Newbie to this game and beginning to loathe recruitment agents..

[vjmac108]

I loathe you people and your "war chests" sometimes. Get over it, apply for a new role, move on with your life. Oh by the way, most companies slow down at year end so anyone familiar with the cyclical nature of contractor hiring will tell you that its not uncommon to find roles being pulled in Q4.

[craig1]

I loathe you people and your "war chests" sometimes. Get over it, apply for a new role, move on with your life. Oh by the way, most companies slow down at year end so anyone familiar with the cyclical nature of contractor hiring will tell you that its not uncommon to find roles being pulled in Q4.

Why should we? In 10 years of contracting, 11 in February, I've been in work almost permanently when I've wanted and have used my war chest to great benefit by telling companies trying to screw me where to go. If you simply haven't the money to hold off for six to nine months then you really should reconsider contracting. Best bit of advice I ever received when I started contracting.

Work to live, if you can't enjoy what will take probably half of your waking hours then it's irrelevant what you earn, you're wasting your life. Work doesn't have to be a miserable existence, put effort into putting aside money, don't run up debts while in work and you can pick and choose your roles. If there are no roles that come up in six months that you'd enjoy then you're either in the wrong career, not really trying or lacking something that the market needs.

You're right though that the three quiet months are August, December and January. That's the best time to schedule training, holidays or time to simply wind-down and relax. Part of contracting and certainly nothing to criticise.

[Cata1yst]

Update... Optimism + chasing payed off. Called the agent who didnt return my call on Friday PM.

Appears he is overloaded and the "position in process" so not yet dead. Its just that 'the client needs a wack over the back of the head to look at my CV and arrange an interview.

Seems the agent is a money grabbing geezer after all. Well that works for me if he wants to line his pocket so do I, a symbiotic relationship.

The best point about the position is I could possibly be going back to french speaking Switzerland in ski season.

******* fingers, toes and anything else crossed!

Re:- Warchest?!! What part about covering your arse do people not understand? I had enough for 6-8 months and it empties faster than you think. Especially with country moves involved.

So when you land the contract THINK about putting aside at least 1/3 of the money for possible benching. I thought I was the amateur

On todays optimism I'd say 4-1 I'll be checking into the lunatic asylum sometime early Jan.

[lukemg]

You must be mad, or you soon will be.
1. Forget the generic CV, you need to be a very close match these days and a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ will miss out. Change it for every job, they won’t read between the lines.
2. Some people advocate a single attempt to phone the agent after sending CV – I never do this but if you want to, leave your name so they can find your CV, there is a chance they will take a look. DON’T expect a call back but if they want you, they will call.
3. FIRE AND FORGET – Once you have adapted the CV and sent it, forget it or you will get in a right state. Jobs get binned for a hundred reasons, including that they never existed or were a potential future requirement. Same goes after they say they are putting you forward, if they don’t phone it isn’t happening.

Of course it’s frustrating not being able to control the situation and being seemingly stopped by agents. Adapt to the game or it will eat you up.
No harm in setting up on linked in and trying to find some contacts though, you never know when a direct job might pop out.

Good luck…..

[2BIT]

Update... Optimism + chasing payed off. Called the agent who didnt return my call on Friday PM.

Appears he is overloaded and the "position in process" so not yet dead. Its just that 'the client needs a wack over the back of the head to look at my CV and arrange an interview.

Seems the agent is a money grabbing geezer after all. Well that works for me if he wants to line his pocket so do I, a symbiotic relationship.

The best point about the position is I could possibly be going back to french speaking Switzerland in ski season.

******* fingers, toes and anything else crossed!

Re:- Warchest?!! What part about covering your arse do people not understand? I had enough for 6-8 months and it empties faster than you think. Especially with country moves involved.

So when you land the contract THINK about putting aside at least 1/3 of the money for possible benching. I thought I was the amateur

On todays optimism I'd say 4-1 I'll be checking into the lunatic asylum sometime early Jan.

good luck, hope you get it!

[monobrow]

You must be mad, or you soon will be.
1. Forget the generic CV, you need to be a very close match these days and a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ will miss out. Change it for every job, they won’t read between the lines.
2. Some people advocate a single attempt to phone the agent after sending CV – I never do this but if you want to, leave your name so they can find your CV, there is a chance they will take a look. DON’T expect a call back but if they want you, they will call.
3. FIRE AND FORGET – Once you have adapted the CV and sent it, forget it or you will get in a right state. Jobs get binned for a hundred reasons, including that they never existed or were a potential future requirement. Same goes after they say they are putting you forward, if they don’t phone it isn’t happening.

Of course it’s frustrating not being able to control the situation and being seemingly stopped by agents. Adapt to the game or it will eat you up.
No harm in setting up on linked in and trying to find some contacts though, you never know when a direct job might pop out.

Good luck…..

^This

Great advice

My tips.

Most employers DON'T want to be using agencies either.

All my positions go on internal boards first, then intranet, then internal recruiters search linked-in, then networks, last resorts are the leeches. In short, don't underestimate linked in, keep your profile up to date and search all FTSE 100 job boards if that's your thing, at least you will get a response from them

[DodgyAgent]

^This

Great advice

My tips.

Most employers DON'T want to be using agencies either.

All my positions go on internal boards first, then intranet, then internal recruiters search linked-in, then networks, last resorts are the leeches. In short, don't underestimate linked in, keep your profile up to date and search all FTSE 100 job boards if that's your thing, at least you will get a response from them

I am not sure what planet you live on but the only response ftse job boards give is "dont call us we'll call you"

[monobrow]

I am not sure what planet you live on but the only response ftse job boards give is "dont call us we'll call you"

My planet is called Earth. How about you?

And prior to getting this conract (thru an agency at 11% MARK UP), I applied for 4 or 5 roles in ftse job boards and got a response from all of them. Guess you'd prefer everyone used leeches ? Hmm, wonder whym

[Cata1yst]

I am not sure what planet you live on but the only response ftse job boards give is "dont call us we'll call you"

Well at least that's a response, the vermin I deal with usually haven't the balls or morals to call/e-mail someone.

[Cata1yst]

Looking at the previous few posts there are a few interesting comments.

I'm not sure why companies don't directly advertise or via job boards on places like linked in. I will look anyway try that rather than jobserve for a few days thanks for the suggestion.

The agents at the moment could be on very shaky ground, 400 applicants for each position, so tell me why if I was an employer looking for an employee would I need an agent?

To read a few CV's? Don't think so, years ago agents had to work for their money, I'm not sure exactly what they are doing in the form of recruitment, more like the candidates are falling in their laps.

Yes less positions, but perhaps this is a good thing and may thin out some of the useless agents? From the other side of the fence I was laughing at the crap some recruitment agents send to someone hiring. Constant battles against agents who just don't understand the positions they advertise is another annoyance

I must state I have faith that there are good agents out there that earn their money but I'd say in my current experience 95% dont!

Time to poke around linked in I reckon.