• Write clearly, concisely, and positively. Brevity is a desirable trait in a resume. A resume should just be long enough to get your message across.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs.
• Start each sentence with a strong action word (see attached) when describing your duties and accomplishments, (eg. achieved, administered, designed, managed, organised).
• Make statements that indicate how you have used your skills to solve problems.
• Be specific and quantify accomplishments wherever possible.
• Present strongest points first.
• Information should be factual and accurate. Describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions.
• Use enough key words to define your skills, experience, education, professional affiliations, etc.
• Use jargon and acronyms specific to your industry. It is always wise to spell out acronyms in brackets as well.
• Present information in reverse chronological order within categories. List education and career history starting with the most recent first.
• Double-check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Spelling mistakes and poorly constructed sentences communicate negative impressions about a candidate.
• Proof read carefully. Have someone else look over your resume and cover letter as well.
• Do not include salary requirements. If specifically requested, details can be outlined in your cover letter.
• Do not include anything negative. Make only positive statements about yourself.
• Do not include information that is not relevant to your employment objective. Avoid excessive personal or educational details.
• Do not include personal information such as age, gender, height, weight, marital status, number of dependents, religion, health status, or political inclination.
• Nationality or visa status is relevant only if it affects your availability for employment.

There is, of course, plenty of evidence of a candidates age in a well rounded resume, otherwise you would have to undersell yourself.

Don't bother sending your resume to Candle.

I have already posted evidence here sometime ago that they are not interested in candidates over the age of 30 quoted from an article in ComputerWorld.

------------==snip==-----------

Roger Brant, IT recruitment team leader at Candle, said it is still hard to find mainframe skilled people under the age of 30.

What does Brant actually mean by this?

1. Candle are not interested in anyone under the the age of 30.

2. Seeing that Brant refers to mainframe expertise, he clearly shows incompetence in making such a utterly stupid remark.

3. Brant is highly unlikely to find mainframe people under the age of thirty because he not looking in the right age group.

4. In any case - in what way is age relevent to the positions Brant is seeking to fill?

On the next paragraph Jane "Bitching" Bianchini comes out with her usual crap.

Ambition IT recruitment consultant Jane Bianchini said people with mainframe skills that were in such high demand before Y2K have either re-skilled, lost their mainframe skills entirely or are now chiefly responsible for the mainframe they rolled out before the millennium.

------------==snip==-----------

1. Candle are not interested in anyone under the the age of 30.

Should be:

1. Candle are not interested in anyone OVER the the age of 30.

The recruitment industry in Australia is just so amazingly pretentious (and dumb). Yeah, I do million dollar business, design and create advanced computer systems using state of the art technology - and somehow these clowns think that I need someone idiot to point out to me that I should design my CV in a way that gives a positive impression. Jee, thanks you enlightened wonders of wisdom!

Just the fact that you first write that “there is no right or wrong way” and then give plenty of suggestions on how it should be done best is just painfully and utterly stupid and clearly shows that you people are simply not smart enough to be in control of who gets what job and who does not. And the fact that you don’t seem to be able to see this makes you look even dumber!

Just face it – you weren’t smart enough to study technology and you are not smart enough to do management or business well either (this may come as news to you, but it’s lightly that a technologist is better equipped for business than a “business graduate” and of course also at technology – the other way around is not true [of course]. In fact, in more educated countries, the top management positions are populated by technologists – the “business graduates” just take care of boring and repetitive admin. But I guess over here, the supply side is a bit weak).

Then again, in a country where a degree in accounting is actually considered as an achievement - i'm not surprised.

Can you get any dumber? You idiots are so redundant! (and I guess that the, at least somewhat, self-correcting economy is taking care of that now).

I have made no secretof that I think H-wkwind is nothing but a whining pussy and behaves like an old LP record with a big scratch in it. But at the same time, I understand that dealing with these recruitment idiots just made him sick to pieces and bitter. Anyone with enough intelligence to pick hes/her nose would eventually become fed up with these self proclaimed “IT sheep sheppards”. Guess again – we’re not sheep.

Cut these idiots out!

Thanks Plato for at least giving me some credit.

No - I am not bitter. I am extremely angry and pissed off. I don't think anyone can blame me for a legitimate compliant that my valuable and long term IT career and livelihood was discard with about as much reverence as a used condom anymore than what anyone else would do if it happened to them!

Those who have critisised me for that - well they only have the same to look forward to, don't they? Only a matter of time.

In careful reading of this article, I find it completely unintelligable. It contains many errors smd complete mumbo jumbo - some of the points are mutually exclusive. In point in particular clearly shows that the recruitment industry knows nothing about the IT industry. One item demands that I breach my clients IP and copyright rights!

This is why Linden Lab does not want recruiters sending unsolicited resumes. They have also been billed by recruiters for these for Gods Sakes.

Linden Labs require people who are capable of doing the job and they don't want brief 30 second adverts for people with high end expert skills to work on their mission critical large scale networks and the client and server software.

I have already talked to them in-world about all this and my skills are suitable to them for quite a few positions they have available. Pity its too late though as I am doing something else already. Yes they have my CV and some items are in my virtual profile for all to read.

SecondLife is being promoted as a Corporate Enterprise platform and there are 1000's of them in there - small, medium and large. They can't afford to waste time with amateurs forwarded to them by recruiters and have all those businesses failing because of simulator failure.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OSD) indeed!

My apologies for "sounding" like a cracked gramaphone record. However there is reasoning behind my motives as follows:

There are several ITers who are newcomers to the industry who are experiencing their first recession.

In the period 1999 up to the beginnings of the dotcom crash in April 2000 I was scratching my head wondering what in the hell was going on - I have never had trouble getting work before this - ever! I was never informed until I discovered monster.com.au by accident in 2002.

Once I read Prof. Norman Matloff's Debunking the Myth of a Desperate Software Labor Shortage Testimony to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee the facts and case studies and explanations made my predicament perfectly clear.

In 1995, I took up a 3 month contract with Defence in Canberra and relocated there from Sydney lock stock and barrel including my Pty Ltd. This contract was extended many times until end of June 1999. During this time I updated some of my skills outside of the job (as we do) as some of my skills were coming to the end of their shelf life.

Defence ditched all their in-house development and outsourced to PeopleSoft. All Public Servants were retrenched first and contractors one year later.

In June 1999, naturally I started to apply for jobs from the day I got one months notice. By the time it got to December there was no result from these efforts and so I had to sell the house I bought before the bank foreclosed and placed all my worldly goods into storage and returned to Sydney.

Suffice to say I was never successful, although I managed to score a couple of short contracts.

This was not even enough to retrieve my possessions in storage in Canberra and transport them to Sydney let alone afford storage fees. I have not seen these items since!

Of course, I will NEVER relocate interstate again and get caught with my pants down.

Candle Recruit is owned by the Clarius Group (CND) - so lets check them out for business performance.

1. Go to this link

Clarius Group (CND)

2. Click on the Price Chart tab.

3. Change the "Date range" from to year 2000.

4. Change the "Frequency" to Monthly.

5. Change "Show Price" as to Line.

Hit the Redraw Chart button

Notice in particular the share price since 2007. You can also use the chart scrollbar to view the last 9 years.

I remember I had an "interview" with Candle way back when and all they wanted to know was whether or not I knew who was hiring around town. Needless to say I told them to shove a candle up it.

You know that an industry has gone to the dogs when CV preparation suddenly becomes an "exacting" pseudoscience that employers & recruiters incrementally use to justify not hiring someone over. (READ: Just another barrier to filter the oversupplied applicant pool)

Funny enough, there's way more flexibility in CV styles in fields of actual demand like the health fields.

In fact, the CVs from the health sector make ICT CVs look like a goddamned novels.

None of these incompetent halfwits have ever heard of Functional Resumes.

Incidently, if you look in the Price Chart (link above and scroll down the window) there is a letter from the ASX on the 22nd December, 2008 - Response to ASX Price Enquiry

RE: PRICE QUERY

We have noted a change in the price of the Company’s securities from a close of 40 cents on Thursday 18

December 2008 to a close of 34 cents today.

They should have enquired why the share price dropped from $3.80 in 2007 down to 0.40 today.

Looks like we have failed companies, dictating to all and sundry on how to write resumes - their own looks pretty poor indeed due to lack of performance and productivity.

Candle was formed in 1984. I entered the Computer Industry in 1978. Candle have never placed me - not even one interview with a client. Others have for exactly the same job.

When I was looking for a new contract in Canberra (last half of 1999) there was an article in the press. The then Manager of Candle in Canberra spouted off to the media and I quote:

"Contractors start up company's in order to avoid tax"

I was immediately on the phone telling them to remove my details and to never contact me again.

1984 was the year I incorporated and started contracting - the exact same year Candle was formed.

On the subject of share prices, Australia's biggest recruiter Peoplebank Australia has a far from healthy share price...

PBA.AX

At that rate they'll be worthless by June 09. Maybe they'll ask for a government bailout?

PBA = $1.16 to $0.28 down 75%. Ouch!

Must have been a good year, for both companies, with their snouts in the 456/457 temporary visa trough.

If I had a contract at the moment with either of these companies, I would be extremely worried.

MQG - High of $90+ to low of $15

SUN - High of $22+ to low of $4.36

WE - High of $45+ to low of 14.24

VBA - High of $2.75 to low os $0.15

If you remove the blinkers you may notice that there are a lot of comapnies that are suffering.

I have been reading this forum for some time and agree with some of the posts regarding the demise of the IT industry in Australia.

I started out as a graduate back in 1998, back when so called IT experts were being paid $150 per hour and they could not even turn on a computer.

I am currently employed but often appply for the jobs listed by agencies, many times these turn out to be false/nonexistant jobs.

Hawkwind, feel free to correct my Grammar. English is my second language.

GL, I probably work in the same building as you and I dont even know it.

Has the recruiting industry turned anal retentive?

Lol, what ever happened to the good old days where resume was used only as part of reference material. Anyone can bullshit details into a resume but does not mean the candidate is any more qualified than the individual with a less detailed CV. This is why job recruiting agencies are a waste of space, by focusing on the frivolous aspect they sometime overlook a potential candidate based on these short sightedness.

It is a shallow world we live in.

....but often appply for the jobs listed by agencies, many times these turn out to be false/nonexistant jobs.

This is a major problem in the industry that does not seem to go away.

How exactly do you prepare a resume to reply to a job that does not even exist? This has always got me bamboozled.

Advertising jobs where the position does not exist is a breach of the Trade Pactices Act. If people encounter them they should contact the The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Contact their Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or electronically. You will find the General Complaints Form on [a href]http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/54217#h2_38">THIS PAGE

I have always found the telephone call is more effective and they give you info on what to do to make your complaint effective.

NOTE: The website who carried the bogus avert and the advertiser are both liable to a fine of up to about $1.1M.

In the Trade Practices Act the following Sections apply to this fraudulant behaviour:

53B Misleading conduct in relation to employment

SECT 52 Misleading or deceptive conduct

SECT 53 False or misleading representations

SECT 51AB Unconscionable conduct

Rather than going to the ACCC and complaining why not just name and shame the agents and agencies involved.

The problem with crying to the ACCC is that it is very hard to actually prove that an ad is actually bogus.

Rather than going to the ACCC and complaining why not just name and shame the agents and agencies involved.

That does absolutely nothing - which is the reason why they persist. It also might get such namers and shamer in a legal wrangle. The fine is what I want imposed plus compensation to me; for the trouble it causes during times of financial hardship and unemployment.

The problem with crying to the ACCC is that it is very hard to actually prove that an ad is actually bogus.

On the contrary, I found it very easy. There are even examples on how to recognise them. I do, however, know a few more recognisable traits and these are technical issues and it does take much to see them and the ACCC officer will help you with this.

If anyone has an ethical and/or professional bone in their body, the ACCC complaint is fully effective way to go.

The ACCC will act (and maybe not just for your complaint) in particular if there are numerous offences against the same company reported.

Fair enough. But I think that contractors need to stop talking and start acting.

I know lots of contractors who complain about agents because of high margins, poor service, lack of ethics etc, but when it come to the crunch they will happily forget their moral stance and will apply for jobs with these agencies.

We all know who the main problem agencies are.

Personally I have 4 on my list that I would never contract through and would never use when looking for contractors and I stand by that. I will NEVER use those agencies.

If more contractors actually stuck to their guns and stopped working through the agencies they complain about we would be in a much better place.

Much like Hawkwind - 1 man on a mission posting frantically on Brainbox will accomplish bugger all. Stand together and boycott the agencies that really screw you over and add no value.

As an aside Hawkwind when you say "The fine is what I want imposed plus compensation to me; for the trouble it causes during times of financial hardship and unemployment." is this theoretical/hypothetical or are you out there searching out bogus ads to report so you can get compo when you are not actually interested in finding an IT Job?

Advertising jobs where the position does not exist is a breach of the Trade Pactices Act. If people encounter them they should contact the The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Thanks Hawkwind, Any fake jobs I come across I will report.

I should have reported this one when it occured:

A Recrutement agent once actually admitted that the Adviertised job did not exist.I was called into an interview for a job which sounded very promising.

I became a bit suspicious when he would not give me any straight answers. I continued asking about the company, working hours, working conditions, location of work etc. Finally he cracked and said. "The Advisertised job does not currently exist, but this interview is a great opurtunity to meet with you, and learn about your skills....blah blah"

I was pretty P*ssed off!!

In regards to preparing resumes, I have a standard (long version) of my CV.

I will cut it down so that it matches the criteria of the job being applied for. No longer than 2-3 pages.

I will also not include referees on the CV.

I would have loved to have the opportunity to have that dumb-arsed headhunter's pound of flesh on a plate.

The article above sadly misses out a very important part of an IT workers resume. commonly known in the industry as "The Skills Matrix".

Related to all this obsession and hype (IT Industry style) regarding lately is the fact that your resume is stored in a resume database with a search feature in the application. The kludgy application they have probably karks it processing anyone with over 10 years experience on their chronological resume. Sadly lacks capability for functional resumes as well. It also relies on the skill the operator, or the lack thereof.

Its a bit like when they do lotto on the tele.

You are exactly right, my friend.

Stop acting like pussies and get organized.

Create a contractor owned, non-profit contract network and employ administrators to work for YOU! Because YOU are doing the work, you have the brains and you are pulling in the money and are probably better suited to front the clients!

The way it is right now, that the "administrators" own the client relationship, is just ridiculous. Let THEM send their resume to YOU, and if they have something to offer you pay them for their services - to take care of the admin and leads generation - for YOU!

The important thing is that YOU own the client relationship.

If they can’t do their job properly – YOU fire them and get someone else.

Start right here – turn this site into a REAL IT professional nerve center!

It is time to cut out the middle man!

Cut the middle man if you can, but if that is too hard pick the middle man YOU want to work for you!

If the client is trying to push you towards an agency that you have no respect for or one that has screwed you in the past push back.

If they want you they will eventually back down and take you direct or let you work through a middle man that you're comfortable working with.

If a client pushes me to go with one of my 'blacklisted' agencies. I will not take the role. Simple!

I cannot think of any other industry where the professional is dictated in the same way that we are.

It's time agencies started seeing us as clients and represent us & worked for us.

Can you imaging if sporting world or the film industry worked in this way?

"Sorry Mr Will Smith, you can only be in this movie if you are represented by the Sharks of Hollywood Ltd"

or

"Ah, Mr Woods, sorry you cannot play in the US Open this year as your agent is not on our list"

Stay away from peoplebank, command recruitment, DWS.

You get one shot with these clowns then they don't want to know you.

Also make sure your CV has only 5-6 years of IT work, not 12 years. cut it down.

Leave your References out of it as well or those clowns will ring them up and abuse your network.

SD

Agents do not represent IT contractors, they represent the end client. It's no different to a real estate agent (another group who has sharks in them) representing the seller, not the buyer.

Agents exist for two reasons, the first is to find a suitible contractor at the lowest rate for the client, the second is to act as a company so that there can be no doubt that the contractor is not an employee of the client.

Contractors do not directly pay agents, they take their margins from the client that is using them. Yes there is a debate as to if a contractor is entitled to this money if there is no agent, but I think you'd find more oftan than not the client considers this a savings, and \ or uses this money to do their own contract management.

On that note, I'm not sticking up for agents, whilst I have had a few good ones, I've also had some bad ones whos margin was nearly as much as I was being paid. Needless to say, the second I found that out I went looking for a new contract.

I had an interview with a recruiter bimbo and had to fill in a skills matrix, it went something like this.

Do you know C++, tick box

Do you know TCP/IP, "well what area in TCP/IP", I have used the protocol in Unix scripting, Java ect to sent files, data but not the internals, who cares about its internals.

So I refused to continue and walked out after stating im a professional not some stupid number.

SD

To succeed you need to learn how to play the recruitment game. Like it or lump it, they are now the gatekeepers. If you can't play their game you will lose. It's as simple as that.

Coming on here complaining how "recruiters did this" or how "I walked out on them" does nothing. Furthermore walking out on them, or treating them as stupid for not knowing what we consider simple stuff will win you no favours (and no jobs).

I agree with everything you say and fully understand that agencies are actually paid by the client and not by the contract. I have no issue there.

Yes - we need to play their game in order to stay employed, but not at all cost.

If all the contractors I talk to were to boycott the agencies they complain about in theory these agencies would either have to change or their income would reduce significantly. Over time as their candidate pool is reduced, so does their grip on the major corporates.

Like everything it's not a quick win, but I think that contractors need to stop acting like whores if they want to stop getting screwed.

If contractors act like whores and continue to work with the sharks they have no business complaining when they get bitten.

We all need to play games in work, life and business, but the playing field does not have to be sloping in favour of the other side all the time.

How to Write a Job Description

A well-prepared job description describes your expectations of the position. It will guide your selection and also help your new employee understand what is expected of them.

The length of a job description varies depending on the nature and complexity of the job.

A good job description identifies the:

• position title which clearly reflects the nature of the job

• main purpose of the position in a sentence (or two), that is, what the person does and why, for example, will they review, monitor, co-ordinate, deliver

• business context, that is, the objectives of the business, strategies, the operating environment, and the role of the position in the business

• major accountabilities, which are the three to six major areas of work performed by the position and include important activities undertaken from time to time

• outcomes to be achieved for each of the identified accountabilities

• key communications with key positions, organisations, or groups, both inside and outside the business

• decisions made by the position holder, those made in consultation with the employer/manager and those

referred to the employer/manager

• challenging aspects of the job, including short or long-term challenges, such as, client demands, use of technology, heavy workload, or tight deadlines

• knowledge, skills and experience, which are essential for the effective or competent performance of the job, including formal qualifications, certification, licence or equivalent experience required

• resources for which the person is responsible, for example, staff and/or budget

• tasks/duties performed by the position holder.

How to Write a Job Avertisement

To ensure that your job advertisement is effective:

• write in clear and non-discriminatory language

• quote a salary or a salary range to help filter out unwanted responses

• provide information to help potential applicants decide whether the job is suitable for them

• use the job description to identify required skills, qualifications, experience and desired attributes

• don’t use too many words

• include special requirements, for example, driver’s licence, trade qualification

• don’t exaggerate the job as this will attract applicants who are not suited to the position.

Courtesy of NSW Department of Commerce

Office of Industrial Relations

Employment Essentials - Recruitment

Playing games is fine. My point is that we do not need to play with the people we do not like.

If we sotp playing with the ones we do not like, they will end up with no friends!

Agencies are gatekepers, but they do not control the industry.

Believe it or not contractors do hold a lot of power.

"Believe it or not contractors do hold a lot of power."

Say that once you've made it onto a few agents black lists. Yes you can potentially get direct employment although when I experienced direct contracting I was then asked by my client which of the 5 panel agencies do I wish to run contract through, I had to use an agent even though I did all the work myself.

I'm not saying go down to their level, I'm just saying you need to be a little street smart about how you deal with them, keeping in mind that they do hold a lot of power (rightfully or otherwise) and some are not above abusing that power for a short term gain.

I'm pretty sure I'm already there.

Well last several years I do not use any agencies. And despite that or perhaps because of that I still manage somehow to pay my bills. Of course I know it wouldn’t last long , but at least it buys some time to jump to something different.

However I often ( each 6 months I guess ) go to attend the “friendly chat” with some recruitment agency. At interview I trying to understand what new trends and buzzwords are. I also (politely and indirectly of course) trying to explain what the @#$#@#%#% recruitment agents are. Such an interviews indispensible as stress management tool and may keep you smiling for days.

The funny thing is I getting sometimes a lot phone calls after such interviews.

Hawkwind and McFlys highly correct. Recruiter like hungry alleyway dogs sniffs fresh meats for high contract margin. Fools all. Contractor best forms own pty ltd self benefits. Most lazy prefers enjoy coffee with pretty recruiter not spells JavaEE but with smile short skirts and hot wagon. Better one think with brain than animals instincts.

GL

Midnight Wisdoms

Apache Tomcat's > Mainframe

funnily enough one of the best and easiest ways to push shonky agents out of business is to carry out an en masse campaign to remove personal details from their database

by law they are obliged to comply with such requests from candidates, CC your request to the Privacy Commissioner and Voilà arrivederci, good bye, so long mr dodgy agent

Great idea, XB.

Looks like many of them will disappear shortly anyway going by their major slump on the ASX. (see above)

Definately remove your personal details if they are not doing anything with it as per the intended purpose. Perhaps even your bank account details.

Secondly when the idiots go down the gurgler you never know where your personal details might end up.

Make sure your resume is 2 pages, dont say you have over 5 years IT experience.

Also stay away from Peoplebank, Command recruitment as they only employ non Australians.

SD

The headhunters are not the only ones who are totally devoid of respect for peoples qualifications and experience and the careless abuse of resumes without duty of care.

Back in the late 90's, we noticed a big pile of resumes on the manager's desk, so we asked him if he was going to hire. His reply was no, we are going through these resumes to determine what new technologies we are going to introduce based on the number of applicants.

As the non-existant positions were advertised in order to acquire resumes to be used as marketing material, then the company was in breach of Trade Practices.

I'm surprised this is even mentioned here in indignation but fake job ads HAVE ALWAYS been utilised as a reliable and CHEAP promotional vehicle to lure potential corporate clients & job seekers.

Proving that an advertised job doesn't exist & that these companies breach the respective laws, is an extremely difficult proposition for obvious reasons.

Starving comment correct. Recruiter sneaky smoke and mirror gray areas. Kevin Rudd to fix but busy from naughty army minister and government service more leak than porcupine on rubber boat.

GL

fake job ads HAVE ALWAYS been utilised as a reliable and CHEAP promotional vehicle to lure potential corporate clients & job seekers

also the stocks & shares market.

Proving that an advertised job doesn't exist & that these companies breach the respective laws, is an extremely difficult proposition for obvious reasons.

You don't have to prove that the advert is illegal, although you have to provide ACCC with the reasons why you think its bogus. There are technical issues with many of them.

When the ACCC acts it will be asking the employer or agency for proof that the position advertised is genuine. There would have to be a paper trail between the agency and the employer.

You won't have to take on a legal action and hire a lawyer either and there are no fees paid to ACCC. The ACCC takes the offender to court. ie ACCC vs shonky recruiter Pty Ltd.

Recruitment Advertising

Misleading job and business opportunity adverts: how to handle them

Hawkwind, firstly, the ACCC neither possess the manpower nor the resources to pursue a case merely based on a hunch.

Having closely dealt with the ACCC a short 3 years ago, I can assure you that short of you providing them thoroughly incriminating evidence on a silver platter, most cases won't be pursued. That's the reason these fraudulent agencies continue to prosper.

There're many ways to skirt legitimacy problems concerning what constitutes a "fake" ad. Most of these agencies know that. It's a "Following the law in letter but not in spirit" tactic. I won't discuss these details in a public forum though.

the ACCC neither possess the manpower nor the resources to pursue a case merely based on a hunch.

What "hunch" are you referring too? All legitimate complaints are based on THE FACTS.

They have plenty of resources to take on Telstra all the time.

Having closely dealt with the ACCC a short 3 years ago,....

A lot can change on 3 years. There's a different government now - different attitude and focus of the Commission.

....I won't discuss these details in a public forum though.

Nor will I. I will only discuss those matters with my legal counsellers.

What "hunch" are you referring too? All legitimate complaints are based on THE FACTS.

It's all hearsay until cold-hard, incriminating evidence is presented. Other than the occcasional song-and-dance, the ACCC has been shown, to my knowledge, to be consistently unwilling to fully investigate complaints of such nature, citing manpower and resource limitations. Telstra is a big target with a huge national audience, esp. considering that it's, quintessially, a monopoly. In contrast, most of these ICT recruitment agencies are miniscule and its audience (ICT contractors) aren't exactly priority. Very little brownie points for the ACCC.

A lot can change on 3 years. There's a different government now - different attitude and focus of the Commission.

Very little changes. Different games, same rules and outcome.

Nor will I. I will only discuss those matters with my legal counsellers

Good. I didn't want to educate more would-be recruiters to abuse the workforce.

I believe this will be a topic discussed by world leaders at the G20. Seeing plenty of demonstrators in the real issues, going by what I am seeing on live media coverage.

Importantly, the bogus advertisements inflates the "Jobs Available" labour statistics which the government and the ABS has to file with the ILO.

It is used to falsely claim skills shortages and ammunition for demands to increase 457 numbers as well as the recently discovered fact that the MODL is now "faulty".

"Hey, look, we have all these positions here that we can't fill".

ACCC will act also if they get a number of complaints against the same company - not neccessarily just for your complaint.

Incidently, the officer at the ACCC told me that the recruiters have been advised quite some time ago, to change their ways in regards to methods used to simply attract resumes. The advert MUST clearly state this, so that the jobseeker is aware.

If noone complains, then ACCC can't act - and THIS is the problem and the reason why the scammers flourish!

Sadly, the industry is filled with many ball-less wonders and unprotected workers at the mercy of whoever wants to take advantage of you - there is no workers union or federation or industrial relations representation to protect your collective sorry asses.

If you do nothing about it; then you are a loser.

A look at how these tough economic times affect 3 laid off workers in Silicon Valley.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12006023

If noone complains, then ACCC can't act - and THIS is the problem and the reason why the scammers flourish!

The problem with complaints is that anybody may make them - from the disgruntled client with an axe to grind to someone with a legitimate complaint.

The reality is that the ACCC does not have the resources or manpower to launch an investigation into each and every complaint coming through. A combative stance like yours is common place but without actual incriminating evidence implicating (paperwork, witnesses, etc) these companies, it's merely your opinions.

Sadly, the industry is filled with many ball-less wonders and unprotected workers at the mercy of whoever wants to take advantage of you...

It's the nature of the game & the state of the market - it's an employer's market. Labour arbitrage (using cheaper overseas workforce to supplant local ones, on shore or off) reinforces these dismal situations. To compound the problem, ICT workers lack the culture of lobbying and picketing. They're politically naive or worse, apathetic. Then again, Aussie ICT workers're going where the Aussie textile workers've gone - into oblivion.

It's for this reason that I, like many others before me, am in the process of retraining away from ICT.

Have recently had two bad experiences with Candle Recruitment, both confirming to me that they do discriminate against anyone over the age of 30. I will not have any further dealings with this agency!

Sounds like we all need to get out of ICT and start a virtual business, offering virtual jobs in a virtual world, whilst playing with our virtual selves.

Maybe part of the problem is that all the real ICT jobs are actually being virtualised as well as offshorised? Who knows?

On a slightly more serious note, yes starting your own business is a great idea. (And I don't simply mean start a PTY LTD and continue taking contracts under it).

Unrealistic expectations can be realed in, no scum suckers to leech off your work, and when you do something, you get the benefit.

That's exactly what I did, and not a day goes by where I'm not glad I did.

Sounds like we all need to get out of ICT and start a virtual business, offering virtual jobs in a virtual world, whilst playing with our virtual selves.

Who told you, or what gives you the impression, that Virtual Worlds are not within the ICT realm?

I have a business in SecondLife and it requires creative ICT technical knowledge & skills.

Linden Labs, SecondLife is the only ICT miracle/innovation creation in the last 15 years and is now 5 years old already.

ITProf,

If you have the proof of age discrimination against you by Candle, you should lodge a complaint with the Anti-Discriminatin Board. Get justice and set a precident for all future legal actions by job seekers who are discriminated against by employers on the basis of their age.

Gun4Hire

@Gun- Candle's perhaps meals for wall street bear struggle for recruit.

@Hawkwind - virtual reality worlds addictions. Chase virtual womans and business empires by nights. But how business succeed and pays bills for Liden dollar? Better spends time learns Java EE pay real bill... real worlds success.

But reality worlds no fun. Finance chaos GFC and great wall street bear today reality. Obama no answer only borrow China. Kevin Rudd Labour plan only sells to China mines. Debt to all for saves the few. USA soon bankrupt no hopes mates.

@GL

Hundreds of employment service providers across Australia have lost their government contracts, forcing thousands of staff to join dole queues with their clients.

On Wednesday, the federal government announced 141 providers and 48 sub-contractors had been chosen to run the new Job Services Australia (JSA) scheme, which replaces the Howard government's Job Network.

Employment staff to join dole queues

Won't be long to wait for the layed-off staff of private employment agencies to join the queue. You only have to look at their pathetic performance on the ASX And the recession has not even been declared in Australia yet.

What exactly does your SL business do? And given the average exchange rate between linden dollars and normal dollars is pretty low (L$250 = US$1 = AU$0.70) it means that to make AU minimum wage you'd need to sell L$5500 worth of goods or services per hour.

Also I'd hardly call SL the only achievement in computing in the last 15 years. (And it was not even the first to bring the virtual world concept to life). But had to actually been around, and exsisted as more than just a troll you'd know that.

But how business succeed and pays bills for Liden dollar?

You question on how a virtual business succeeds, won't be discussed here.

The Linden dollar($L) and USD$ can be exchanged at the LinDex Exchange just like $AUS and $USD.

Better spends time learns Java EE pay real bill... real worlds success.

Did that ages ago - I come from a C/C++ background so Java is simple language to learn - but it was a waste of time. At my age, I could not even get a job changing light bulbs in the very datacenters where I once ruled.

Linden Scripting Langage (LSL) was very eay to learn, because it is also very C++/Java-like and is used extensively in my creations as well as writing custom scripts for my clients.

This comment was removed as it contained offensive content.

If you want to play in your virtual world go for it.

If it's so great in your virtual lab why do you spend so much time on this site.

Go off with the other Lab Rats and earn virtual $$ and spend the on your virtual toys.

The number of short-term unemployed has risen by 45 per cent as the global financial crisis bites, figures show.

Centrelink figures reveal the number of people who have been looking for work for less than 12 months jumped 45 per cent to 203,173 across Australia between September 2008 and February this year, the Sun Herald reports.

According to the figures, a total of 576,888 short and long-term job seekers were now getting some form of income support, a rise of 17 per cent.

In Sydney, leaps of more than 40 per cent in the short-term jobless rate in some suburbs, including Baulkham Hills, Chatswood, Ryde and Hornsby, point to new areas of disadvantage.

Short-term jobless rate jumps: report

@Real - Its your turn very soon

Why is it Real's turn very soon? Even in the middle of the great depression people where still earning money, and millionairs where still made.

Even in the middle of the great depression people where still earning money, and millionairs where still made.

These "millionairs" were made mainly in the black market and of course, in white slavery.

Besides, the latter's a logical step up for the ICT recruiters, isn't it?

the majority of your comment is on the spelling rather than the subject in question.

Actually one of the cases I've heard of was a guy who sold washboards, as washing machines where to expensive to run, but people still wanted clean clothes.

As far as I'm concerned staving \ hawkwind \ et all, you are all trolls, and feeding you is fun.

Even in the middle of the great depression people where were still earning money, and millionairs millionaire where were still made.

Poor spelling, first grade level. Must be a Gen Y.

Mark 1/10

Has to be a headhunter troll!

Has zero technical knowledge and does not know much about what he/she is talking about.

It all adds up to the type of responses I get to my posts.

Additionally suffers from multiple personality disorder as well - or perhaps schizophrenia.

Isn't that right Anon aka Real etc etc?

Macquarie Group and India's largest commercial bank, State Bank of India (SBI), have launched a new fund to invest in infrastructure projects in the sub continent.

The new fund, Macquarie-SBI Infrastructure Fund (MSIF), will invest in "essential service" assets generating long-term cash flows. These include roads, sea ports, airports, power generation, transmission and distribution, gas distribution, telecommunications and logistics businesses.

Investments will also include greenfield projects and established businesses, and potential investments are already being assessed.

A Macquarie spokesperson on Monday could not provide further details.

So far the new fund has raised capital of $US1.037 billion ($A1.45 billion), comprising $US887 million ($A1.24 billion) from international investors and $US150 million ($A210.13 million) from State Bank of India.

A $US150 million contribution from Macquarie is included.

As further capital is raised during 2009, and with contributions from Indian domestic institutions, the total capital is anticipated at between $US2 billion ($A2.8 billion) and $US3 billion ($A4.2 billion).

Macquarie and SBI launch new India fund

I can assure you that this anon ain't a head hunter, and has quite a lot of technical knowledge as well. I can't make any comments about the others who also post under the name "anon"

Hawkwind correct. Anon attitude more sicks than citys CBD power wire and ALP labour policy. Kevin Rudd answer form own socalisms state company fix failed 130 volts wire and broadband network. Results 9600 baud modem speed for $20million prices. Confuse GFC for KFC.

You know you've lost the argument when...the majority of your comment is on the spelling rather than the subject in question

..and you should know you're an illiterate nincompoop, who is unlikely to make it in the next Depression, if you can't tell the difference between "majority" & "minority". That's not even critiquing your poor spelling and sincere inability to use a spellchecker. As the crux of my last post was not about your spelling, you may add "poor comprehension skills" to your long list of non-Depression resistant flaws.

See, when you fail to spell properly, you tend to fail to communicate properly. I hope you're not that droll to be reveling in this handicap.

i dont care if u dont like my spelling or gramer or lack their of as i gave up on this being a serious it site years ago

i mainly come here to lol at people who think they know what they are on about and who like medical degrees

oh and the trolls they make me rolf a lot

if i took this site seriously id be using my real name of fred rather than the name anon

hell i used to use my real name until i realised most people here are a bunch of dicks whos one objective was to piss of us real it guys

I too used to enjoy this forum before it was taken over by UnemployedITer, Hawkwind, Macca, Starving IT Guy, GL etc. (probably all one and the same)

At the end of the day, sure their opinions matter and are valid, but the same old shit day in day out is a bit tedious, and this is why this site has gone to the wall.

Every discussion is hijacked and turned into some person crusade to turn the world against IT employers, recruiters, immigration, the establishment..... blah, blah, blah..... always the same old story with little or no value other than giving ‘the trolls’ a chance to vent their frustration.

Id be interested in hearing peoples opinions on the proposed FTTH broadband plan.

I personally think that it will be a huge waste of Money. It will never be completed on time or budget.

If it ever is finished it will cost 420 Billion, and will be obsolete in 2020.

Actually I think the Idea and principle are quite good. In private sector most of money spent going to company executives and rich shareholders, so they could buy more luxury boats, planes, palaces, cars etc etc etc.

In public sector most of money really goes into something useful for everybody .

I just not understand why it should be sold in 5 years time. If public money used , public should also benefit in long term as well.

Also UnemployedITer, Hawkwind, Macca, Starving IT Guy, GL, what no retort on how much of an idiot i am how my job will be offshored shortly and how great medical degrees are

oh well enjoy your centrelink queue there boys enjoy

as for me im going to celebrate MY company (as in the one I am a director of) has just won another contract we are still in the middle of delivering two other projects and working on another three

yes it turns out that the demand for my services has increased thanks to the FC :)

and before you comment - it is lunch time, thats why i can afford the time to comment (poke prod whatever) on here

also hows my gramr and speling going. everyone pleased by it?1

to Real,

you havent been on this side of the fence, your probably one of those trols who rip others off.

you will get your muttons in later life.

Every thing equalizes in the end.

SD

"your probably one of those trols who rip others off."

If being a contractor means I rip people off then yeah, sure, I'll rip off anyone that will give me a contract.

Yeah well thats why Kevin Rudd dumped all who tendered for the project. They were all big mouthed wankers who could not possibly deliver the requirements of the tender and would only rippoff the taxpayers and private investers, which is the crap what we got when broadband was first rolled out. It is shameful.

I am glad he does not want to waste the $4.7 billion that will come from the Building Australia Fund.

IBM has filed a patent on the methods and system of offshoring.

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STRATEGIC GLOBAL RESOURCE SOURCING

Method and system for strategic global resource sourcing in one aspect incorporates concurrently a plurality of qualitative and quantitative attributes that influence performance of sourcing strategy with respect to one or more quantitative measures, quantifies an impact of said qualitative attributes using said one or more quantitative measures, and optimizes the sourcing strategy with respect to said one or more quantitative measures subject to one or more constraints.

Filed on: 2007-09-24; Application Number: 11860336

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STRATEGIC GLOBAL RESOURCE SOURCING

My first graders have much better spelling and grammar than some of the people who post on this forum.

It's back to kindy for you lot.

When schools begin? Leopard bring apple for teacher.

Take relax....

GL

Misspelted "Grammers School", should be "Grammar School".

A mark of "F - failed" for Great Leopard or should that be Dunce Leopard.

Look at this ad from ClicksIT.

12 month contract- must have 3 years experience 50k.

Its laughable...

SD

engrish.com

It's even sadder to see the ICT recruitment "industry" hijacking ICT manpower supply and that it's increasingly occupied by such illustrious folks as, snake-oil salesmen, ex-cons and other "enterprising" illiterates with the moral compass of a Dengue-mosquito on the prowl.

Here's an even more asinine ad (but rephrased) I picked up previously from a local IT jobs website.

.. Entry level developer wanted; are you young, energetic and willing to learn your trade in a dynamic multinational organisation? Submit your resume to HR

* must be recent Graduate in Computing/Computer Science(within 3 years)

* 5 years of industry experience mandatory

anon, 04/08/2009 11:46:40 PM & Real, I guess I will have to give you the same response that most of us Aussie give to very troublesome & unhappy immigrants who refuse to fit in here:

"If you don't like it here, f-ck back off to whenever you came from.

That is, back to whatever pyramid & ponzi scheme selling websites and numerous porn sites you "objective & optimistic intellectuals" normally visit.

That is called "Corporate Mumbo-Jumbo".

I can think of about 10 reasons that gives justification to such garbage, primarily designed to mislead both the jobseeker and the Department of Employment & Workplace Relations as well as the bean counters who count job adverts for the purpose of conjuring up and manipulating labour statistics.

I can't "fuck off" home, as I am living about 20km away from where I was born.

As far as I'm concerned I'm already at home.

Now back to the original subject.

1. Get a professional resume writer to write your resume. It may cost a few dollars but it'll help ensure you get the job whilst leaving most of the regulars here stuck in the Centrelink queues.

" I will have to give you the same response that most of us Aussie give to very troublesome & unhappy immigrants who refuse to fit in here:"

Do you need your head read? What the hell are on?

1. I'm not an immigrant

2. Fit in? What do you class as fitting in? Do I need to leave me job and moan that I'm unemployed in order to fit in?

"2. Fit in? What do you class as fitting in? Do I need to leave me job and moan that I'm unemployed in order to fit in?"

Bad English. It should be "my job" not "me job".

Lose one brownie point.

Miss O'Brien

1. Get a professional resume writer to write your resume. It may cost a few dollars but it'll help ensure you get the job whilst leaving most of the regulars here stuck in the Centrelink queues.

Rack off! Another shonky HR moneymaking scam/rip off to take unfair advantage of the unemployed and jobseekers. Nor does it "ensure" that you get a job.

These so-called "professional resume writers" know nothing about my profile and my career experiences. There is only one career they are interested in progressing and that is THEIRS!

If a potential employer cannot read and understand my resume they are not worthy of my service.

It is for sure and certain that it is employers who should learn how to write tangible and informative job adverts and job specifications paying particular attention to the ACCC guidelines instead of treating labour as a commodity which by the way is illegal.

LABOUR IS NOT A COMMODITY.

Straight to the point..

Software engineering/Developers is dying in Australia, no one wants to pay Australian wages any more. It’s now done overseas in India and China.

Recruiters wont touch Australians if they apply for Development roles, only VISA work holders may apply.

This is the standard policy executed by corporations. Developers are not important any more, 13 – 15 years ago they were now, are not, now a dime a dozen.

The geek/nerd phenomenon is now truly gone, it was a myth of the 80’s - 90’s,. no one cares if you can program the best software but can you do it for nothing.

SD

1. If you cannot understand job ads you are not worthy of the job.

2. We are a commodity - accept it.

3. Try asking for a reasonable market rate not the inflated rates from yesteryear. Goes back to (2).

Declaration concerning the aims and purposes of the International Labour Organisation

(DECLARATION OF PHILADELPHIA)

The General Conference of the International Labour Organization, meeting in its Twenty-sixth Session in Philadelphia, hereby adopts, this tenth day of May in the year nineteen hundred and forty-four, the present Declaration of the aims and purposes of the International Labour Organization and of the principles which should inspire the policy of its Members.

I

The Conference reaffirms the fundamental principles on which the Organization is based and, in particular, that:

(a) labour is not a commodity;

(b) freedom of expression and of association are essential to sustained progress;

(c) poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity everywhere;

(d) the war against want requires to be carried on with unrelenting vigour within each nation, and by continuous and concerted international effort in which the representatives of workers and employers, enjoying equal status with those of governments, join with them in free discussion and democratic decision with a view to the promotion of the common welfare.

II

Believing that experience has fully demonstrated the truth of the statement in the Constitution of the International Labour Organisation that lasting peace can be established only if it is based on social justice, the Conference affirms that:

(a) all human beings, irrespective of race, creed or sex, have the right to pursue both their material well-being and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity, of economic security and equal opportunity;

(b) the attainment of the conditions in which this shall be possible must constitute the central aim of national and international policy;

(c) all national and international policies and measures, in particular those of an economic and financial character, should be judged in this light and accepted only in so far as they may be held to promote and not to hinder the achievement of this fundamental objective;

(d) it is a responsibility of the International Labour Organization to examine and consider all international economic and financial policies and measures in the light of this fundamental objective;

(e) in discharging the tasks entrusted to it the International Labour Organization, having considered all relevant economic and financial factors, may include in its decisions and recommendations any provisions which it considers appropriate.

III

The Conference recognizes the solemn obligation of the International Labour Organization to further among the nations of the world programmes which will achieve:

(a) full employment and the raising of standards of living;

(b) the employment of workers in the occupations in which they can have the satisfaction of giving the fullest measure of their skill and attainments and make their greatest contribution to the common well-being;

(c) the provision, as a means to the attainment of this end and under adequate guarantees for all concerned, of facilities for training and the transfer of labour, including migration for employment and settlement;

(d) policies in regard to wages and earnings, hours and other conditions of work calculated to ensure a just share of the fruits of progress to all, and a minimum living wage to all employed and in need of such protection;

(e) the effective recognition of the right of collective bargaining, the cooperation of management and labour in the continuous improvement of productive efficiency, and the collaboration of workers and employers in the preparation and application of social and economic measures;

(f) the extension of social security measures to provide a basic income to all in need of such protection and comprehensive medical care;

(g) adequate protection for the life and health of workers in all occupations;

(h) provision for child welfare and maternity protection;

(i) the provision of adequate nutrition, housing and facilities for recreation and culture;

(j) the assurance of equality of educational and vocational opportunity.

IV

Confident that the fuller and broader utilization of the world's productive resources necessary for the achievement of the objectives set forth in this Declaration can be secured by effective international and national action, including measures to expand production and consumption, to avoid severe economic fluctuations to promote the economic and social advancement of the less developed regions of the world, to assure greater stability in world prices of primary products, and to promote a high and steady volume of international trade, the Conference pledges the full cooperation of the International Labour Organization with such international bodies as may be entrusted with a share of the responsibility for this great task and for the promotion of the health, education and well-being of all peoples.

V

The conference affirms that the principles set forth in this Declaration are fully applicable to all peoples everywhere and that, while the manner of their application must be determined with due regard to the stage of social and economic development reached by each people, their progressive application to peoples who are still dependent, as well as to those who have already achieved self-government, is a matter of concern to the whole civilized world.

2. We are a commodity - accept it.

... and treating labour as a commodity is illegal and you're a crim - accept that.

The inability to differentiate between figurative & literal statements is also another indicator of a low-brow illiterate that you clearly are, Real (aka Anon).

When I said "f-ck back off", I meant to get out of Brainbox.com.au, if you don't like the predominant posts & mood here. You certainly won't fit into the culture of Brainbox, simple as that. Nobody forced you to read the posts here, so why stress yourself?

What, don't you have some new desperate ICT graduates soon-to-be victims to fleece or is supply that bad now? It's a bad idea for your ilk to be attempting to rescue your dwindling supply of ICT suckers via propagandising here. Vocal, rational minds with at least a semblance of honesty do outnumber your depraved kind, I'm afraid.

The General Conference of the International Labour Organization,

Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, and having met in its Eighty-fifth Session on 3 June 1997, and

Noting the provisions of the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949, and

Being aware of the importance of flexibility in the functioning of labour markets, and

Recalling that the International Labour Conference at its 81st Session, 1994, held the view that the ILO should proceed to revise the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949, and

Considering the very different environment in which private employment agencies operate, when compared to the conditions prevailing when the above-mentioned Convention was adopted, and

Recognizing the role which private employment agencies may play in a well-functioning labour market, and

Recalling the need to protect workers against abuses, and

Recognizing the need to guarantee the right to freedom of association and to promote collective bargaining and social dialogue as necessary components of a well-functioning industrial relations system, and

Noting the provisions of the Employment Service Convention, 1948, and

Recalling the provisions of the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, the Freedom of Association and the Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948, the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949, the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958, the Employment Policy Convention, 1964, the Minimum Age Convention, 1973, the Employment Promotion and Protection against Unemployment Convention, 1988, and the provisions relating to recruitment and placement in the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949, and the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975, and

Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to the revision of the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session, and

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of an international Convention;

adopts, this nineteenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven, the following Convention, which may be cited as the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997:

Article 1

1. For the purpose of this Convention the term private employment agency means any natural or legal person, independent of the public authorities, which provides one or more of the following labour market services:

(a) services for matching offers of and applications for employment, without the private employment agency becoming a party to the employment relationships which may arise therefrom;

(b) services consisting of employing workers with a view to making them available to a third party, who may be a natural or legal person (referred to below as a "user enterprise") which assigns their tasks and supervises the execution of these tasks;

(c) other services relating to jobseeking, determined by the competent authority after consulting the most representative employers and workers organizations, such as the provision of information, that do not set out to match specific offers of and applications for employment.

2. For the purpose of this Convention, the term workers includes jobseekers.

3. For the purpose of this Convention, the term processing of personal data of workers means the collection, storage, combination, communication or any other use of information related to an identified or identifiable worker.

Article 2

1. This Convention applies to all private employment agencies.

2. This Convention applies to all categories of workers and all branches of economic activity. It does not apply to the recruitment and placement of seafarers.

3. One purpose of this Convention is to allow the operation of private employment agencies as well as the protection of the workers using their services, within the framework of its provisions.

4. After consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers concerned, a Member may:

(a) prohibit, under specific circumstances, private employment agencies from operating in respect of certain categories of workers or branches of economic activity in the provision of one or more of the services referred to in Article 1, paragraph 1;

(b) exclude, under specific circumstances, workers in certain branches of economic activity, or parts thereof, from the scope of the Convention or from certain of its provisions, provided that adequate protection is otherwise assured for the workers concerned.

5. A Member which ratifies this Convention shall specify, in its reports under article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization, any prohibition or exclusion of which it avails itself under paragraph 4 above, and give the reasons therefor.

Article 3

1. The legal status of private employment agencies shall be determined in accordance with national law and practice, and after consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers.

2. A Member shall determine the conditions governing the operation of private employment agencies in accordance with a system of licensing or certification, except where they are otherwise regulated or determined by appropriate national law and practice.

Article 4

Measures shall be taken to ensure that the workers recruited by private employment agencies providing the services referred to in Article 1 are not denied the right to freedom of association and the right to bargain collectively.

Article 5

1. In order to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in access to employment and to particular occupations, a Member shall ensure that private employment agencies treat workers without discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, or any other form of discrimination covered by national law and practice, such as age or disability.

2. Paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be implemented in such a way as to prevent private employment agencies from providing special services or targeted programmes designed to assist the most disadvantaged workers in their jobseeking activities.

Article 6

The processing of personal data of workers by private employment agencies shall be:

(a) done in a manner that protects this data and ensures respect for workers privacy in accordance with national law and practice;

(b) limited to matters related to the qualifications and professional experience of the workers concerned and any other directly relevant information.

Article 7

1. Private employment agencies shall not charge directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, any fees or costs to workers.

2. In the interest of the workers concerned, and after consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers, the competent authority may authorize exceptions to the provisions of paragraph 1 above in respect of certain categories of workers, as well as specified types of services provided by private employment agencies.

3. A Member which has authorized exceptions under paragraph 2 above shall, in its reports under article 22 of the Constitution of the International Labour Organization, provide information on such exceptions and give the reasons therefor.

Article 8

1. A Member shall, after consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers, adopt all necessary and appropriate measures, both within its jurisdiction and, where appropriate, in collaboration with other Members, to provide adequate protection for and prevent abuses of migrant workers recruited or placed in its territory by private employment agencies. These shall include laws or regulations which provide for penalties, including prohibition of those private employment agencies which engage in fraudulent practices and abuses.

2. Where workers are recruited in one country for work in another, the Members concerned shall consider concluding bilateral agreements to prevent abuses and fraudulent practices in recruitment, placement and employment.

Article 9

A Member shall take measures to ensure that child labour is not used or supplied by private employment agencies.

Article 10

The competent authority shall ensure that adequate machinery and procedures, involving as appropriate the most representative employers and workers organizations, exist for the investigation of complaints, alleged abuses and fraudulent practices concerning the activities of private employment agencies.

Article 11

A Member shall, in accordance with national law and practice, take the necessary measures to ensure adequate protection for the workers employed by private employment agencies as described in Article 1, paragraph 1(b) above, in relation to:

(a) freedom of association;

(b) collective bargaining;

(c) minimum wages;

(d) working time and other working conditions;

(e) statutory social security benefits;

(f) access to training;

(g) occupational safety and health;

(h) compensation in case of occupational accidents or diseases;

(i) compensation in case of insolvency and protection of workers claims;

(j) maternity protection and benefits, and parental protection and benefits.

Article 12

A Member shall determine and allocate, in accordance with national law and practice, the respective responsibilities of private employment agencies providing the services referred to in paragraph 1(b) of Article 1 and of user enterprises in relation to:

(a) collective bargaining;

(b) minimum wages;

(c) working time and other working conditions;

(d) statutory social security benefits;

(e) access to training;

(f) protection in the field of occupational safety and health;

(g) compensation in case of occupational accidents or diseases;

(h) compensation in case of insolvency and protection of workers claims;

(i) maternity protection and benefits, and parental protection and benefits.

Article 13

1. A Member shall, in accordance with national law and practice and after consulting the most representative organizations of employers and workers, formulate, establish and periodically review conditions to promote cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies.

2. The conditions referred to in paragraph 1 above shall be based on the principle that the public authorities retain final authority for:

(a) formulating labour market policy;

(b) utilizing or controlling the use of public funds earmarked for the implementation of that policy.

3. Private employment agencies shall, at intervals to be determined by the competent authority, provide to that authority the information required by it, with due regard to the confidential nature of such information:

(a) to allow the competent authority to be aware of the structure and activities of private employment agencies in accordance with national conditions and practices;

(b) for statistical purposes.

4. The competent authority shall compile and, at regular intervals, make this information publicly available.

Article 14

1. The provisions of this Convention shall be applied by means of laws or regulations or by any other means consistent with national practice, such as court decisions, arbitration awards or collective agreements.

2. Supervision of the implementation of provisions to give effect to this Convention shall be ensured by the labour inspection service or other competent public authorities.

3. Adequate remedies, including penalties where appropriate, shall be provided for and effectively applied in case of violations of this Convention.

Article 15

This Convention does not affect more favourable provisions applicable under other international labour Conventions to workers recruited, placed or employed by private employment agencies.

Article 16

This Convention revises the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949, and the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention, 1933.

Article 17

The formal ratifications of this Convention shall be communicated to the Director-General of the International Labour Office for registration.

Article 18

1. This Convention shall be binding only upon those Members of the International Labour Organization whose ratifications have been registered with the Director-General of the International Labour Office.

2. It shall come into force 12 months after the date on which the ratifications of two Members have been registered with the Director-General.

3. Thereafter, this Convention shall come into force for any Member 12 months after the date on which its ratification has been registered.

Article 19

1. A Member which has ratified this Convention may denounce it after the expiration of ten years from the date on which the Convention first comes into force, by an act communicated to the Director-General of the International Labour Office for registration. Such denunciation shall not take effect until one year after the date on which it is registered.

2. Each Member which has ratified this Convention and which does not, within the year following the expiration of the period of ten years mentioned in the preceding paragraph, exercise the right of denunciation provided for in this Article will be bound for another period of ten years and, thereafter, may denounce this Convention at the expiration of each period of ten years under the terms provided for in this Article.

Article 20

1. The Director-General of the International Labour Office shall notify all Members of the International Labour Organization of the registration of all ratifications and acts of denunciation communicated by the Members of the Organization.

2. When notifying the Members of the Organization of the registration of the second ratification, the Director-General shall draw the attention of the Members of the Organization to the date upon which the Convention shall come into force.

Article 21

The Director-General of the International Labour Office shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, for registration in accordance with article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, full particulars of all ratifications and acts of denunciation registered by the Director-General in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Articles.

Article 22

At such times as it may consider necessary, the Governing Body of the International Labour Office shall present to the General Conference a report on the working of this Convention and shall examine the desirability of placing on the agenda of the Conference the question of its revision in whole or in part.

Article 23

1. Should the Conference adopt a new Convention revising this Convention in whole or in part, then, unless the new Convention otherwise provides -

(a) the ratification by a Member of the new revising Convention shall ipso jure involve the immediate denunciation of this Convention, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 19 above, if and when the new revising Convention shall have come into force;

(b) as from the date when the new revising Convention comes into force, this Convention shall cease to be open to ratification by the Members.

2. This Convention shall in any case remain in force in its actual form and content for those Members which have ratified it but have not ratified the revising Convention.

Article 24

The English and French versions of the text of this Convention are equally authoritative.

The General Conference of the International Labour Organization,

Having been convened at Geneva by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, and having met in its Eighty-fifth Session on 3 June 1997, and

Having decided upon the adoption of certain proposals with regard to the revision of the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949, which is the fourth item on the agenda of the session, and

Having determined that these proposals shall take the form of a Recommendation supplementing the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997;

adopts, this nineteenth day of June of the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven, the following Recommendation, which may be cited as the Private Employment Agencies Recommendation, 1997:

I. General provisions

1. The provisions of this Recommendation supplement those of the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997, (referred to as "the Convention") and should be applied in conjunction with them.

2. (1) Tripartite bodies or organizations of employers and workers should be involved as far as possible in the formulation and implementation of provisions to give effect to the Convention

(2) Where appropriate, national laws and regulations applicable to private employment agencies should be supplemented by technical standards, guidelines, codes of ethics, self-regulatory mechanisms or other means consistent with national practice.

3. Members should, as may be appropriate and practicable, exchange information and experiences on the contributions of private employment agencies to the functioning of the labour market and communicate this to the International Labour Office.

II. Protection of workers

4. Members should adopt all necessary and appropriate measures to prevent and to eliminate unethical practices by private employment agencies. These measures may include laws or regulations which provide for penalties, including prohibition of private employment agencies engaging in unethical practices.

5. Workers employed by private employment agencies as defined in Article 1.1(b) of the Convention should, where appropriate, have a written contract of employment specifying their terms and conditions of employment. As a minimum requirement, these workers should be informed of their conditions of employment before the effective beginning of their assignment.

6. Private employment agencies should not make workers available to a user enterprise to replace workers of that enterprise who are on strike.

7. The competent authority should combat unfair advertising practices and misleading advertisements, including advertisements for non-existent jobs.

8. Private employment agencies should:

(a) not knowingly recruit, place or employ workers for jobs involving unacceptable hazards or risks or where they may be subjected t abuse or discriminatory treatment of any kind;

(b) inform migrant workers, as far as possible in their own language or in a language with which they are familiar, of the nature of the position offered and the applicable terms and conditions of employment.

9. Private employment agencies should be prohibited, or by other means prevented, from drawing up and publishing vacancy notices or offers of employment in ways that directly or indirectly result in discrimination on grounds such as race, colour, sex, age, religion, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, ethnic origin, disability, marital or family status, sexual orientation or membership of a workers organization.

10. Private employment agencies should be encouraged to promote equality in employment through affirmative action programmes.

11. Private employment agencies should be prohibited from recording, in files or registers, personal data which are not required for judging the aptitude of applicants for jobs for which they are being or could be considered.

12. (1) Private employment agencies should store the personal data of a worker only for so long as it is justified by the specific purposes for which they have been collected, or so long as the worker wishes to remain on a list of potential job candidates.

(2) Measures should be taken to ensure that workers have access to all their personal data as processed by automated or electronic systems, or kept in a manual file. These measures should include the right of workers to obtain and examine a copy of any such data and the right to demand that incorrect or incomplete data be deleted or corrected.

(3) Unless directly relevant to the requirements of a particular occupation and with the express permission of the worker concerned, private employment agencies should not require, maintain or use information on the medical status of a worker, or use such information to determine the suitability of a worker for employment.

13. Private employment agencies and the competent authority should take measures to promote the utilization of proper, fair and efficient selection methods.

14. Private employment agencies should have properly qualified and trained staff.

15. Having due regard to the rights and duties laid down in national law concerning termination of contracts of employment, private employment agencies providing the services referred to in paragraph 1(b) of Article 1 of the Convention should not:

(a)prevent the user enterprise from hiring an employee of the agency assigned to it;

(b)restrict the occupational mobility of an employee;

(c)impose penalties on an employee accepting employment in another enterprise.

III. Relationship between the public employment service and private employment agencies

16. Cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies in relation to the implementation of a national policy on organizing the labour market should be encouraged; for this purpose, bodies may be established that include representatives of the public employment service and private employment agencies, as well as of the most representative organizations of employers and workers.

17. Measures to promote cooperation between the public employment service and private employment agencies could include:

(a) pooling of information and use of common terminology so as to improve transparency of labour market functioning;

(b) exchanging vacancy notices;

(c) launching of joint projects, for example in training;

(d) concluding agreements between the public employment service and private employment agencies regarding the execution of certain activities, such as projects for the integration of the long-term unemployed;

(e) training of staff;

(f) consulting regularly with a view to improving professional practices.

Hey Hawkwind,

How about you underline the paragraphs or sentences you think underscore the point you're trying to make.

After all, your "professional" audience members like Real & the various naysaying "Anons" here all seem to have the attention span of a gnat and the literacy of a gluesniffing 10 year old from a public school.

LMAO

I would, but I would not expect much of a result.

These idiots who claim that they are "professionals" don't even have a degree (or equivalant) let alone came anywhere near getting, or even starting, their HSC. They do not even have the aptitude for a technical career in IT.

No wonder the World in in deep shit.

Hawkwind - you need to get out more! Great use of the copy and paste functions. Well done.

So, because I see myself as a commodity I'm a crim? There's an interesting view. I think you'd have trouble making that one stick in court. How I see myself and how I decide to market and sell my skills is up to me, is it not? Or do your right wing views suddenly shift left on this topic?

Rather than making me a crim I think it makes me a realist. You need to work the system rather than moaning about how you can't earn money because it's all IT jobs are being given to people on Visa. What a load of crap?

Also, I'm not stressing. If anything it is you, SID and Hawkwind that seem to be stressing. Busy bitching and complaining.

Do you really think I give a rats about what you and Hawkwind think? No! In fact I have not bothered to read the pages of crap that Hawkwind has just copied and pasted into this forum. It's all pointless crap.

At the end of the day it all comes down to who wants to work and wants to bitch and complain and blow smoke up their own ass by quoting BS legislation that is irrelevant.

I used to come here and read interesting posts, now I just like to pop back now and again to bait the likes of Hawkwind and anyone else with similar "anti everything" views.

Love your work guys.

xox

It's all pointless crap.

Well we will see.

The United Nations and the ILO is now on the case in regards to the Global Economic Disaster and it's causes. They will act with Member nations to correct the discrepencies.

Check their website.

International Labour Organisation

Anyone with a reasonable IQ can understand what I am posting, and that includes the relevant Geneva Conventions to which Australian Labour laws are based on.

Irrelevant indeed. Get real, Real. You, and others of your ilk, with your stupid so-called "new economy" and globalisation have just got your fingers burned real bad.

But of course you understand NOTHING about Economics 101 do you - and so Australian IT remains stuck in the Middle Ages.

Won't be long though before the World Wide Web flash-in-pan idea becomes redundant and more immersive technologies replace it.

Qantas will cut 500 managers and may axe 1250 other staff as its profits come under pressure from the financial crisis.

The airline has announced it will make a five percent cut to international and domestic routes and attempt to sell ten planes as well as sacking the 500 managers after cutting its profit forecast by $300 million.

Qantas to sack 500 managers, may lose 1250 other staff

but it will take more than the ILO to sort out the "Global Economic Disaster".

It all comes from greed. As long as the Execs are earning 9 figure salaries, things will never change!

Contractors demanding huge rates is as bad, just on a smaller scale. I took a drop of 30% when I took my current contract. Better to earn 70% than 0%.

Seems to me that there are too many precious people out there who are not willing to do the same. Just so happens that they are currently all unemployed.

You just cannot resist the 'immersive technologies' can you. Hiding in a virtual world earning virtual cash isn't going to save you.

Economics 101. Looking at your posts I think I have a better grasp of it than you. The real world doesn't work like your virtual cartoons.

If a potential employer cannot read and understand my resume they are not worthy of my service.

No wonder your a long term unemployed IT'er. That's the funnist thing I've read all day.

What, do you think your gods gift to IT and all must bow in front of you or something?

Also if you have specific cases where employers have broken the law, by all means take them to court.

Starving ITer - I haven't taken brain box seriously in year. You sad losers ruined this site a long time ago. I come here mainly for comic releif and to poke and prod. I really don't give a shit if you believe me or not, and nothing you say will make me think anything differently about my right now pretty good career in IT.

Also I'm not the user "Real". Yes there is more than one person out in the IT world there who thinks most people here in Brain Box are a bunch of dickheads \ trolls.

Wake up you goose I am not unemployed. I know you are a bit inarticulate.

I have two businesses (one provides me with a very lucrative residual income) and doing a degree at university as well.

I am waiting eagerly for the property prices to drop from the sky (estimated 40-50%) - then I can get out of this damned boarding house and living with alcoholics, drug addicts, ex-crims and psychos - a predicament the flakey and shonky IT industry placed me in a few years ago after many years of service. It does not even have the technical wherewithall to even advise government properly on broadband strategies.

Skills shortage indeed.

Why should I not complain? I want to make sure and certain I deter as many as possible from making the stupid decision to "get into IT".

Looks like the industry is now so pathetically stupid it can't even handle the backlash from it's seedy actions and lousy attitude towards it's only resource which is its workforce - of course this is clearly reflected in the stock market performance of recruitment agencies and the lack of productivity and innovation.

But of course they don't understand do they - and that is fairly simple to work out.

Its no wonder other professions, or should I say occupations, are more attractive to school leavers.

I would also like to see all this go through the legal system - they would not stand a chance in hell in trying to defend themselves.

Programmers Guild Files 300 Discrimination Complaints Against H-1B Employers Interesting Videos

PERM Fake Job Ads defraud Americans to secure green cards

I'm surprised you can manage to type with that huge chip on your shoulder.

God gave me 10 fingers and I use all of them. Perhaps you do not even have speed typing skills either.

I do not have a chip on my shoulder either. Instead, like the majority of the population - INFURIATED that qualified and experienced Australian and American citizens are automatically obstructed and defrauded in order to get cheap labour from immigration programs.

You probably don't comprehend the YouTube video either.

Sounds like you are cheap labour, Real at the low-end skill level market - like a webbie - similar to a cheap prostitute under the thumb of his/her pimp.

Thank God I don't have to work with jerks like anon and Real.

To summarise to anon and Real and their ilk who demonstrate the typical signature disabilities.

et.al are Deaf, Blind and Dumb

Oh, but afterall, they are in the ICT industry aren't they and not even logical thinkers at that! Can't read or write and their mathematics is real pathetic - all clearly demonstrated in this thread.

Skills shortage indeed.

Gee hawkwind, aren't you easily wound up...

So far you have without knowing me, or my ability assumed that I can't hack it in an industry which you have expressly said you couldn't hack it in? So because you are a loser who failed big time in the industry, you are now calling everyone who succeeded losers? Riiiiiiight. I see you version of reality is well adjusted.

You have now called me Deaf, Blind and Dumb because of how I'm responding to a forum I have consistantly said I don't give a crap about (apart from winding you guys up)

I guess in some ways you'd call me a troll, and in some ways you'd be right. I love winding you up. If I took this site more seriously I'd take better time to think about my arguments and point of view. If nothing else I'd have a repuation to hold onto. On this site, I couldn't care less.

The one difference is I actually give a shit about this industry, I enjoy working in it, and I'd love to see this site turn back into a real resource, and aparently it was a half decent networking resource. (I remember BB use to have coffee meets etc...) Now days I wouldn't want to let any of you losers know which state I live in let alone meet you in person.

Now days I wouldn't want to let any of you losers know which state I live in let alone meet you in person.

I would not advise it either. I have actually been to a drinks night.

I you talked to me like you talk to me here; it would be very likely that I take you outside and shove your stupid head through a gutter drain grill.

A lot of what Professor Susan Greenfield, an eminent Neuroscientist at Oxford, holds true here.

Video

Caution urged about the screen culture of the computer age

I, like many others (e.g Hawkwind, UnemployedITer, et al), will take my warnings on the pervasive ICT dol(e)drums and the sleazy, ICT recruitment fraudsters far and wide.

Clearly, this crusade for ICT honesty riles Real and his army of "Anons" because it means the pool of desperate, gullible victims to the ICT meatgrinder will shrink. ...and continue to shrink. After all, no sane person would EVER consider chronic underemployment/unemployment as a degreed career option.

Witness the dropping TER scores - no doubt, a testament to an obvious NO demand for ICT from the thinking majority in our community & the evaporating staff from the various ICT Faculties. I'm happy to say something is working to our favour in spite of the ICT propaganda and recruiter machinations.

The only comic relief here are the delusional, low-brow illiterates who, in their vain attempts to save their own jobs, haplessly persist on showing the world (and potential victims) the kind of treachery the ICT recruitment industry is increasingly fraught with.

As I see it:

1. Hawkwind debates with FACTS backed up by authoritative references.

* VS *

2. Recruiter scumbags live by ad hominen and probably narcotic-addled fantasies of ICT "manpower" shortages. == FAIL

Looks like IBM is getting rid of the free tea and coffee:

IBM Staff to pay for coffee and tea

Has anybody heard of a new trend to pass on hefty charges to contractors working in the fed govt for security clearances? As if working with incompetent public servants isn't bad enough you now have to pay just to start a contract. F*** that.

The more shortsighted idiots that leave the IT industry the better. Leave more work for us.

Hawkwind is a spreader of doom and gloom. His 'FACTS' do not just relate to the ICT industry. It's global and the current issues go way beyond IT.

People in all industries are losing jobs, being asked to take pay cuts etc. As Hawkwind himself called it a "Global Economic Disaster" not a "Global IT Disaster".

Look back over recent threads. Even Hawkwind has posted links to news stories about cut backs, redundancies, outsourcing and off shoring outside of IT.

Open your eyes boys and girls! It's not the IT industry that is the problem here. So who are you going to blame for the failure of businesses in retail, mining, engineering etc.? Me? Anon? Recruiters?

Hawkwind, if you are so keen to deter people from getting into IT what industry do you think is safe?

@Real

The petroleum industry.

Hawkwind can work the day shift and GL the midnight coder can work the night-shift.

When I fill up petrol they can offer me a special two chocolates for the special price of $10.

The more shortsighted idiots that leave the IT industry the better. Leave more work for us.

...

Hawkwind is a spreader of doom and gloom. His 'FACTS' do not just relate to the ICT industry. It's global and the current issues go way beyond IT

..and you and your ilk are spreaders of lies just to prop up a recruiter's and employer's market, while the loads of ICT workers, who through your kind of fraudulent advice, entered ICT, now stay chronically underemployed, underpaid or unemployed. That's perniciously unscrupulous.

Besides, just because people leave the industry now to retrain for something else doesn't mean they can't return if, as you and your ilk, consistently insist, things get better in the future. We don't "lose" our technical skills, so, don't take out the champagne just yet, my dear, non-technical snakeoil salesman.

However, I'm not going to bet my mental and economic well being on your sanguine claims though. Instead, I choose to utilise my time in a productive manner by retraining, and being gainfully employed in another far healthier industry than elk a "living" in an industry that's constantly under the spectre of redundancies and cost-cutting. The "privilege" of actually working in ICT is not worth the stress nowadays - then again, nobody expects you or your ilk to understand this - real ICT work is something alien to ICT recruiters since they are mostly sleazy non-technical, manpower salesmen.

Another thing, the global issues Hawkwind mentions ARE relevant because ICT is among the hardest hit industries by the structural employment catastrophe. The rampant labour arbitrage, which is an actual form of labour abuse, in ICT has significantly undermined the ability of many in the industralised countries to make a decent, first world living. Of course, slave traders, erm, I mean, ICT recruiters won't admit that, either.

Software maker Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), which announced plans to lay off 5,000 U.S. employees earlier this year, said it needs to import more H-1B visa workers into the country to cope with what it says is a shortage of American tech workers.

"We need more cheap foreigners" says Microsoft

Real 8:13PM correct. Wall street bear sniff fars and wides for meals. Tech industrys favourite dish but not only menus. Retails and miner worker most higly risks. Even cleaning maid company collapse by debts. Best all be real expectation or career crash like Quantas manager stocks options.

Even Hawkwind has posted links to news stories about cut backs, redundancies, outsourcing and off shoring outside of IT.

What makes you think IT workers are not involved in those layoffs in those other industries?

The IT Industry in Australia only employ a tiny fraction of IT workers. The majority are employed in other industries such as banking and finance, mining, clothing and footwear, auto manufacture etc etc etc etc.

cyber,

Nice article - virtually casts the spotlight on the buffoonery and shameless connivance typical of big businesses in ICT.

"Microsoft hires foreign workers to bring specially needed skill sets to our U.S. operations and to fill roles when qualified American workers are not available" wrote Smith

...

...

...

Microsoft in January said it would ax 5,000 workers, including an unspecified number of highly skilled research and development employees, this year.

Dear Mr Smith, maybe there are no available qualified US workers around because your organisation just laid them off recently?

Priceless.

IBM (NYSE: IBM), according to union sources and company documents, has pink-slipped about 9,000 U.S. workers so far this year. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) in September disclosed plans to cut about 13,000 U.S.-based jobs. Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) earlier this month announced 2,700 redundancies.

Hmmm.. no qualified, skilled US ICT workers?

These 24000+

laid off employees must have been only cleaners and packers then.

....so that the jerks can automatically throw it in a bin or arrange the employer to interview the candidate - for the one and only purpose of finding ANY reason to disqualify the candidate.

Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa had sent a letter to Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer, dated January 22, questioning Microsoft's layoff plans targeting 5,000 employees.

In particular, Grassley questioned Ballmer about how many of the layoffs would involve foreigners hired under the H1-B programme. He wanted to know how it would affect US workers and non-US citizens working for Microsoft.

He also questioned Microsoft’s plans for retaining H-1B or other work visa programme workers after the job eliminations.

Here's the full text of Microsoft's reply to Grassley

March 3, 2009

The Honorable Charles E Grassley

United States Senator

135 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-1501

Dear Senator Grassley,

Thank you for your letter of January 22, 2009. Steve Ballmer asked me to respond on the company’s behalf.

Your letter expressed concern about Microsoft’s recently announced layoffs and asked us to provide you with information about them. I have included that information below, but first I’d like to provide a bit of context.

Since the company’s founding in 1975, Microsoft’s consistent growth has enabled us to increase employment every year. In the last three fiscal years, for example, our employment in the United States increased by 40 per cent. Today we have more than 90,000 employees worldwide and over half of them are in the United States.

The vast majority of these US jobs are filled by American citizens. Because of our partner-based business model, our impact on employment is even larger than these numbers indicate. For every dollar that Microsoft earns in the United States, our business partners earn $6. This creates many additional jobs.

One recent study found that 4.2 million people in the United States are working in jobs that are the result of Microsoft’s business model (IDC IT Economic Impact and Microsoft Country Footprint: United States, October 2007. The figure includes individuals who work at IT companies and IT professionals who create, sell, or distribute products that run on Microsoft platforms).

This year, in response to the economic crisis, Microsoft is reducing its employment level for the first time. This was a difficult decision and it was not one we made lightly. We are deeply committed to our employees and we place the highest value on the contributions they make to the company’s success. We understand the impact that each layoff can have on an employee and his or her family.

Nonetheless, we concluded that the long-term competitiveness of the company, like the country as a whole, requires prompt and decisive action to adapt to the changed economic reality.

We announced in January that the company would eliminate up to 5,000 Indian IT cos jobs over 18 months. It’s important to note that we also expect to create 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs during this same timeframe, as we continue to invest in innovation. As a result, the total net impact on our employment will be a decline of about 2,000 to 3,000 jobs, not 5,000.

Microsoft employees whose positions are eliminated may apply for the new jobs that are being created. In addition, like any employer, we will continue to see some ongoing voluntary attrition as employees retire, accept jobs elsewhere, or for other reasons end their employment. Often, these positions are filled by current employees, but the company will also need to continue to fill these vacancies by hiring new employees, including both US workers and a smaller number of visa holders.

You asked about the kinds of jobs that will be eliminated and how many employees will be affected in each area. Because the job reduction decisions will be made over 18 months, we do not yet know all of the specific jobs that will be eliminated.

We do know, however, that the 5,000 positions that will be eliminated will include jobs in marketing, sales, finance, Legal and Corporate Affairs, HR, R&D, and IT. In addition to the 5,000 figure, our workforce in support, consulting, operations, billing, and manufacturing will continue to change in direct response to customer needs.

We also know that the 5,000 figure likely will include positions in a large number of countries. Given the distribution of our jobs, however, it is likely that the Puget Sound region in Washington State will see the largest number of job eliminations. Of the roughly 1,400 positions that were eliminated in January, which are part of the 5,000 total, over 800 were in Washington State.

As we add new positions to support key investments, we will prioritise R&D investments that promote long-term innovation. That is why we plan to invest over $9 billion in research and development this year, one of the highest such figures in the world. Over two-thirds of this total will be spent in the United States.

You also asked in your letter how we decide which jobs to eliminate, whether employees with H-1B or other work visas are affected, and how many of the jobs being eliminated are held by Americans.

Because these decisions will be made over 18 months, it’s too early to know the precise answers. We do know, however, that the job reductions will impact non-Americans who hold jobs outside the United States, as well as both visa holders and US workers inside the United States.

The majority of Microsoft’s workforce is made up of US workers, and therefore the majority of jobs eliminated in January were held by US workers. Workers on H-1B visas and other temporary work visas make up only a small percentage of our overall workforce, but they were also among the employees impacted by the reductions announced in January. Employees outside the United States were also impacted.

As I’m sure you’d expect, we take care to make all employment decisions, Indian IT cos logged in most H-1Bs including the termination of employment for any individual, in a manner that complies with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In addition, we do not base compensation decisions in the US on an employee’s citizenship.

Finally, you asked about Microsoft’s plans for retaining H-1B or other work visa programme workers after the job eliminations.

H1-B employees have always accounted for less than 15 per cent of Microsoft’s US workforce, the level that is used in immigration law to determine whether a company is “H-1B dependent.”

Nonetheless, the ability to tap into the world’s best minds has long been essential to our success. Although they are a small percentage of our workforce, H-1B workers have long made crucial contributions to Microsoft’s innovation successes and to our ability to help create jobs in this country. We are confident this will continue to be true in the future.

We focus our recruiting for core technology jobs at US universities, which continue to be among the best in the world for computer science and engineering graduates. However, as one recent study found, in 2005 temporary residents earned more than 40 per cent of the engineering and computer science degrees at US higher education institutions.

For doctoral degrees, that number was even higher, as temporary residents accounted for 59 per cent of the degrees awarded in these fields that year. The substantial majority of H-1B petitions filed by Microsoft are for core technology positions, and technology and engineering positions account for about 90 per cent of Microsoft’s H-1B workforce.

Many of these H-1B employees have been seeking permanent resident status for many years and would no longer be dependent on their H-1B visas but for multi-year delays in the green card process.

With these factors taken together, we do not expect to see a significant change in the proportion of H-1B employees in our workforce following the job reductions.

I want to underscore that we are rigorous in our compliance with the requirements of the H-1B programme. We are familiar with published reports about abuse by some employers in the H-1B visa category. We believe that the H-1B fraud issue is important and needs to be addressed.

We recognise that every H-1B employer has an obligation to ensure that the programme’s rules are followed. We support H-1B reform efforts to ensure that users of the programme follow both the spirit and the letter of the law.

Finally, I want to convey our commitment to help broaden opportunities for all Americans. The country’s long-term competitiveness requires that the United States produce more university graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math. While government will take the lead in strengthening America’s public education system, the private sector should support these efforts.

At Microsoft, we have a number of education-focused public initiatives. Through our Partners in Learning programme, Microsoft works closely with governments and non-governmental organizations across the country to strengthen information technology training by providing a wide variety of educational resources for teachers and schools.

These include training programmes and software tools that have already reached over 3 million students and roughly 200,000 teachers. Similarly, we have founded a public-private initiative in Washington State to work with educators and businesses to develop new approaches to improve middle-school math education.

And Microsoft Research is deeply involved with important research efforts at universities across the country. In addition, we recently announced a new programme called Elevate America, which will provide technology training to 2 million people nationwide during the next three years, working closely with state and local governments.

Ultimately, as a company and as a country we need to combine short-term adjustments to the economic crisis with long-term efforts to strengthen our economic competitiveness. We recognise the impact that our decisions have on employees who are affected.

We strive to make thoughtful employment decisions and then assist the individuals who are impacted by them. We also strive to take a long-term approach that will enable Microsoft to remain a leader in technology innovation and an important contributor to the country’s competitiveness now and in the future.

We hope that this information is helpful to you. We look forward to working with you and your staff if we can be of assistance in addressing these important issues.

Bradford L Smith

General Counsel

Hawkwind copy then paste texts more than masters student on sunrise before thesis due.

We understand the impact that each layoff can have on an employee and his or her family.

Nonetheless, we concluded that the long-term competitiveness of the company...requires prompt and decisive action to adapt to the changed economic reality.

Read: we don't give a jackshit about the welfare of workers because they're all commodities. The cheaper the better - nevermind that we are still insisting on having legions of misled idiots entering ICT through propaganda.

Because these decisions will be made over 18 months, it’s too early to know the precise answers. We do know, however, that the job reductions will impact non-Americans who hold jobs outside the United States, as well as both visa holders and US workers inside the United States.

Interesting how traditionally the most affected (US tech workers) were mentioned last - as if, to make it look least likely to happen - dog bollocks.

Typical corporate weaselspeak just before mass rape of local workers through labour arbitrage (abuse) in the name of cost-cutting. It's NEVER "too early", they already know what it's going to happen up years in advance. With the economic downturn, they've now the excuse to expedite matters.

Hawkwind, in other none-too-subtle words, expect more rape$ of the US tech workers in the coming months.

....so that the jerks can automatically throw it in a bin or arrange the employer to interview the candidate - for the one and only purpose of finding ANY reason to disqualify the candidate.

No shit Sherlock, did you work that all out by yourself?

As someone who sometimes hires people (like today), I get sick of reading resumes. It's amazing how many people apply for jobs they are in no way suitible for. It's almost like they "give it a go" without reading what the job entails

As someone who sometimes hires people (like today), I get sick of reading resumes.

No shite, man. I understand and see your problem... You're in the wrong occupation & should consider going back to being a used car salesman or some other job with very minimal literacy requirements, e.g. whore pimping (something like what you do now in ICT recruitment, anyways, isn't it - except no paperwork)?

Remind me to shed a tear for you the next time you're drowned in resumes by desperate ICT workers. The ICT workers whom YOUR parasitic ILK in big business & ICT recruitment tricked into ICT via propagadising what is now known to be a non-existent "career", you slimy mutt!

It's almost like they "give it a go" without reading what the job entails

That's because many ads are written to be utterly nonsensical like requiring a "young" job applicant fresh out of uni to have 5 years of experience in an industry that has pretty much shipped most entry-level ICT jobs to India.

At least, I see that these desperate job applicants are trying their best to make an honest living. The same can't be said for you and your ICT recruitment ilk. You mutts are parasitic con artists colluding with big business and continue to be gleefully responsible for the oversupplied state of the ICT labour market.

Definately not qualified or have enough morals and ethics to do the job of going through resumes.

I'll bet those who it rejects never finds out the reason why because its too god-damned lazy. Perhaps if they did, they would not get all those wanna-bes applying.

Because I'm not in recruitment, but I couldn't resist posting something to make you think I am. No I actually run a surprisingly successful IT business, and I'm happy to say it's because of my people (and me, I also do a fair bit of the technical work, it's not that big - yet, but we are expanding)

You see, your responses where perfect. They illistrated why you guys can't get jobs. Putting in an application for which you are not suited for (and I'm not talking about 80% suitability with some training) at all wastes everyones time.

Yes I think I know what it takes to be successful even in these times, and I simply use this site as a guiding beacon on what not to do.

Small things, amuse small minds

Needless to say, I'm not surprised the parasitic vermin in the ICT employers group & recruitment are engaging in a little grave-dancing.