Jobserve - is there a sniping tool?

[Worzel]

Hi,

It's been a couple of years since I've been on the bench so after a few months "holiday" I now find that my days are being filled by tediously hitting "refresh" on Jobserve. I've only been looking for a couple of weeks so far but the impression I'm getting is that you have to be very quick out the blocks thesedays for your C.V. to be one of the 3 that get's put forward. In fact I've also noticed that jobs appear and then get deleted all within the same day - presumably to stem the number of applications. This is a new one for me!

So we know it's tough and getting the next contract is sometimes more luck than judgement (especially with the agencies and their games) but I'd say speed of application is becoming THE defining factor just to be put forward. Is there a tool that can automatically apply for jobs while you are away from the computer based on criteria that you set? A sort of jobserve sniper tool similar to what they have with ebay?!

Cheers

[BrilloPad]

Why dont you write one? A great plan B.......

[malvolio]

As long as you're not in the same line of work as me...

I use an RSS feed off my two or three usual searches. That drops something in within a minute or two of the job hitting the boards. Feedreader is a good collector, runs in near real time and is free.


ps That's the difference between coders and PMs., One suggests writing something, ione suggests using what's already there...

[Worzel]

Why dont you write one? A great plan B.......

Yep, could do although it's somewhat limited market and if someone else has already done this...

[Worzel]

I use an RSS feed off my two or three usual searches. That drops something in within a minute or two of the job hitting the boards.

Yes, that half way there but you still have to be in front of a screen to view the rss feed. Ideally I want something that that applies for me while I'm blissfully unaware playing golf

It seems to be all about speed right now and it's really not worth spending too much of the day activeley looking as their simply isn't the volume of contracts out there to mull over. Of course if everyone was to use a sniping tool then some of the agencies would also have to rethink their current strategy because they would all be flooded within minutes

[malvolio]

They already are.

One day, one of them will figure out that perhaps they should use the ones they already have, in their searchable databases, rather than stick every requirement on Jobserve and sink under the sheer weight of emails.

Then again, that requires the application of intelligence...

[MrMark]

They already are.

One day, one of them will figure out that perhaps they should use the ones they already have, in their searchable databases, rather than stick every requirement on Jobserve and sink under the sheer weight of emails.

Then again, that requires the application of intelligence...

You may have a point. There again, certain agencies (yes you Hoaxley) seem to rely on automatically generated emails that have only tenuous links to your skill set. Perhaps they match on keyword "database" or "contractor" or "Unix" or just "the".

[xoggoth]

Think somebody asked this a couple of months ago.

Automatic? Doubt it but there is a Jobserve sidebar gadget for Vista which you can find in the gadget search. Quick if you are at PC. Certainly brings up list of jobs, not sure how complete it is.

PS As gadgets are basically just HTML you could probably invoke the link in excel VBA or summit.

PPS On looking at js on second thoughts not, complicated.

[Brussels Slumdog]

Blissfully unaware

Yes, that half way there but you still have to be in front of a screen to view the rss feed. Ideally I want something that that applies for me while I'm blissfully unaware playing golf

Your CV would be sent immediately for the £250 a day job in Iraq without your knowledge and sign the contract on your belhalf. A taxi containing your suit case would be waiting at the 19th hole to wisk you off to the airport.
Modern Progress.

I guess the best way forward would be for Jobserve to send you a text message
with the agent's phone number to your mobile if a job came up with some basic key words.

[Worzel]

I guess the best way forward would be for Jobserve to send you a text message
with the agent's phone number to your mobile if a job came up with some basic key words.

In an ideal world yes but this market is far from ideal. Getting hold of the agent who placed the ad by phone is virtually impossible thesedays as it's a case of "don't call us, we'll call you" It's been this way for quite a while to be fair.

If I had something that automatically applied the instant it hit jobserve then it solves the problem of being too late in the game. I could then choose wether I want to be put forward if/when I get the call from the agent. I suppose it might waste a bit more of their time but I'm not going to lose much sleep over that!