dodgy recruitment agency???????

jay_bham

hi im new to the forum but just had to ask the question about a recruitment agency that are acting suspiciously.

here is the advert for a seemingly high paid job to just drive around.

Permanet drivers and driver assistants required within next 2 weeks.Must be reliable and presentable as will be delivering furniture to customers premises.
Will involve some distance and long hours.
Salary for drivers is £400 + per week with tips, for basic 40 hours per week,
salary for drivers mate will be £320 per week with tips, for basic 40 hour per week,
lots of overtime available,
drivers must have clean licence and over 21 years of age,

closing date for these jobs are friday 28th september
no emails please , send cvs to our head office in london,

Brookes recruitment services,
361 southwark park road,
bermondsey,
london,
SE16 2JN




i searched google for the company and got nothing apart from the adverts posted (mostly on gum tree or free classified sites)

i sent them a cv in the post as stated, and they txt me today saying

"i am pleased to inform you that you have been shortlisted for the job you applied for on gumtree, if you would like to recieve an application for interview send 3 x 1st class stamps on A4 envelope to us"

now something just seems a little dodgy to me, i rang the number that txt me numerous times and no reply......

are they trying to con me or something?

PlutoinCapricorn

I am sure that you will get plenty of suggestions, but my impression is that they are just trying to get some CVs from people, and may not have any actual vacancies. They could be very new, and need to say that they have a lot of people looking for jobs on their books before they get any clients.

If they want money for stamps, they must be very short of cash. It should always be possible to telephone or send emails.

dmg24

I would say they are dodgy. The same address is used for 'unwanted gold' ads!

I've just done a search on Google maps, and the address appears to be residential. I would avoid!

andygb

Brookes recruitment have various "vacancies" on Gumtree, and given the state of the economy, and the numbers of people who are unemployed, they may well get thousands of people sending stamp addressed envelopes to them. Most of the vacancies are in the catering trade, and their salaries seem to be higher than usual.
There are all kinds of people trying to run scams, so this could well be one.

PlutoinCapricorn

They are advertising various types of job in different areas. This blanket coverage does suggest that either they want people's personal details for dodgy purposes, or as mentioned it is just someone who thinks that they will make money by recruitment but has no clients and no CVs!

I would certainly not go near them.

andygb

http://reading.gumtree.com/reading/96/45029896.html

This advert is just a wind up. I would be very suspicious of anyone working in recruitment, who does not have a good command of basic grammar.

If you search for 361 Southwark Park Road, see what you find on Google.

andygb

dmg24 wrote: »

I would say they are dodgy. The same address is used for 'unwanted gold' ads!

I've just done a search on Google maps, and the address appears to be residential. I would avoid!

Sorry dmg24 - great minds and all that
The "Bede House Association" is also at that address.

MORPH3US

Basically anyone could "set up a recruitment agency" and the very first thing they need is a bank of CV's to send off to vacancies.... they do this by inventing "perfect" well paid jobs which people apply for but they never exist.

Avoid.

jay_bham

thanks for the quick response guys, i will certainly keep my wits about me with this company!!

Jay.

PlutoinCapricorn

Jay, I am sure that you are not missing the job of your dreams by following the advice on here!

Another thing that has occurred to me is this: if these jobs really existed, a reputable agency would want you to send your CV via email so they could get in quickly with the client, who might have placed his vacancy with other agencies. And don't forget that there is a post strike on: the post is snail mail and in recruitment it is important to get back to the client quickly. It seems to me that Brookes have only got a hotmail address or similar, and don't want people to know that. What sort of company would register their vacancies with such a cowboy outfit? It is probably one 17 year old boy who wants to get rich quick by selling CVs!

andygb

If you look on Gumtree, they are advertising jobs (Mainly catering at above the national average for that sector), all over the UK. They could well make money from just the stamps, plus the scrap metal business, and whatever else they do.
I tried phoning the "Bede House association" on 0207 237 0860, who are supposedly based at 361 (or in some cases 351) Southwark Park Road. A girl answered, and when I asked her if it was the Bede Housing association, she passed me across to another woman (Both with African accents), who then informed me, that I was speaking to Age Concern at 95 Southwark Park Road. I confirmed the number with her, and it was the one given on the Bermondsey Spa Regeneration site, as belonging to Bede House association - a charity!!!!
What is going on here?