Looking for IT work...

CorkFenian

Hi to cut a long story short, working away with 4 years level II support experience, on the cusp of level III, plenty of exposure to some level III, but not enough to contract with, last 3 years, was junior admin, desktop support,building servers, backups etc part of IT soln teams, all financial based institutions....Finished up a contract to go travelling for 4 months, back for past 5 weeks now, have had 4 interviews since coming back, waiting on one interview at moment, 2 of the other 4 no one was selected, other i didnt get, (so i was told anyhow), (i think i could start a whole new thread on what i think of recruitment "consultants" very disappointed at having to deal with them again!)...The contract scene is very quiet, have a very good recruitment agent (i know they exist!!) , who has sorted me out before, and very quiet...I'm studying for CCNA while I wait for work..Applying to every job (within reason) going...Anyone have any advice, I wouldnt say i do just desktop, have always been aware of doing more value work, (have MCSA etc, know its no comparison to more professional certs)

Thanks for bearing with the long thread,starting to get desperate...

cronos

CorkFenian wrote: »

Hi to cut a long story short, working away with 4 years support experience, on the cusp of level III, plenty of exposure to some level III, but not enough to contract with, last 3 years, was junior admin, desktop support,building servers, backups etc part of IT soln teams, all financial based institutions....Finished up a contract to go travelling for 4 months, back for past 5 weeks now, have had 4 interviews since coming back, waiting on one interview at moment, 2 of the other 4 no one was selected, other i didnt get, (so i was told anyhow), (i think i could start a whole new thread on what i think of recruitment "consultants" very disappointed at having to deal with them again!)...The contract scene is very quiet, have a very good recruitment agent (i know they exist!!) , who has sorted me out before, and very quiet...I'm studying for CCNA while I wait for work..Applying to every job (within reason) going...Anyone have any advice, I wouldnt say i do just desktop, have always been aware of doing more value work, (have MCSA etc, know its no comparison to more professional certs)

Thanks for bearing with the long thread,starting to get desperate...

Do you have a degree?

CorkFenian

cronos wrote: »

Do you have a degree?

I do ,not in computer science though, its a BSc, other roles before level II, put it this way before i left was contracting for 220-200 a day for past 18mths plus, so i must have been doing something right....Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, i think any IT candidate has no god given right to a job, and needs to work on himself , self study etc, if i come across as rambling its because i am totally stretched , not money wise , but i never saw this coming after my trip..

CorkFenian

cronos wrote: »

Do you have a degree?

For what its worth i would take hands on experience over a cert even a degree in computer science any day, but getting certs is important as a contractor, without them u have no chance, the best people i have worked with\under all had very small amount of IT certs...

Mrs OBumble

CorkFenian wrote: »

...Anyone have any advice, I wouldnt say i do just desktop, have always been aware of doing more value work, (have MCSA etc, know its no comparison to more professional certs)

Thanks for bearing with the long thread,starting to get desperate...

With the world economic situation and all, companies seem to be putting off hiring, and people are hanging on to the jobs they have too so vacancies aren't coming up.

Set your sights a bit lower for a while, 'til things recover. Painful I know. But it's what I'm doing myself (BA, contract isn't being extended, not many others around.) Personally I'll even look at minimum wage McJobs for Nov/Dec, hoping that some real jobs start hiring again in the new year.

jhegarty

Where are you setting your salary expectations ?

CorkFenian

JustMary wrote: »

With the world economic situation and all, companies seem to be putting off hiring, and people are hanging on to the jobs they have too so vacancies aren't coming up.

Set your sights a bit lower for a while, 'til things recover. Painful I know. But it's what I'm doing myself (BA, contract isn't being extended, not many others around.) Personally I'll even look at minimum wage McJobs for Nov/Dec, hoping that some real jobs start hiring again in the new year.

I'll go lower alright, won't go looking for work in McDonalds just yet, just lower contract rates and permanent salary.....Thanks for the post..

cronos

CorkFenian wrote: »

For what its worth i would take hands on experience over a cert even a degree in computer science any day, but getting certs is important as a contractor, without them u have no chance, the best people i have worked with\under all had very small amount of IT certs...

Your competition is with people who have experience and a degree. Not people with just a degree with no experience. When there are less jobs, the quality and depth of education of candidates applying for roles go up as there are more people applying for the same jobs.

the_syco

As you have IT contract experience + specific certs, look outside the box, at companies that use the technology that you are certified in, and apply directly for full time.

mountainyman

Apply to agencies using a false name and phone number.
Get an interview but do not turn up.

Then ring the hiring manger but be abusive (as your false persona).

MEANWHILE
Contact the company directly (as yourself) be polite and nice. This will work for permie.

Also make sure you sign on. The dole is loads now.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

DublinWriter

mountainyman wrote: »

Apply to agencies using a false name and phone number.
Get an interview but do not turn up.

Then ring the hiring manger but be abusive (as your false persona).

MEANWHILE
Contact the company directly (as yourself) be polite and nice. This will work for permie.

Oh dear.

I think you're forgetting that Ireland/Dublin operates like a village sometimes, everyone knows everyone, especially in IT.

Pull a stunt like this and you'll find yourself blacklisted by recruiters pdq.

OP - companies are a bit jittery at the moment and most won't have their headcount and contractor/project budgets in place for 2009 until around November.

Moonbeam

Apply directly to companies skip the agencies.

lukin

CorkFenian wrote: »

I do ,not in computer science though, its a BSc, other roles before level II, put it this way before i left was contracting for 220-200 a day for past 18mths plus, so i must have been doing something right....Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience, i think any IT candidate has no god given right to a job, and needs to work on himself , self study etc, if i come across as rambling its because i am totally stretched , not money wise , but i never saw this coming after my trip..

You are dead right there:if you try and learn some stuff by yourself while you are looking for a job then when you go to an interview they will be impressed if you say "Well I have been looking for a job for the past (however many) months but in the mean time I have been doing this blah blah.
That helped me get the job I am in now.
You have good experience but there's always more to learn. Granted, it's a bit hard to motivate yourself to work on something for no pay but it's a help when you go to an interview.

youcancallmeal

Is it Dublin or Cork your looking for a job? From what friends I know have been telling me there is still a fair bit of IT work in Dublin at the moment.

CorkFenian

Thanks for all the replies, I'm in Dublin, regarding contracting there literally arent any jobs there, with permanent roles i will have to go lower and go back to roles i would have done 3 years ago, that is the sickener to be honest, i dont want to be out of work till xmas, havent even signed on yet, as want to hit the ground running should contract work come in, crazy i know...That will have to change as well, unfortunately I dont see any way around the recruitment agencies...Very disheartening when ure talking to someone who doesnt even know very basic IT...They just reel the specs out to ya like a shopping list...

CorkFenian

Theres a certain recruitment agency, lets call them (abbrev) RTR (people might recognise it), and I firmly believe they should be struck off, their jobs do not exist, they only contact people to see where there leaving from, and then try and muscle in there, I would love RTE\Primetime to do an expose on recruitment agencies, they really are pathetic, I know this from dealing with them over the years, but putting up fake jobs in these times is just wrong....

CiaranC

Things are very tight out there. I was in the same boat, got back from travelling a month ago, had been in consultancy role. Applied for lots and attended interviews and the companies came back and said the roles were on hold.

Only interviews I was getting came from contacts putting my name forward within their organisations, so make sure you try that avenue.

I eventually had to take a support role, not ideal, but a jobs a job in these times. Money is vastly improved on when I did it years ago, so thats a comfort. Just gonna have to keep the head down and look to move up within the organisation as opportunities arises.

Btw, I have a degree but dont have too many industry certifications (and those I do have I got by downloading testkings and passing exams like everyone else in the industry). If you get to interview stage you can show easily enough how much you know on a topic.

Johnny Bitte

3 years in IT myself been looking to move from Swords to the midlands where I m from but from the current state of things doesnt look like I ll be going anywhere for a while, count myself lucky tho