One thing I'd like to see..

There is one thing I'd like to see die out during this recession (besides the robber barons who own the banks and our government).

The hundreds of IT Contract firms.

I'll look at my daily email from Dice.com, and I'll see the same job posted 4 or 5 times for by different contract places. It's just as bad when a large company posts a job opening. I'll get emailed and called by about 5 to 10 (been closer to 5 lately which is a good thing in my book) head hunters who all want me to apply for the same position. Half the time, the position isn't where they were told it would be.

I had one Contract firm in the past tell me if I applied through them, I was only allowed to use them. I don't see them around much, nor did they ever have many positions listed. When the contact point I was "working with left" I got an email from the person who picked up her "assets". She asked what the person was working on with me. I said I hadn't heard from the person in over a year. I never heard back from her either.

The other thing that irked me. I had just passed the first part of the LPI level 1 exam (this was back when there were only 2 levels), and I had to take their test to prove I was "qualified" for a Linux admin position. Their test was easier than the LPI exam, and I know I did good on it, but I was told I failed it. But the first contact point never said by how bad, or gave me a % or told me were my weak areas were. Thinking about it now, I wonder why her replacement asked how I did on the exam, instead of looking it up herself.

Companies use the contract firms because it's cheaper (especially in MI where there is a new employee tax). Hopefully like out sourcing to India, I hope they realize this is a bad thing and start doing direct hires again. Because seriously with as high as the current unemployment rate is (15.2% according to my latest google search (for June 2009)), the contract firms aren't giving a good indicator of recovery by having the same job posted multiple times.