Interesting response from recruiter

[jayn200]

I’m not convinced these days that blindly responding to vacancies is worth it.

All my contract roles have come from knowing agents and/or from prior contacts via LinkedIn.

The more agency competition you have the more likely your valid experience can be drowned out by blag.

Yeah I don't know. I think it depends a lot on your CV and your network. Which is stronger? For you it's probably your network. For me, it's my CV. I have multiple relevant degrees/certificates and a strong set of technical skills and good projects ive worked on but have only worked in London for 3 years so don't have a strong network here. I do much better blindly responding to vacancies.

[ladymuck]

I still blindly respond to vacancies but it seems that my network sorts me out more often than not.

It's nice to see if I'm hirable to people that don't know me (possibly not, it would seem )

[BigDataPro]

Well, let me tell you something honestly. I am an immigrant. Living in this country legally for over 15+ years. My command over english and my ability to understand different accents is far lower than native speakers. I try my best to socialise, talk to every one in my team without any judgement. Every day in this forum I learn native ways (words, phrases, idioms etc) of expressing something. My (people) network is not that strong probably either because I don't have command over the language or because I am an introvert. I am not complaining about people its just that my skills to fit-in is not working.

Almost all the roles for the past 15+ years I have found are through my CV.

P.S I do watch the skillset trend and equip myself through certifications and fib about my experience in that skillset that I have already have a certification for.

[ladymuck]

Well, let me tell you something honestly. I am an immigrant. Living in this country legally for over 15+ years. My command over english and my ability to understand different accents is far lower than native speakers. I try my best to socialise, talk to every one in my team without any judgement. Every day in this forum I learn native ways (words, phrases, idioms etc) of expressing something. My (people) network is not that strong probably either because I don't have command over the language or because I am an introvert. I am not complaining about people its just that my skills to fit-in is not working.

Almost all the roles for the past 15+ years I have found are through my CV.

P.S I do watch the skillset trend and equip myself through certifications and fib about my experience in that skillset that I have already have a certification for.

When I say network I'm not talking about a little black book crammed full of names, it's about three or four people. You don't need to know a lot of people, just a few. They're the ones I clicked with at different places and keep in touch with because they've become friends.

I think it probably is harder for an immigrant. I have worked with a wonderful Polish woman who is great to spend time with yet some of her mannerisms and manner of speaking comes across as blunt and harsh sometimes. I have to remember there's other clues than the ones I'm used to that will tell me if I'm about to get decked or hugged .

[BigDataPro]

When I say network I'm not talking about a little black book crammed full of names, it's about three or four people. You don't need to know a lot of people, just a few. They're the ones I clicked with at different places and keep in touch with because they've become friends.

I think it probably is harder for an immigrant. I have worked with a wonderful Polish woman who is great to spend time with yet some of her mannerisms and manner of speaking comes across as blunt and harsh sometimes. I have to remember there's other clues than the ones I'm used to that will tell me if I'm about to get decked or hugged .

No, No, No I wasn't referring your comments. It's just that I felt like saying probably like you did. (I am really not sure if it will be thought of as sarcastic. But that wasn't the intention)

[ladymuck]

No, No, No I wasn't referring your comments. It's just that I felt like saying probably like you did. (I am really not sure if it will be thought of as sarcastic. But that wasn't the intention)

I didn't take it that way

It was more that I thought you raised a good point and I wanted to clarify that a network can mean just a few people rather than a rolodex full of names.

[BigDataPro]

I didn't take it that way

It was more that I thought you raised a good point and I wanted to clarify that a network can mean just a few people rather than a rolodex full of names.

Thank you! Happy to know that you took it for what it meant!