Getting calls from IT staffing firms

Is it me or is the job market for IT getting better this year? I live in the suburbs of Chicago and lately I have been posting my resume on many of the popular job search engines, such as dice.com, teksystems, monster, etc. and over the past week, I have got about 4 or 5 calls from different agencies that stated I would be a good fit for their client.

However they still have to go through the process of meeting me in person and presenting me to their client, but I guess that is a good sign and I'm thinking. "at least I am getting calls"

My situation is that I truly, definetely want to leave my current position right now, which is not even a IT position but I have been working in this call center environment for about 4 years now doing collections. I have my Bachelors degree in computers as well and no certifications. Do you think they are calling me because I have a degree and call center experience? I am very frustrated with my job right now since they just got bought out by another company, the insurance is horrible ($450.00 dollars for a freakin medical and dental every pay check, for family)
and the management is very unprofessional.

I need to get my foot in the door and get experience and feel that the time is coming soon with all these calls. Should I take the next opportunity that opens up to me and offers me a job even though it is a 6 month contract, contract to hire, possible hire, ect. I would just have put my best foot forward. I'm just scared to leave a permanent job along with my wife collecting unemployement. However, I am not happy at my job right now.

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Comments

ehnde

Don't get excited until you have an actual offer for employment. Will you get the new job you want? Probably. But that might not be with one of these 5 calls you just got. It might be 3 months from now!

If you watch the job seeker posts under the IT Jobs / Degrees subforum, you'll see countless people getting burned because they anticipate something like getting a job.

Take your time finding a new job. If you don't rush into the next you'll have more opportunities and MORE potential for higher pay. Staffing firms and interviewers can smell desperation.

cisco_certs

I also get calls and emails but all of them are contract jobs.

SteveLord

keeranbri wrote: »

Is it me or is the job market for IT getting better this year? I live in the suburbs of Chicago and lately I have been posting my resume on many of the popular job search engines, such as dice.com, teksystems, monster, etc. and over the past week, I have got about 4 or 5 calls from different agencies that stated I would be a good fit for their client.

Not to burst your bubble....but this always the case. Firms/headhunters don't sit on their butts, they actively look for freshmeat. And where do they find them all? Every site you listed. And they all feed you the same line.

No different from accounting firms, healthcare firms, etc.

TheSuperRuski

SteveLord wrote: »

Not to burst your bubble....but this always the case. Firms/headhunters don't sit on their butts, they actively look for freshmeat. And where do they find them all? Every site you listed. And they all feed you the same line.

No different from accounting firms, healthcare firms, etc.

+1
I have gotten many emails/calls from various agencies from being one just 1 of the sites you listed and they are all basically the same. Almost the same exact email as well. Maybe there is a recruiter template and they just fill in the blanks with there offer.

millworx

Same thing here. I usually got at least 3 calls a day, upwards of 5-6 some days. My personal opinion though, I don't like the bigger recruiting companies like Teksystems, etc. I would prefer to work with smaller recruiting companies, like the current recruiter that placed me.

I actually went into Teksystems as the first interview with a recruiter, I had 10 years network experience, they made me take a Cisco placement exam, I think I scored an 89%, which placed me very high above the national average for their test takers.

Then they told me they felt that I would only be good for a Jr Network Engineer role. Said they had a job lined up for me at Juniper, then a couple days ago they said they didn't want me because I didn't have a B.S in CS. Never heard from them again, and every time I would call (every 3 weeks) they didn't seem to care.

From there I just started working with a couple small recruiting firms, no placement tests, they got me interviews, and eventually got a Tier 4 Net Eng position, which is WAY better than Jr. Network Engineer.

So yes, you will get lot's of calls from recruiters, especially if you have a good resume, but the big guys just want to add more resumes to their pool, and will promise you jobs that don't exist, and in my opinion will waste your time with interviews and tests and never call you again.

BradleyHU

I stay away from recruiters. nothing good has ever come out of it for me...

Mike-Mike

I got my current job via a recruiter

ITdude

It can happen but my experience with recruiters (except for internal staffing recruiters) has been that for the most part, they are just flakes collecting resumes.

Even some of the internal ones fit that description too.... I talked once to a person who teaches a very well known career seminar.

He told me that less than 15% of jobs are gotten through recruiters. The other 85% are gotten through networking (human) with people you know, who know other people, or knowing someone on the inside......

VAHokie56

I got my last position from a recruiter and it was contract work it was the best decsion I every made. On friday I just accpeted a new job for 2x my current salary and I got hooked up threw another recruiter. I have zero problems with contract to hire/recruiters:D

ITdude

Cool. Good to hear. Although, I tend to prefer looking for FT positions. CTH is not bad though.

I think that there are some good recruiters out there but most are just doing things that you could do yourself, I suspect.

Good luckwith your new position.

veritas_libertas

I have been getting a few calls lately. The thing that drives me crazy is when they call you, but when you call them back they won't pick up the phone. I'm sure this is because they are looking at the Caller ID and have already filled the position

thenjduke

I just went into the field again and I have got alot of interviews setup through these staffing agencies. I usually deal with Robert Half as they have always been good to place me. They help me find two positions in Arizona and I have two interviews on Wed here in Jersey. This is all in the last month. I have been offered one position in Arizona which I am excited about.