From the other side... (Score 1)

Many responses here talk about the difficulties of finding a gig.

I've been experiencing the same problem from the other angle - trying to recruit without contract agencies or recruitment pimp^WConsultants.

Networking is failing, job ads recieve little response, online CV stores generate an appalling signal/noise ratio - eg you specify one location, and you get automated/db generated responses from everywhere but. We get more calls from recruitment companies than applicants - and we take the view that is cash is going anywhere, it's better in the applicant's pocket that the recruitment agencies!

We KNOW how hard it is to find work, but it's damn hard to get good people also!

I know I'm gonna get battered for this, but: Job Ad Here I know that Slashdot is NOT a recruitment board, but do I get clemency for for relevance? We're moving (a little too gradually IMHO) away from M$, and Slashdot seems the right place to go

Seriously - WHERE do companies like ours and "direct recruiters" look to avoid swamping by agencies or paper MCSE's? I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but this seems needlessly difficult here in the UK.