Getting past the Agencies

Wakey2008

A few years ago I applied for a position via an agency was told that I didn't meet the criteria.

I knew for a fact that if I at least got an interview I'd get the job but the agency were having none of it. I was very !!!!ed off with them making decisions without passing on my application and not giving a chance.

What I did was approach the employer direct and guess what, I got the job.

I very happily called the agency and took great pleasure in informing them that their stupidity had just lost them a massive commission.

The agency, by the way, was Reed.

lufcgirl

My sister works for an agency and I've been in her office helping out when theres just her in for the day. It's a major one, known throughout the world and she works in a small office in a small town. Now she was recruiting for one of the major call centres in the area. They wanted x amount of staff in x amount of days (usually within a week). She gathered all the CV's, had people in for registration with herself immediately and gave them a preliminary interview where she found if people would be able to do the job.

Most were weeded out there as they couldn't answer competency based questions, the ones she did put forward were rejected because they were overqualified, had made a mistake on their work dates in their history and because one put the wrong address for a referee. This was even before an interview! Can you imagine how bad it is for her to call people back and give those reasons for being unable to go for the job?! It's crazy! Her office is now closing down as they have no jobs at all on the books. But she is a very very good consultant and would help anyone suitably qualified she could. It's sometimes the employers too!

mountainofdebt

I recently applied to one agency for a position and was eventually told that I had not been successful at the recruitment shortlisting stage.

Then I got a phone call from another agency about the same vacancy. So I told them about being rejected but I still got put forward and was asked to go to an interview. I didn't the job but both myself and the 2nd agency thought it was strange that the first agency hadn't put me forward especially given my experience and qualifications.

HellsGranny

Agencies are having much the same problems as regular jobseekers at present, too many folk chasing too few jobs.

They have told my son outright that they haven't a hope of placing him, as they have an obligation to their 'regular' workers.

In good times, agencies are chasing around to fill posts.

CCFC_80

Ninja_Seb wrote: »

Is anyone else finding that all agencies seem to have these days is temporary jobs..

It's been like this for a few years now. Maybe it's just employers taking people on a temp/fixed term basis so they don't have to payout in employee benefits.

No have to disagree with you ! In my area agencies don't appear to have any jobs especially temporary. I am not sure how they are making any money at the moment because they cannot offer anyone any work.

chnelomi

many moons ago when i left college and wanted to find a job i hit the usual no experience barrier so i went to an agency to help me get experience. They called me after a couple of days and asked me to attened an interview that i was "in with a very good chance of getting" . So off i went all happy for my promising interview.

Well when i got their i couldn't help but laugh and had to tell the interviewer that the we would just be wasting each others time.

When i went to the agency i was honest i told them i was dyslexic and that i suffer from regular ear infections and hearing loss from a burst ear drum(I only told them because they offered work where that would be a problem).

The job they had sent me for was a telephone company's directory services.
How did they think i would manage spelling all the place names etc, and do they really think sitting all day with head phones on would be suitable for some one with bad hearing susceptible to ear infection's. to top it all i have a speech impediment so i'm not suited for front line communications on the phone.

Still i got a job the next day from a different agency that i went to after i left the interview.

CCFC_80

Wakey2008 wrote: »

A few years ago I applied for a position via an agency was told that I didn't meet the criteria.

I knew for a fact that if I at least got an interview I'd get the job but the agency were having none of it. I was very !!!!ed off with them making decisions without passing on my application and not giving a chance.

What I did was approach the employer direct and guess what, I got the job.

I very happily called the agency and took great pleasure in informing them that their stupidity had just lost them a massive commission.

The agency, by the way, was Reed.

Have to say despite a well known Reputation I find dealing with reed in my jobsearch hard work and overall pretty crap !!. They appear to change their consultants in my local branch every 3 months.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

andy46 wrote: »

Have to say despite a well known Reputation I find dealing with reed in my jobsearch hard work and overall pretty crap !!. They appear to change their consultants in my local branch every 3 months.

Just like every other high street agency then.

sexki11en

I have to say you are all generalising a lot here.

For the record, I have worked at my current agency for 4 years now and am the newest member of staff.

I'm gonna keep this short because I can't possibly respond to all the crap that has been posted here. I have CV's to format to send to a client to get people jobs (yes on a Saturday - hmmmmmm.....not bothered about my candidates???)

Just because YOU think you are suitable for a job - doesn't make it so. You unfortunately have not had the pleasure of listening to what the client wants. It is not your decision to make. If you are suitable for said job, of course you will be submitted. Why would we not submit good quality, suitable candidates? We wouldn't would we, which must mean you were not suitable. You may have a personality trait which the client does not want. It could be a whole host of things that you have no clue about.

As for one agency not putting you forward and another doing so for the same job.....that can be put down to many things. The agency who DID put you forward could have been dealing with the company a long time and have a good understanding of what they want. One agency could have interpreted what was asked of them by the client differently. YOU could have presented yourself well to one agency, and not so well at another.

I have to say it's hard work at the moment. I posted a job that CLEARLY said I needed 2 years call centre experience (it's what my client wants, I have no choice but to accept that - after 4 years of trying I have not been able to make them change their mind)

I keep a spreadsheet to report back to my clients how many applied, through what means (ie Jobcentre, website, walk in) and guess what? 86 unsuitable applicants chancing their luck who thought they were suitable, clearly hadn't even read the advert (and I completely wasted my time responding to each and every one of them)

26 applicants who may have been suitable. Who knows - of the 26 I called (and emailed if they hadn't answered) only 8 could be bothered to call me back! Of those, 2 didn't show to register with me , one wanted Finance (despite applying for the job in the first place!) one didn't want to be interviewed for an hour by me so I could make sure they were suitable so walked out and one was definately not suitable for the company I was recruiting for.

So out of 106 applicants - 3 good candidates!!! They may not be accepted by the client for interview, and if they get an interview, they may not turn up, if they do turn up, they may not get the job. You think what we do is easy??? It's a thankless task made all the more thankless by cretins like you! (assumption based on the whingy comments on this thread)

Unfortunately this is typical of a good majortiy of candidates these days. YES there are the odd good candidate out there (just like agencies ) sadly, the majority of you whinging will have done one of the above things at some point. Reliable, consistant candidates are a very rare thing indeed.

Don't forget - agencies are NOT the jobcentre. We are not obliged to help anyone. We can pick & choose. We will only submit candidates who impress us - why on earth should we put our reputations (yes - some of us have a reputation!) on the line for people with a serious attitude problem,which i'm sorry - most of you who have replied on here seem to have and if you came through my door with an attitude that big - you'd be shown the way out rather swiftly without my having even glanced at your CV!

Times are hard - there are not many jobs. If you want one of the few there are and that happens to be with an agency:
You have to make an effort - now more than you ever have before. The world doesn't owe you a job, you'll have to work dammned hard to make sure you stand out and get one

SK x

Wakey2008

sexki11en wrote: »

I have to say you are all generalising a lot here.

For the record, I have worked at my current agency for 4 years now and am the newest member of staff.

I'm gonna keep this short because I can't possibly respond to all the crap that has been posted here. I have CV's to format to send to a client to get people jobs (yes on a Saturday - hmmmmmm.....not bothered about my candidates???)

Just because YOU think you are suitable for a job - doesn't make it so. You unfortunately have not had the pleasure of listening to what the client wants. It is not your decision to make. If you are suitable for said job, of course you will be submitted. Why would we not submit good quality, suitable candidates? We wouldn't would we, which must mean you were not suitable. You may have a personality trait which the client does not want. It could be a whole host of things that you have no clue about.

As for one agency not putting you forward and another doing so for the same job.....that can be put down to many things. The agency who DID put you forward could have been dealing with the company a long time and have a good understanding of what they want. One agency could have interpreted what was asked of them by the client differently. YOU could have presented yourself well to one agency, and not so well at another.

I have to say it's hard work at the moment. I posted a job that CLEARLY said I needed 2 years call centre experience (it's what my client wants, I have no choice but to accept that - after 4 years of trying I have not been able to make them change their mind)

I keep a spreadsheet to report back to my clients how many applied, through what means (ie Jobcentre, website, walk in) and guess what? 86 unsuitable applicants chancing their luck who thought they were suitable, clearly hadn't even read the advert (and I completely wasted my time responding to each and every one of them)

26 applicants who may have been suitable. Who knows - of the 26 I called (and emailed if they hadn't answered) only 8 could be bothered to call me back! Of those, 2 didn't show to register with me , one wanted Finance (despite applying for the job in the first place!) one didn't want to be interviewed for an hour by me so I could make sure they were suitable so walked out and one was definately not suitable for the company I was recruiting for.

So out of 106 applicants - 3 good candidates!!! They may not be accepted by the client for interview, and if they get an interview, they may not turn up, if they do turn up, they may not get the job. You think what we do is easy??? It's a thankless task made all the more thankless by cretins like you! (assumption based on the whingy comments on this thread)

Unfortunately this is typical of a good majortiy of candidates these days. YES there are the odd good candidate out there (just like agencies ) sadly, the majority of you whinging will have done one of the above things at some point. Reliable, consistant candidates are a very rare thing indeed.

Don't forget - agencies are NOT the jobcentre. We are not obliged to help anyone. We can pick & choose. We will only submit candidates who impress us - why on earth should we put our reputations (yes - some of us have a reputation!) on the line for people with a serious attitude problem,which i'm sorry - most of you who have replied on here seem to have and if you came through my door with an attitude that big - you'd be shown the way out rather swiftly without my having even glanced at your CV!

Times are hard - there are not many jobs. If you want one of the few there are and that happens to be with an agency:
You have to make an effort - now more than you ever have before. The world doesn't owe you a job, you'll have to work dammned hard to make sure you stand out and get one

SK x

I don't really have any axe to grind on this as I've been in steady work for years, but reading your post gives me (and I'm sure others) the impression that it is you that has the attitude problem.

The fact is, the wrong people do apply for positions but the point of this thread is that the wrong people - ones that are very suitable - are turned away by jumped up little agencies lackies who think they are in a position of power but in reality have no clue what they are doing.

I see you were unable to respond to my previous post.:rotfl: