more likely to know whether an agent is bulltulipting you.