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Recruitment Agencies (Are they worth signing up for ?)

Stylehutz
Stylehutz Posts: 351 Forumite
Does anyone else out there have problems when registering with Recruitment Agencies ? I was made redundant 5 months ago and registered with about a dozen or so around my area looking for temporary work while I am looking for permanent work. I am now beginning to wish that I should not have bothered.

I contact them every other day but most of the time either get an aggressive response saying no work at the moment or the consultants fail to get back to me by not returning my calls.

Another thing I find, is that if I see a job advertised with the agency, they just seem to say that the position has gone or it is on hold. I am beginning to wonder that they are just advertising made up jobs for the sake of it in an effort to get people register with the agency.

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Comments

  • You need to remember that the agency works for the client, not for you and it's interests lie in placing candidates into jobs for the benefit of the client, not the candidate.
  • Emily1990 wrote: »
    You need to remember that the agency works for the client, not for you and it's interests lie in placing candidates into jobs for the benefit of the client, not the candidate.

    Yes thanks, probably explains their appalling attitudes towards the people that register with them and as you say they put their clients first
  • Stylehutz wrote: »
    Yes thanks, probably explains their appalling attitudes towards the people that register with them and as you say they put their clients first

    Yes, I have encountered some awfully rude recruitment consultants. However, with some searching, there are some good agencies. I am lucky enough to have found a great agency and my consultant is very helpful.
  • avoid agencies like the plague
    Martin has asked me to tell you I'm about to cut the cheese, pull my finger.
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 72,930 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    My son is looking to change jobs and can't even get an agency to sign him up.
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • I've found that once you've completed one assignment for an agency, the roles reverse - they are calling you every few days to check that you are still available. I was getting one or two job offers every week from one agency at one stage.

    I've also found that if you apply for one job but don't hear anything, you may get a call in a few weeks/months time if they have a job that matches your needs (i.e. they haven't got enough people on the books!)
  • loisa
    loisa Posts: 212 Forumite
    What annoys me the most is when they post fake ads on the jobcentre plus website and don't even acknowledge your application.
  • I've been out of work since January and registered with lots of agencies, doing spelling tests, maths tests and typing tests...but have only got a temporary job in the last two weeks. The majority of the agencies never contacted me again after I registered - I guess they have so many candidates.
    "I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." Marilyn Monroe
  • At the moment with the current economic crisis there are more people looking for jobs than there are jobs so recruitment agencies are finding themselves swamped with candidates and fewer clients. Having worked both through a recruitment agency and for one, I would say it's worth your while registering with some agencies for temporary work but don't stop looking yourself as some companies won't touch agencies and much prefer to see people looking on their own.

    Some companies did use the agency only for temporary work as they knew we would have a ready supply of people ready to start work at short notice. Find out if your local council/NHS use a bank of staff and if that is through an agency, as that would be an agency worth applying for.
    [STRIKE]Halifax =£35
    American Express=£70
    [/STRIKE]
    HSBC=£15,000 - now £12,000
    Cahoot=£6500 - now £5200
    Mint = £4950 - now £4099
    DFD December 2012
  • CCFC_80
    CCFC_80 Posts: 1,289 Forumite
    loisa wrote: »
    What annoys me the most is when they post fake ads on the jobcentre plus website and don't even acknowledge your application.

    Yes this is my major gripe with agencies. I think that it should be a criminal offence for agencies to advertise fake jobs with a maximum sentence of the death penalty !!

    On a another matter the communication tends to be very bad between the consultants and the candidates , when they put you forward for a position they never want to get back to you when you are unsuccessful and are up your backside when you are. You are always chasing them to find out how your application is progressing

    Employment agencies are very hard work to deal with and in my opinion are best avoided if you can.
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