How do you filter out good recruiters/headhunters?

XiaoTech

I'm currently a contractor as a network engineer with a CCNA, one year experience at a NOC. It's okay, but they are not hiring anyone full time, so I'm trying to find some work. I've had a couple interviews that I thought went well, but they fell off the face of the earth. So I'm still looking.

I never liked using Monster, but my cousin said he got some good offers before (he's sys admin msce), so I figured why not. Got like 11 call today. I didn't answer any since I was working, but most of them sounded like they were from India. One from sounded Japanese (which I might follow up on), but none of them sounded local. Four were for the same job in Columbus...

I'm not really a highly advance network guy. I just copy/paste configs into routers/switches. Sometimes create/tag a VLAN. I provide support to field engineers when they have issues...but I really don't feel like I'm qualified for some of these jobs they are asking me to do. Five~ten years experience with network monitoring software? Never had to use it for my job (although I am familiar with wireshark, a little). Routing protocols? Outside of my CCNA studies, never really had to mess with them.

How do you figure out what's decent and what's BS? I got a few calls before when I applied to DICE and INDEED...some guys going as far as trying to get me on my phone at my desk. I'm not used to people calling me, so I'm a bit paralyzed. What do I do?

techfiend

I won't waste time on recruiters or posting my resume online anymore, it's gotten me nowhere. I'd just suggest applying for jobs directly and not through a career. Don't forget craigslist, that's where I found my two jobs so far.

Monster is known for spam recruiters, insurance salesmen, etc.

XiaoTech

Yeah, that's how I felt before. The two jobs I had interviews for I applied directly. I have yet to get a interview from a recruiter or contact. I guess some things don't change.

EnderWiggin

I'd just go for it and try to get the higher-level positions they're pitching you. It's likely to be a contract position, so the company you'd be physically working for is probably used to having to train people. Taking a position like that will get you advanced experience, and set you up for more positions like that later on.

Fulcrum45

Ah, someone else in Ohio It's tough out here in the rust belt but recruiters have helped me in the past- it's how I got my current gig as a DoD contractor but I get the hesistation to deal with them. 30 minutes of your life spent on the phone only to never hear back. OR they are geographically challenged thinking you'll drive 50 miles one way for a $14.00/ hr Help Desk position. All the same I don't feel it hurts to talk to them. Let them leave a VM and sort them out from the "maybe's" to the "hell-no's" and see what they got going on. The job I had prior found me on Indeed because they had an in-house talent manager. I guess it all boils down to luck and expectations.

XiaoTech

It's worse than that. One hour phone interview. Then a three hour in person interview. Some white boarding. Some getting to know you type of questions. Configure some equipment. Then walk me around the building and introduce me to others. Then flat silence. It was like dating a hot girl that you got along with real well, then they fell off the face of the planet.

I digress. I'll check out Craigslist.
Maybe I need to look into some M$ certs for diversity. I'm aiming for networking jobs since that's what I have experience with, but I'm willing to learn almost anything if it means it'll pay more and keep me away from end users (for the most part).

DoubleNNs

I thought you said you've never gotten an interview from a recruiter or contact? Why are you whiteboarding and configuring equipment if not during an interview?