Hey, i know how you feel. I just resigned last friday myself and am either going contracting next year or starting up on my own. I don't believe in recruitment agencies these days. However i did call up a few to try to get a feel for the market this week and got the same schpiel from past years.
In the past few days however i've had a number of calls from competitors and other companies trying to get a hold of me. I just mentioned to a few choice ears that i was leaving and in the market and the rest just took it's course. My main ambition is to find a recruiter who will meet with you, listen to what you have to say and actively try to find you the right role without your cv ending up on every desktop in the country. It's near impossible.
My advice is make that list: of people you know, and people you know who know people. I was given that advice and did not take it into account until i woke up on saturday at 3am and started writing down names that had popped into my head. i have a list of about 40 or so which i have narrowed down to about 4 or 5.
These are people who can either provide me with contracts or can be potential clients or are just people i know in the industry. These are the ones i will attack first to get things going and then move on to the others.
Even though i have offers on the table i am still determined to make a go of it on my own. Only thing is that i do not have a family to worry about as you do.
But make that list, talk to a few people even while you are in the job.
If possible, try to find a few UK based recruiters that provide services to the Irish maket as i find that many of them actually flippin listen!
