Job agencies Good, Bad, Ugly ????

CCFC_80

ellie101 wrote: »

It really depends. I'm in a sector where they drive me a bit mad. I go for jobs in IT/digital media.

The market is dire so they'll ring you and "fish" you for references. As in say "I need a reference before putting you forward for this job". They have no intention of putting you forward for a job/have a job, they just want to ring your ex-bosses to see if they are hiring. Sogenerally I now say if you put me forward and I get an offer you can have a reference.

I don't mind the fishing so much though, what winds me up is when they say "who are you interviewing for, can you tell me so I don't approach the client again and you are already there?". This is so they can CV block.... send someone else in your place (as in one of their candidates). I spend ages telling 'em "it's really quiet and I have no interviews".

Btw, is your CV that bad? Just curious, as sometimes agents in my field don't get it right.

I've also had some good experiences, a few agents I deal with are good, upfront, and will tell you how it is while being polite, and really try to get you the best job. I'd register with a few to compare and get a feel, or use recommendations. Good luck. If someone is rude to you, ignore them/disagree and don't let it get you down, but I find most okay.

Well said - agencies just use people they are S**m in my opinion, Worse then those lying Estate agents

AHZB

Eeeeek surely cant be worse than estate agents
Sassin frassin rassin hate them . . am beginning to hate job agents too

CCFC_80

mommyme wrote: »

EVERY agency will advertise for jobs that arent "there" - you cant have an agency without temps on stand by - you cant get temps on stand by if there are no jobs

keep naggng - it works!

Yes,but they are not surposed to are they ! Isn't it lllegal to advertise jobs that do not exist and how do they always get away with it ?

AHZB

yep have heard you have to shout LOUD . . the loudest person gets the offers

DKLS

Pretty much I have had good experiences with agencies, like most things in life its a game, and if you know how to play within the rules you will do just fine.

xmaslolly76

freefalling02 wrote: »

Believe it or not, some employers look for the strangest things on CV's and will see people for the most bizarre reasons. A friend of mine applied for a job at a Uni having had NO experience and they saw her for an interview because she had 'smirnoff' in her email address and the person interviewing her liked vodka. She actually got the job, your CV needs to stand out as well as having the skills they are looking for.

That happened to me my email is xmaslolly he said my email was totaly unproffesional but he was curious after seeing it so read my CV in full and hey presto i was perfect for the job :-)

AHZB

Mebbe I should setup an email address . .something like

Giveme@millionpounds.com

And just send emails to millionaires instead of trying to get a job.

I wonder if it will work.If someone tries it and it works can they give me some of the dosh.

Pretty Please

Cheers
anthony

DCFC79

You just have to keep on calling them to keep yourself at the top of the pile

continualdiamond

My OH wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for him siging up with agencies.

Unexpectably he was sacked nearly 2 years ago now over the phone when he was on holidays (my bday of all days), basically told as his probation period was up they didn't think he was good enough.

After 3 mths with no luck finding a job he signed up with different agencies, yes he did some work which at the shortest was for 1 day. But then he was put forward for a driving job and was taken on by the company.

He stayed on the companies books via the agency for 6mths and was then and still is on a week by week contract. The company never advertises, they always go through agencies as the amount of work varies so much depending on what contracts they get. So whilst the job isn't secure and they could at any time give him 1 weeks notice, he wouldn't of found this job if he didn't sign up with the agency and when you've been out of work for 6mths, you'll take whatever you can.

ellie101

Anthony_Blumski wrote: »

Yep indeedy in reviewing my cv it was dire . . . .ah well you live and learn
Think i've got it right now

Am from the IT persuasion

Gis a job someone *S* pretty please

I'm guessing you've registered on jobserve.com? I use that for jobs in London... there are jobs throughout the country so it's worth a look for other areas of the country (not much where I am in Hull though )

If you haven't registered on there, upload your CV so agents can find your CV using keywords (so worth sussing out you've got the right ones on your CV that they will pick-up). When applying for jobs on there that suit your skillset you can see the keywords that have been put in as well, which is useful.