London Calling
IT recruiting is kind of a black box. I send my CV in, and I see what happens. By looking at my inputs and observing the outputs I'm trying to guess what goes on.
I started my London search for contracts or jobs two weeks ago, and took an approach that I thought was sensible: instead of just posting my CV, I only sent it for contracts that looked like a good fit. And all week long, the only calls I got were phishing. Not for bank information or anything, just about other opportunities - cheap market research. It usually goes like this:
Me, answering phone: Hi, this is Michael.
Phisher: Hi, is this Michael? (This is how I know it's a phisher. That, and hearing all the other phishers making similar phone calls in the background.)
Me: Yes, it is.
Phisher: I'm [some guy] with [some IT recruiter]. I came across your CV and I have an opportunity I'd like to talk to you. My client is looking for [six skills I list on my CV]. Does that sound interesting?
Me: Yes, it does.
Phisher: Great. How's your job search going? Are you having any interviews? Where? When? Who with? What names have you spoken to? [... and so on ....]
Me: If I'm clued in, I usually say, I'm just getting started and haven't interviewed yet. This usually shoos them away.
Phisher: That's just great. I'll send you an email with all the details about this opportunity.
And of course, the email never comes.
So, this past week, I thought, why not post my CV to one of the contract sites? And suddenly a switch was flipped: I got maybe a dozen calls right away about real opportunities. I even did some interviewing and have more scheduled this week. I would have expected the opposite: getting spam when I broadcast, and getting real callbacks when I carefully target.
At the moment I've got three opportunities cooking but haven't heard a definite no or yes on any of them yet. But it will be great to be working again. I'm already losing my techie vocabulary: these days, a bug scrub means cleaning the outside windows, and load balancing means hanging my laundry evenly.
I started my London search for contracts or jobs two weeks ago, and took an approach that I thought was sensible: instead of just posting my CV, I only sent it for contracts that looked like a good fit. And all week long, the only calls I got were phishing. Not for bank information or anything, just about other opportunities - cheap market research. It usually goes like this:
Me, answering phone: Hi, this is Michael.
Phisher: Hi, is this Michael? (This is how I know it's a phisher. That, and hearing all the other phishers making similar phone calls in the background.)
Me: Yes, it is.
Phisher: I'm [some guy] with [some IT recruiter]. I came across your CV and I have an opportunity I'd like to talk to you. My client is looking for [six skills I list on my CV]. Does that sound interesting?
Me: Yes, it does.
Phisher: Great. How's your job search going? Are you having any interviews? Where? When? Who with? What names have you spoken to? [... and so on ....]
Me: If I'm clued in, I usually say, I'm just getting started and haven't interviewed yet. This usually shoos them away.
Phisher: That's just great. I'll send you an email with all the details about this opportunity.
And of course, the email never comes.
So, this past week, I thought, why not post my CV to one of the contract sites? And suddenly a switch was flipped: I got maybe a dozen calls right away about real opportunities. I even did some interviewing and have more scheduled this week. I would have expected the opposite: getting spam when I broadcast, and getting real callbacks when I carefully target.
At the moment I've got three opportunities cooking but haven't heard a definite no or yes on any of them yet. But it will be great to be working again. I'm already losing my techie vocabulary: these days, a bug scrub means cleaning the outside windows, and load balancing means hanging my laundry evenly.
posted by Michael Nelson at 11:58 am
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