Are there any jobs out there?

[norrahe]

Same boat here. In the teens of years of contracting with only one time I didn't walk straight into the next gig and that was during the dot com slump. I'd say this is even deader, it is not a good time of year and I would hope for some improvement come April. The problem come April is that the numbers of people benched and chasing any new gigs will be a bit scary.

I know how you feel, I've gone from not having to bother looking as pimps would ring me when they had summat new. To actually having to apply online for stuff.
Though when roles do come up atm, I am getting phone calls before they get put online. But those roles are not very often.
People are being more specific about what they want rather than the usual generalisation in throwing money around.

[DocP]

Disaster

Well, just got the update for the perm role. Apparently having only done 3 MOSS implementations and the certification was not enough. Oh and I passed their technical test as well.


There are no other irons in the fire, this is turning in to a total nightmare.

[Belle]

People are being more specific about what they want rather than the usual generalisation in throwing money around.

Telling me. I’ve seen Test Manager ads asking for 10 plus years experience in one specific legacy application...plus Programme Management experience, and coding experience and hands-on automation experience and security clearance and you must have climbed Everest and sailed solo around the world and be able to stand on your head while reciting the entire works of Shakespeare. My nine years moving between Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Investment Banking seem worthless. I should have stuck in one company on one app.

[norrahe]

Telling me. I’ve seen Test Manager ads asking for 10 plus years experience in one specific legacy application...plus Programme Management experience, and coding experience and hands-on automation experience and security clearance and you must have climbed Everest and sailed solo around the world and be able to stand on your head while reciting the entire works of Shakespeare. My nine years moving between Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Investment Banking seem worthless. I should have stuck in one company on one app.

My OH will have this to look forward to, he's a test engineer with nearly 20 years experience, though he's looking for both perm and contract having just been amde redundant.
The company he's been with for the last 8 years have never encourgaged any formal qualifications only their own accreditited ones which mean jack and tulipe in the outside world. So he's going to have fun.

Though I do hate it when you get a pimp fresh out of uni telling you that they know more about your line of business than you do and belittlling your experience.

[norrahe]

Lazy agencies?

I normally get a call from a pimp if my cv matches a job spec.

Now it seems the pimps are getting lazy and e-mailing the job spec and asking you to give them a call.

Anyone else?

[robbie274]

I normally get a call from a pimp if my cv matches a job spec.

Now it seems the pimps are getting lazy and e-mailing the job spec and asking you to give them a call.

Anyone else?

Oh yes.

Also, if your applying online they don't even bother to ring anymore. I find myself doing all the chasing these days. They are getting that many CV's that I think they are only being serious about the ones that they get calls about.

My protocol now is: Submit online, wait 2 hrs and then chase, but don't expect much out if it. If they call me within the 2hrs then its either a phising call or a real interest in my CV, so be cautious.

[norrahe]

Oh yes.
My protocol now is: Submit online, wait 2 hrs and then chase, but don't expect much out if it. If they call me within the 2hrs then its either a phising call or a real interest in my CV, so be cautious.

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

[LittlestHobbo]

Its strange one of my clients put an add out for an inhouse permie developer, on monster and has had two responses in a month.

[Belle]

I got a call on Monday and the agency went through my experience, availability, rate and where I would travel to etc. He then said he had two possible roles for me and would send through the job specs for me to look over. Nothing has arrived. I don't quite understand the point of the call if they have too many people on their books. I've also had two people from one agency say they were putting me forward for a role, and would send me through the job spec but again, nothing.

[norrahe]

I got a call on Monday and the agency went through my experience, availability, rate and where I would travel to etc. He then said he had two possible roles for me and would send through the job specs for me to look over. Nothing has arrived. I don't quite understand the point of the call if they have too many people on their books. I've also had two people from one agency say they were putting me forward for a role, and would send me through the job spec but again, nothing.

This is getting quite common, I don't see the point either.

I've had a couple of these today. I generally ask for the spec and refuse to give out managers names or who I'm interviewing with.
If they don't tell you who the client is, it's normally a giveaway.