Market picking up or Agents updating their database?

[Ashwin2007]

After the start of the new financial year, and after the Easter holidays, I find there has been a sudden spurt of calls from Agents. 6 calls in 4 days (since 14th April). I never applied to any of these agents in the last 6 months.

One of them said they were updating their database.

One asked me for updated resume to submit to client (which they promised over phone), but after resume sent to the Agent, no reply from the Agent.

Others mentioned a 'role' .. without specifying the client as usual.

Is the market actually picking up and funds are allocated to new projects from the start of the financial year OR the Agents are simply updating their databases with active resumes? Any thoughts?

[Grinder]

I've had about that number of calls this week - very encouraging although some are tentative (a couple even said the roles weren't out yet but were expected).

All but one told me the names of the companies - which I am assuming is a goodish sign.

[vetran]

yep a call today. my CV has been off job sites for 5 years. Agents may be moving again (or scraping the barrell).

[Fred Bloggs]

Early signs of market picking up here too I believe. However, I did get a call from a friendly agent of Tuesday desperate for leads. Being a decent bloke he opened the conversation with those words so I was helpful to him. However, that particular agency is suffering from being very big in the pharmaceutical industry which has virtually imploded for contractors and they're in almost nothing else.

[Sausage Surprise]

I've had about that number of calls this week - very encouraging although some are tentative (a couple even said the roles weren't out yet but were expected).

All but one told me the names of the companies - which I am assuming is a goodish sign.

Ditto...please let this be the start of the upturn....

[Not So Wise]

Had about 5 calls over the last 2 weeks…which is strange as my CV has not been "on the market" really for close to 4 years (only 3 agencies have had my CV during that period and none of the calls were from them) , got a feeling it's agents updating databases because if they had real roles they would have a lot more recent contractor CV's to work with instead of wasting time with CV's 4 to 5 years out of date

[Turion]

They're trying to look busy by keeping their call rate high. Updating old CV's is one way of doing it, and there's always the possibility they could get a lead, even if they don't ask directly for it.

[spoons]

Optimism anyone

[DocP]

Don't be fooled. Market sucks.

[BlasterBates]

Just checked...seems to be lots of Java jobs also in London. Doesn't look too bad at all. I'm not Java, but interested to hear opinions of Java programmers.