Recruitment Consultants! Aaargh!!!!!

loucam

As someone previously pointed out the Agency will send as many CV's as they are permitted to, to the recruiting company and it is their HR/Management who pick which candidates to interview. If you had no joy gaining interviews it's hardly the agencies fault. Let me remind you that you are not their clients - the recruiting companies are. Have you paid a fee for their service - No, so why on earth should they be at your beck and call. Most of these consultants work very long hours, putting up with demanding clients, being forced to make endless sales calls, have the weekly figures and targets hanging over their head. Many of the consultants I knew would bust a gut for their candidates and formed good relationships with them. But, there is only so much they can do for that candidate. They must focus on their clients. I am NOT a recruitment consultant. Worked with 2 recruitment companies about 5 years ago and watched the pressure heaped on the consultants - wouldn't do the job if my life depended on it.

I agree that the industry can be flawed in certain areas but the fact remains that MANY of the largest organisations within the UK will only recruit via their preferred agency list. So, might not be as easy as you think to get some particular jobs on your own.

Give the Consultants a break - at the end of the day they are just trying to earn money like the rest of us. Oh, and for what it's worth the entire industry is suffering along with the rest of the UK and there are massive redundancies in many companies.

Lou

Louise22

Loucam - please please please answer this question then, since no other recruitment consultant on this forum has (or has been able to).

How can I go directly to the company and always get at least an interview (and most of the time an offer) but when I apply through an agency I get nothing? Please shed some light on this for me.......oh thats right, you cant.

There are so many threads about this because the fact stands - the vast majority are incompetent and should not be in their jobs, nevermind helping others find a job!

Trust me, in the past three weeks I have had 4 job offers and have just accepted a brilliant job. I am not bitter, just cant stand people getting duped and thinking that these people will actually help them. I am not in the minority.

loucam

Louise22 wrote: »

Loucam - please please please answer this question then, since no other recruitment consultant on this forum has (or has been able to).

How can I go directly to the company and always get at least an interview (and most of the time an offer) but when I apply through an agency I get nothing? Please shed some light on this for me.......oh thats right, you cant.

There are so many threads about this because the fact stands - the vast majority are incompetent and should not be in their jobs, nevermind helping others find a job!

Trust me, in the past three weeks I have had 4 job offers and have just accepted a brilliant job. I am not bitter, just cant stand people getting duped and thinking that these people will actually help them. I am not in the minority.

Getting duped? You go along for an interview - that is the extent of the trouble you have to go to. You pay nothing - no fee! That consultant will then send your CV to as many companies as they can. I can guarantee you that this happens as your consultant needs to place you to make money. Consultants refer to many candidates as a "walking fee" and will work their butts off to get that candidate placed.

How come if they are all so bad at their jobs they make so much money?? Until recently the industry was thriving and a dedicated Consultant could make tens of thousands in a couple of months in comission.

Oh, and in answer to your question why on earth would you go directly to a company about a job and then to an agency for the same job?? The precise reason why you will not then get an interview via that agency is that there are rules in place that if a candidate goes directly to the company (for whatever job) then the agency isn't allowed to resubmit them. This even applies if you had sent in your CV speculatively and they had it on file from 4 months ago. All the agency has done is reminded the company that you may be suitable and then the agency isn't allowed to deal with you for that job or claim a fee for you.

Next question?

Louise22

next question? Alright, why do you never get a response? Why when you have been unsuccessful can they not have some manners and professionalism and tell you? Why are they obnoxious know-it-alls?

Shall I continue? No, I think myself and others have made our points very well.

loucam

Louise22 wrote: »

next question? Alright, why do you never get a response? Why when you have been unsuccessful can they not have some manners and professionalism and tell you? Why are they obnoxious know-it-alls?

Shall I continue? No, I think myself and others have made our points very well.

No, I think you have generalised an entire industry because of your bad experiences. A Consultant/Recruitment Office has literally hundreds on candidates on their books. They may not let you know you have not been selected for interview - seriously, they deal with so many jobs and candidates per day they would turn into full time Administrators in order to do this. Everyone I have ever worked with would always let you know if you have gone for an interview and been unsuccessful - remember they need you to make money so they would see that as a courtesy. Practically every company I know of requires their consultants to be on the phone for at least 4 solid hours per day doing client sales calls. They are told by management to not take or make candidate calls during these prime selling times - usually 10.00am to 12noon and 2.00pm to 4.00pm. The rest of the time they will be targeted for interviewing potential candidates, working on jobs, devising CV's, going to client meetings etc. It's a hard slog.

Look at any recruitment pages and you will find many ads which state that unsuccessful candidates will not receive a response. Companies just do not have the time or resources to do this.

I am glad you have been successful in finding a job but please bear in mind the enormous pressure these people have to deal with. They can't afford the time to pander to their huge client base.

Hope that those who made the sweeping generalisations don't do that with everyone they come into contact with. Won't be many people left that they like!

Louise22

Fair enough. I have just had lots of bad experiences. I take your opinion on board

loucam

Louise22 wrote: »

Fair enough. I have just had lots of bad experiences. I take your opinion on board

And I can understand that, no industry is perfect. In fact recruitment is one of the most cut throat industries (after advertising!) to be in. Every Consultant knows that if they don't hit their often ridiculously high targets they are in danger of losing their jobs and that there will be about 10 people willing to fill their shoes at any one time.

Wouldn't recommend it as a job - bad for the blood pressure!!!:D

Louise22

Actually, that is the only way I can sympathise with them - I had exceptionally high targets in my last job and it sucked big time. Talk about stress........

loucam

I know, we should always work to live and not live to work!

Louise22

Well then thats why I think the whole system should be changed and given a massive overhaul. Would do everyone the world of good I think.