On The Value Added by Middle Folk

It is said that half of advertising is a waste. The problem is deciding which half.

With that in mind, I have compiled a little list of statistics of my job applications to date.

Over the last six months, I have applied for 57 jobs. 30 were advertised through agencies, while 27 were from the company directly.

Of the agency applications, 16 (53%) were acknowledged (ie didn't just vanish into the void) whereas 15 (56%) were acknowledged by companies.

Of the agency applications that were acknowledged, 2 (12.5%) led to further contact. None led to a proper interview.

Of the company applications that were acknowledged, 8 (53%) led to further contact. 5 (30%) led to a proper interview.

Now, I should add that none have actually led to a job offer. Nevertheless, I have to wonder: which half is a waste of time?