Anywhere else to look except Jobserve?

[gadgetman]

Just signed up to Monster on one of the earlier recommendations. What a palaver!

First off the site insisted it had a matching account for my email address, despite me never signing up before. Then when I requested it to send me the login details for this email address it came up with a form of half a page of verification information. I gave up and signed up with a different email.

On the main sign up page there is so much to fill in and select and despite this there was still no matching category or job title for my sector.

Then I uploaded my CV (MS Word) which it has managed to mangle by messing up the formatting and converting all of the bullets to a numbered list. What a mess.

God knows what the CV looks lke to potential employers . How can they possibly screw this up, its in MS Word format (Office 2003).

Anyway, not recommended.

[NoddY]

Just signed up to Monster on one of the earlier recommendations. What a palaver!

First off the site insisted it had a matching account for my email address, despite me never signing up before. Then when I requested it to send me the login details for this email address it came up with a form of half a page of verification information. I gave up and signed up with a different email.

On the main sign up page there is so much to fill in and select and despite this there was still no matching category or job title for my sector.

Then I uploaded my CV (MS Word) which it has managed to mangle by messing up the formatting and converting all of the bullets to a numbered list. What a mess.

God knows what the CV looks lke to potential employers . How can they possibly screw this up, its in MS Word format (Office 2003).

Anyway, not recommended.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6961880.stm

[Sean Fowler]

Just found that Cygnanto has a promotion offering free professional membership: http://www.cynanto.com/offer.asp

I've only just signed up so I don't yet know if anything will come from it. My guess is that they're trying to get more contractors so that more clients will use the site.

[DBA_bloke]

Just found that Cygnanto has a promotion offering free professional membership: http://www.cynanto.com/offer.asp

I've only just signed up so I don't yet know if anything will come from it. My guess is that they're trying to get more contractors so that more clients will use the site.

Sean: are you a Cygnanto employee?

[Sean Fowler]

No, I only found out about them from this thread.

[Orbit]

No, I only found out about them from this thread.

Funny you signed up just to tell us about it

Anyway IMHO I think it's a great idea - time will tell if clients think the same - which is what will make or break it...

BTW:

Just found that Cygnanto has a promotion...

HTH

[wendigo100]

They have some jolly good jobs on teletext.

[wendigo100]

Then I uploaded my CV ...

I never do that.

[Sean Fowler]

Funny you signed up just to tell us about it

Hey, eveybody gotta start somewhere

This is me.

Just thought that as a previous discount code (for 30%) had been mentioned here that you guys might be interested in the new 100% discount.

I reckon they have the usual chicken-and-egg situation. Contractors won't pay to sign up if clients aren't using it, and clients won't use it if it doesn't have many contractors. From the few searches I've done it doesn't look as though they have many contractors yet, which is probably why they're giving membership away.

I'd love to see something like this succeed. There are decent recruitment consultants around, but finding them amongst the rats can be a painful experience.

Anyway I've just now had to start looking for new business. I started my company at the beginning of the year, but till now I've been developing my software product and doing just enough contract work to keep me going for a client I'd worked with before.

I've been surprised at the lack of response I've been getting from agents. I don't know if this is usual or if there's something in my CV that's putting them off. I'm a damn good developer but a lousy marketer

But I've taken some of the advice on this thread, putting my details on Cygnanto and Monster. I've also put my details on JobServe, and applied for some of the contracts in my area. I've already been on LinkedIn for a while; had one enquiry from it, but in an area I haven't worked in (MS CRM).

I've also spoken to ICS about joining their Dream Team, but again I'm not getting much of a response from them.

Well hopefully the offers will start rolling in now