Best place to start looking for IT jobs?

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One of my colleagues was approached by an agency via LinkedIn when he wasn't looking for a new job and he took up the offer. There is a setting for 'actively looking for a new job'.

Reed jobs is apparently mostly authentic, I think that some on indeed are hit and miss.

I attended a one day training course on azure messaging last week it's quite interesting.
I've never had a single positive experience with Reed.
 


Is LinkedIn not just filled with recruitment consultants bullshitting to get you on their books? Still, an avenue to explore, thanks.

Any thoughts on current buzzword technologies employers are looking for? All seems to be cloud and devops?


Cloud, office 365 and skpe

the place im at might be hiring again soon also if you looking for consulting based work waterstones in durham (not the bookshop) are hiring

I've never had a single positive experience with Reed.


they are massive massive *****
 
Keep an eye on Newcastle uni's site. We are expanding in certain parts. Might not be direxrltnwhat you do now but if your out of work it might be something.
 
Looks like going to be made redundant in September. Worked for same company 16 years, well out of touch with searching the job market.

Any recommendations for best place to look for IT jobs? Primarily on-premise infrastructure design and administration on VMware and Microsoft technologies.

I guess I'll need to get some training in too, Azure and Amazon AWS seem to be the big thing at the moment?


https://www.perfect-image.co.uk/about/careers/current-vacancies/

I have worked here for over 10 years, we do AWS and Azure .. infrastructure isn't what I do there but our teams are highly skilled for the size of our organisation which also does BI, bespoke software and product based solutions for many multi sector clients
 
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I was made redundant a few months back and am still looking for work. Like the opening poster, my experiences have been variable having not been in the jobs market for several years. I'd got it into my head that although I hated my job, I would just put up with the shit, have my pension paid up by the job and see out the next umpteen or so years to retirement. It goes to show you can't foresee what's coming.


Unlike the OP, I'm in a different profession. I've found my skills set to be out of date and I've struggled to find anything, despite applying for loads of jobs. My experiences are:


1) Companies want all the boxes ticked and for the successful candidate to hit the ground running. The list of things they expect you to know can be quite formidable, even if the advert can be at times vague. I've had loads in interviews, however, there always seems to be someone who ticks that one box more than you. It doesn't help that my skills are not quite current, meaning companies would be faced with a limited amount of retraining to bring me up to speed.


2) Linkedin and Indeed throw up lots of vacancies, some in what you do but also can swamp you with lots of borderline vacancies and material you're not suitable for. I find Indeed to be irritating to be honest and their 40 a day alerts are a good way of wasting hours of your life.


3) Alerts by Jobsite, Total Jobs and CV library can be set up to be more targeted to your needs These seem to be better options, without having to wade through the lists of vacancies sent by Linkedin and Indeed.


4) Looking for temporary work as an acquaintance has suggested has been difficult. He's said just go down the job centre, pick up a unskilled production operative's job and do this until something more skilled becomes available. The problem here is if your face doesn't fit, you're overqualified and / or you're going to be off as soon as something better comes along, the company will pass over your application. The same acquaintance has suggested leaving off qualifications, etc., to improve employability, however, there's only so much that can be left off and dishonesty by omission is viewed differently by different employers.


5) Jobcentre Plus and Universal Jobmatch don't seem to really help and there's definitely the feeling of staff going through the motions rather than really trying to help. As said, go in, sign on and get out.


666-1) The agencies seem to be better equipped at getting you interviews and matching your skills that they used to be, however, they vary from quite good to some serious bullshitters who are clearly just chasing the fee the company will pay them. Half of my Linkedin connections are now agency representatives, who lose interest in you should they not find you something after a few tries.


666-2) There has been a big shift from direct applications to companies to the use of agencies since my last job hunting phase post-Uni. several years ago. My feelings on this are that not being able to communicate with the companies directly creates a barrier to you selling yourself to the company's needs. Also, relying on at times variable agency skills sets to do this for you.​

What gives you the impression I don't like agencies? :)

In my case, I might have to seek some form of retraining myself. My options are:


a) Retrain to update my skills in what I was doing, however, as I commented the job was something I've learnt to hate over the years so do I want to upskill to return to something I don't enjoy?


b) Retrain to start a new career in something different? This a more appealing option.


c) Continue job hunting as per now and not be quite able to land something?​


I was looking at retraining say in IT (i.e. option b), however, this would mean going back to Uni. for a year say for a conversion course probably on a full-time basis giving me at least a modern, new skills set.


I'm not sure how I feel about this, as I'd be a bit older than other students around me and being roughly mid-way through my working life, I don't know how I feel about effectively "going back to school" (though I look younger than I am). My biggest worry here is I've also an older relative I need to keep an eye on and I don't know if I can balance full time study and ensuring they're okay especially if I start and they fall ill for whatever reason.


Open University and distance learning has been suggested as a way round the care of said relative (she has suggested this herself having worked on the clerical staff of a local Uni. many years ago), however, doing this or following other part time study options would take too long to solve my current problems and may leave me out of the current jobs market a little too long before I find something.


I've a lot to think about to be honest and it’s probably going to be option b) from the above. I have to decide for myself in the end.


However, given the OP's situation I thought I'd pass on my own experiences of the job market in the hope it would someway help.
 
Doesn't exist any more does?

Might be 'dice' or something now

Reed are SHIT.

A few in Newcastle ate decent, Nigel wright, NRG, hays, GEM. All have their fair share of bullshitters but come good once in a while. Costs you a phone call to be on their books, so nothing to lose
 
I was made redundant a few months back and am still looking for work. Like the opening poster, my experiences have been variable having not been in the jobs market for several years. I'd got it into my head that although I hated my job, I would just put up with the shit, have my pension paid up by the job and see out the next umpteen or so years to retirement. It goes to show you can't foresee what's coming.


Unlike the OP, I'm in a different profession. I've found my skills set to be out of date and I've struggled to find anything, despite applying for loads of jobs. My experiences are:


1) Companies want all the boxes ticked and for the successful candidate to hit the ground running. The list of things they expect you to know can be quite formidable, even if the advert can be at times vague. I've had loads in interviews, however, there always seems to be someone who ticks that one box more than you. It doesn't help that my skills are not quite current, meaning companies would be faced with a limited amount of retraining to bring me up to speed.


2) Linkedin and Indeed throw up lots of vacancies, some in what you do but also can swamp you with lots of borderline vacancies and material you're not suitable for. I find Indeed to be irritating to be honest and their 40 a day alerts are a good way of wasting hours of your life.


3) Alerts by Jobsite, Total Jobs and CV library can be set up to be more targeted to your needs These seem to be better options, without having to wade through the lists of vacancies sent by Linkedin and Indeed.


4) Looking for temporary work as an acquaintance has suggested has been difficult. He's said just go down the job centre, pick up a unskilled production operative's job and do this until something more skilled becomes available. The problem here is if your face doesn't fit, you're overqualified and / or you're going to be off as soon as something better comes along, the company will pass over your application. The same acquaintance has suggested leaving off qualifications, etc., to improve employability, however, there's only so much that can be left off and dishonesty by omission is viewed differently by different employers.


5) Jobcentre Plus and Universal Jobmatch don't seem to really help and there's definitely the feeling of staff going through the motions rather than really trying to help. As said, go in, sign on and get out.


666-1) The agencies seem to be better equipped at getting you interviews and matching your skills that they used to be, however, they vary from quite good to some serious bullshitters who are clearly just chasing the fee the company will pay them. Half of my Linkedin connections are now agency representatives, who lose interest in you should they not find you something after a few tries.


666-2) There has been a big shift from direct applications to companies to the use of agencies since my last job hunting phase post-Uni. several years ago. My feelings on this are that not being able to communicate with the companies directly creates a barrier to you selling yourself to the company's needs. Also, relying on at times variable agency skills sets to do this for you.​

What gives you the impression I don't like agencies? :)

In my case, I might have to seek some form of retraining myself. My options are:


a) Retrain to update my skills in what I was doing, however, as I commented the job was something I've learnt to hate over the years so do I want to upskill to return to something I don't enjoy?


b) Retrain to start a new career in something different? This a more appealing option.


c) Continue job hunting as per now and not be quite able to land something?​


I was looking at retraining say in IT (i.e. option b), however, this would mean going back to Uni. for a year say for a conversion course probably on a full-time basis giving me at least a modern, new skills set.


I'm not sure how I feel about this, as I'd be a bit older than other students around me and being roughly mid-way through my working life, I don't know how I feel about effectively "going back to school" (though I look younger than I am). My biggest worry here is I've also an older relative I need to keep an eye on and I don't know if I can balance full time study and ensuring they're okay especially if I start and they fall ill for whatever reason.


Open University and distance learning has been suggested as a way round the care of said relative (she has suggested this herself having worked on the clerical staff of a local Uni. many years ago), however, doing this or following other part time study options would take too long to solve my current problems and may leave me out of the current jobs market a little too long before I find something.


I've a lot to think about to be honest and it’s probably going to be option b) from the above. I have to decide for myself in the end.


However, given the OP's situation I thought I'd pass on my own experiences of the job market in the hope it would someway help.
You don't have to go back to uni although a conversion would be a smart move. Are there no transferable skills from what you already have? What do you want to do with regards to IT? Design, infrastructure, service? It's quite varying to be honest and your foot in the door could be easier than you think depending on where you want to be what you want to do etc.
 
You don't have to go back to uni although a conversion would be a smart move. Are there no transferable skills from what you already have? What do you want to do with regards to IT? Design, infrastructure, service? It's quite varying to be honest and your foot in the door could be easier than you think depending on where you want to be what you want to do etc.

I've been doing ISO 9001 (dull as ditchwater) and quality related stuff for several years, so there's no transferable skills to bring over.

My original qualifications pre-ISO 9001 stuff are too outdated to fall back on. This I know from thoroughly searching the jobs market.

As regards what I want to do, I guess networks appeals though I would prefer to keep my options open and see what I like.
 
I've been doing ISO 9001 (dull as ditchwater) and quality related stuff for several years, so there's no transferable skills to bring over.

My original qualifications pre-ISO 9001 stuff are too outdated to fall back on. This I know from thoroughly searching the jobs market.

As regards what I want to do, I guess networks appeals though I would prefer to keep my options open and see what I like.
Have you got any ITIL under your belt? May be worth throwing some dosh at a course and getting that on your CV if you haven't already... would certainly open doors with your experience.
 
Looks like going to be made redundant in September. Worked for same company 16 years, well out of touch with searching the job market.

Any recommendations for best place to look for IT jobs? Primarily on-premise infrastructure design and administration on VMware and Microsoft technologies.

I guess I'll need to get some training in too, Azure and Amazon AWS seem to be the big thing at the moment?
I understand @LondonMackem is the SMB's premier recruitment consultant
 
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