Applying for contracts via Job Boards.

[Soled73]

When you apply for a gig using, say, JobServe do you just sit back and wait for the agency to get in touch, or do you ring them, email them and basically hassle them into submission?

I sit back, but sometimes the phone is worryingly silent!

[northernladuk]

hassle them into submission

Thats a great idea, works all the time... go ahead, knock yourself out

I sit back, but sometimes the phone is worryingly silent!

It's called a recession, it happens.. alot!!

[Kalinikta]

Dude, I was in here in February March saying the same thing. Somehow I managed to find a contract but this one is running out in 2 weeks.

I can tell you now, its dead on all of the job boards, unless you are a developer/BA/PM etc.

200-800 applicants for every job (in London), and a complete lottery.

You wouldnt believe the lengths I go to to get a contract, or try to get one.

I apply.
I phone within 10 minutes of applying, dont wait, no one else does.
They then, if you are pressing enough find your CV.
Its then 50/50 to get them to put you across for the role.

Usually after this 80% of the time thats the last you will hear.
Repeat phone calls get "we are still waiting/they havent decided".
You can bet your life after 2 or 3 days max its gone.
Onto the next....repeat.

As well as this scenario, I am contacting employers directly, I even turned up at the Bank Of New York doorstep and demanded to see the hiring manager for a position I applied for and had to wait 6 WEEKS for interview. I wanted to know what had taken them so long to interview and so long to decide.

We are in a no win situation, if you shout loud enough for long enough you might get something, someone has to; but its bloody awful out there at the moment make no mistake.

I am no high flier on the rates and skills like some of the people here, but im looking at jobs that are paying next to nothing simply because there is nothing at my level.

For all this you can blame the recession and greed.

Cheers!

[Brussels Slumdog]

If you are the match then hassle

When you apply for a gig using, say, JobServe do you just sit back and wait for the agency to get in touch, or do you ring them, email them and basically hassle them into submission?

I sit back, but sometimes the phone is worryingly silent!

Once you have been in the contracting game long enough you will find
that you are contacted even before the JobServe advert appears.
For each job ad there are duplicates so I select an agency I already know
the contact name and then phone without even applying.
There are very few jobs on JobServe that I do not already know the agency
and who to call.
The ones I don't know are the ones looking for references and leads.

[pzz76077]

We are about to hit the quiet period between mid Nov and mid Jan, so if your phone hasn't rung by Friday, then don't hold your breath!

With recession and all I believe that this years xmas break will be a lot longer and quieter than previous years.

Forget job sites, each post either doesnt exist or is being chased by 1000's of folk that will work for less, live closer etc than you. Get a few friendly agents who will contact you before the job site.

PZZ

[ben555]

http://www.jobstats.co.uk/images/cha...nth_smooth.png

[northernladuk]

Only thing I would add to these techniques is don't even bother if you really arn't up for the job. Over the 200+ Cv's they get in the first hour over 90% won't even meet the criteria of the job from what I am told. Just people chancing their arm, or trying to get their name known.

If you start ringing and pestering pimps with a CV that is obviously not up to the job your going to shoot yourself in the foot big style.

If you are going to sell yourself on the phone you better have something good to sell.

Be honest with yourself before you even pick up the phone. It will save you alot of frustration and getting a reputation with the pimps... the wrong type of rep!!

[Worzel]

http://www.jobstats.co.uk/images/cha...nth_smooth.png

So it looks like the current recession is indeed looking worse than the IT recession in 2001 - 2003 that came after the dotcom/y2k boom? It certainly feels as bad as that right now for me. So little happening I genuinely feel like abandoning IT and doing something else (rather than just talking about it!!)

I've heard some agents say they are getting 200 CV's when their advert is only a couple of hours old. Those kind of numbers just don't stack up and it means if I do get another contract via a job board it will be by luck alone. Been through this before so I know what its like but I think it's got to the point that unless you've got todays new niche skill theres just too much competition. Time for a new strategy....or a new career!

[pzz76077]

So it looks like the current recession is indeed looking worse than the IT recession in 2001 - 2003 that came after the dotcom/y2k boom? It certainly feels as bad as that right now for me. So little happening I genuinely feel like abandoning IT and doing something else (rather than just talking about it!!)

I've heard some agents say they are getting 200 CV's when their advert is only a couple of hours old. Those kind of numbers just don't stack up and it means if I do get another contract via a job board it will be by luck alone. Been through this before so I know what its like but I think it's got to the point that unless you've got todays new niche skill theres just too much competition. Time for a new strategy....or a new career!

Recently spoke with an agent that has also been a friend for over 10 years who told me they recently received almost 4,100 applications for a desktop support role in C London paying £11ph!
To make things worse, after his team had stayed up half the night sorting out a few likely candidates, the client co pulled the role as they had no budget to fund it!

PZZ

[Worzel]

4,100 applications for a desktop support role in C London paying £11ph! PZZ

I think that last sentence is all anyone needs to read about the current contract market and the job boards! I bet they wanted a fair sized shopping list of skills for that £11p/h too!

On a more positive note I've noticed that much more places thesedays are accepting recommendations from staff for contract positions that crop up. In fact I reckon some of the best contracts don't even get as far as the agencies let alone the job boards.