Reply to: Many agents contacting me via linkedin and xing, a sign the market is getting better?

[edison]

Hi - not currently looking for work, but I am getting a lot of agents contacting me via linkedin and xing about specific contracts (feels like a 4 or 5 fold increase in the last 3 months), is this:

1) A sign the market is improving?

or

2) A sign business practices are changing, with less emphasis on jobserve etc.?

or

3) Another form of fishing excersise?

Interestingly xing is the one that has really ramped up from almost nothing, to at least one person a week contacting me (though sadly always for work in Germany and Netherlands, not Switzerland which is my prefered location)

If you are getting a LOT of calls, like 10-15 daily as someone claimed earlier, then either you must be absolute top drawer in your field and your reputation precedes you or it sounds like fishing.

In my mind, getting a 'lot' of calls is between 1-3 a week. The approaches I get tend to be well targeted for perm jobs at large companies at up to £100k ish. I always understood that the higher up the salary scale, the higher percentage fee the agent is on so if they can identify you via LinkedIn, it might be a more cost effective/profitable way to do it compared to a few years ago (e.g. expensive press advertising.)

Interestingly, one Partner at a boutique agency told me that he was encouraging his recruiters to use LinkedIn less and go back to 'traditional' forms of networking. The inference was that this would identify higher calibre candidates.

I would say the market is improving but can only speak for London/SE. A lot of companies have reined back on investment during the financial crisis of the last 5 years but you can only do that for so long. The FTSE100 companies have a record amount of cash on their balance sheets so there is plenty of money to invest in new programmes and initiatives.

Personally, I've never seen so many vacancies in my area of expertise as I have in the last 4-5 months

[MyUserName]

I am yet to renew my contract here (happens every 3 months) without another iron in the fire (at least at first interview stage or it does not count).

They have all been permie positions but the lowest salary offered was 70k plus bonuses and the highest was 90k plus bonuses. It looks like the market is fine to me, not as good as it was a few years ago but I seem to have a choice of positions.

I am just a humble C++ programmer but I do make an effort to stay up to date with the newest developments of C++ and, when it is interview season, I go through my list of interview questions and programs and make sure they are all fresh in my head.

[NickNick]

Market is fine for anybody who is good at what they do......

This might be the most accurate statement I've ever read on here.

[Old Greg]

And how to pronounce it?

Greek Zing Or Chinese Ching? Or awkward Ksing?

Or Ex-ing as its name is actually XING.

Wiki:

About 76% of all pageviews come from Germany, 90% from the D-A-CH area, Germany, Austria and Switzerland

[mudskipper]

Do I need to know what Xing is?

And how to pronounce it?

Greek Zing Or Chinese Ching? Or awkward Ksing?

[northernladuk]

You're the 1st person I know who uses Xing. Is it any good?

Isn't the answer already in that post?

[cojak]

Hi - not currently looking for work, but I am getting a lot of agents contacting me via linkedin and xing about specific contracts (feels like a 4 or 5 fold increase in the last 3 months), is this:

1) A sign the market is improving?

or

2) A sign business practices are changing, with less emphasis on jobserve etc.?

or

3) Another form of fishing excersise?

Interestingly xing is the one that has really ramped up from almost nothing, to at least one person a week contacting me (though sadly always for work in Germany and Netherlands, not Switzerland which is my prefered location)

You're the 1st person I know who uses Xing. Is it any good?

[Old Greg]

Do I need to know what Xing is?

[northernladuk]

The thing I've noticed is that I'm getting about 10-15 permie jobs calls a day with good companies at very good salaries. I compare that to what last year was like when I was getting lots of calls from agencies trying to get me into the same companies as they needed work done but were unsure enough of the economy that they didn't want to hire a new permie.

Some of the jobs have been very tempting... good companies, good benefits, good salaries. They mentioned something about paid holidays... wossat then? I don't turn up for work for over a month in total each year and I still get paid? Rubbish... they're obviously lying agent scum.

Did they even try convincing you that you can get paid for laying in bed all day Monday with a hangover as well? Barstewards.....

[craig1]

The thing I've noticed is that I'm getting about 10-15 permie jobs calls a day with good companies at very good salaries. I compare that to what last year was like when I was getting lots of calls from agencies trying to get me into the same companies as they needed work done but were unsure enough of the economy that they didn't want to hire a new permie.

Some of the jobs have been very tempting... good companies, good benefits, good salaries. They mentioned something about paid holidays... wossat then? I don't turn up for work for over a month in total each year and I still get paid? Rubbish... they're obviously lying agent scum.

[Dallas]

Had 7 London agents phone today, so London seems to be in rude health

+ rates are on the up/inflated

[quackhandle]

Market is fine for anybody who is good at what they do......

Agencies contacting you through linkedin or phone or whatever tells you absolutely nothing.

This. Depending on how you have LI setup there's a lot of snidey pimps just wanting to connect as a phishing exercise.

qh

[amcdonald]

Had 7 London agents phone today, so London seems to be in rude health

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Hi - not currently looking for work, but I am getting a lot of agents contacting me via linkedin and xing about specific contracts (feels like a 4 or 5 fold increase in the last 3 months), is this:

1) A sign the market is improving?

or

2) A sign business practices are changing, with less emphasis on jobserve etc.?

or

3) Another form of fishing excersise?

Interestingly xing is the one that has really ramped up from almost nothing, to at least one person a week contacting me (though sadly always for work in Germany and Netherlands, not Switzerland which is my prefered location)

Market is fine for anybody who is good at what they do......

Agencies contacting you through linkedin or phone or whatever tells you absolutely nothing.

[BigRed]

I get a lot of calls from Linkedin these days but I'm currently just browsing. I did update my CV on Jobsite at the weekend because of a one week contract that cought my eye and got a flurry of emails and phone calls this week, about 6 of each, so it does look like it's picking up. One agent asked why I'd updated my CV if I wasn't looking.