Candidates - Things To Be Aware Of When Using A Recruitment Agency

Sammyantha

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

I can't stand dealing with agencies. Don't trust them at all.

Recruitment agencies are often the best way into certain niche jobs, into the workplace for the first time, or into jobs with specific companies. They can provide invaluable help in finding jobs, applying for them, and preparing for interviews, not to mention providing support once in post.

There are many types of agencies, and many types of agents. To tar all of them with the same brush because you did not have a good experience with one, is to effectively cut off your nose to spite your face.

Jerryjerryjerry

Sammyantha wrote: »

To tar all of them with the same brush because you did not have a good experience with one, is to effectively cut off your nose to spite your face.

I would not agree with that statement. I will no longer deal with agencies. I've been using agencies for almost two years now and I'm totally dissatisfied with their service.

I wont apply for any more jobs which are advertised by them, and I'm now only applying directly through company websites.

Also, I believe companies are more likely to give the job to the candidate they don't have to pay a massive fee to an agency for.

spiritus

Sammyantha wrote: »

Recruitment agencies are often the best way into certain niche jobs, into the workplace for the first time, or into jobs with specific companies. They can provide invaluable help in finding jobs, applying for them, and preparing for interviews, not to mention providing support once in post.

There are many types of agencies, and many types of agents. To tar all of them with the same brush because you did not have a good experience with one, is to effectively cut off your nose to spite your face.

True-they're not ALL bad but every agency is only as good as it's consultants and there ARE some terrible and unscrupulous consultants out there whose conduct is known by the agency.

When all is said and done-consultants paint themselves as your "new best friend" when you register with them. They present themselves as "consultants" who are there to help you find employment. The crude reality is they are sales people who are tasked with hitting sales targets. I think you'll find that a significant proportion of people who work as "consultants" for job agencies come from a sales background and a significant proportion who leave agencies (they have a very high turnover of staff) end up in another sales role.

The people they register and hopefully find placements for are only there to serve the purpose of hitting target.

Job agencies are a business not a charity so let's be clear that they're not doing candidates any favours if it doesn't suit themselves.

There are some consultants who understand the ethos of keeping everyone sweet as you never know when you might need them but many of them can't be bothered with the effort of putting up appearances.

There's nothing wrong with being in sales just be honest about it.

sujman

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

I would not agree with that statement. I will no longer deal with agencies. I've been using agencies for almost two years now and I'm totally dissatisfied with their service.

I wont apply for any more jobs which are advertised by them, and I'm now only applying directly through company websites.

Also, I believe companies are more likely to give the job to the candidate they don't have to pay a massive fee to an agency for.

I am of the brigade that doesn't trust agencies but realise they are a necessary evil.

However, in my personal experience, applying directly through company websites is an even bigger waste of time!

I had a recent experience where I applied for a finance job via a company website. This company is probably the largest Supply Chain Company in the world and appear to have a pretty slick online application process.

Anyway, I applied for the role and awaited the deadline to pass. 3 weeks later, I got a call from an agency about the exact same role and they set me up with an interview (I didn’t tell them I had already applied online).

I week later, I had a second interview. The next day, I had an email from the HR department regarding my online application saying that after "very careful consideration", they felt I was unsuitable for the job as they had many applications from better qualified candidates.

The day after, the Finance Director called me to offer me the job!! I never mentioned that I had already been turned down for the exact same role by his HR department!!

In the end, I didn’t take the job as I secured an even better paid job with a different company - yes you guessed it - another agency got me that role!!

But the moral of the story is that even though the first company could have hired me for free using their own resources, they choose to use an agency and pay them potentially £5k+ in fees!

So yes, as others have advised, play your cards close to your chest, and don’t divulge information that can jeopardise your current job or future prospects but used effectively, employment agencies can deliver.

spiritus

sujman wrote: »

I am of the brigade that doesn't trust agencies but realise they are a necessary evil.

However, in my personal experience, applying directly through company websites is an even bigger waste of time!

Good point and something I have learnt over the years is to follow up emails as matter of course.

I'm constantly amazed how many businesses and companies don't bother reading or replying to emails.

If at all possible, ring the head office, ask for Human Resources and try to obtain the contact details of the person (or department) responsible for recruiting. Once your CV has been sent contact them again in a few days time to check they have received it and then let nature take it's course

2011 will be a tough year in the job market so I sincerely wish everyone a prosperous new year but more importantly a happy and healthy one !

Sammyantha

sujman wrote: »

I applied for the role and awaited the deadline to pass. 3 weeks later, I got a call from an agency about the exact same role and they set me up with an interview (I didn’t tell them I had already applied online).

I week later, I had a second interview. The next day, I had an email from the HR department regarding my online application saying that after "very careful consideration", they felt I was unsuitable for the job as they had many applications from better qualified candidates.

The day after, the Finance Director called me to offer me the job!! I never mentioned that I had already been turned down for the exact same role by his HR department!!

Brilliant Thanks for that laugh, and good on you for not taking it, muppets :rotfl:

wimblewomble_2

Does anyone know the approximate fees that recruitment Consultants charge for a role?
I appreciate if the higher-paying or specialised roles have higher fees than semi-skilled types of work.

Another question is if you are introduced to a company via an agency, can you approach them yourself directly later on?
What I mean is, you may get on with the interviewer, but you're not taken on, but speculatively find another role, and get that one.
Is there a kind of time-period where the agency has the right to charge an introducers fee, and after a certain time, say 6 months, they cannot?

I am currently in the frame for a role, and the consultant seems to be dragging his feet over salary. I am sure that he is afraid he will miss his fee, and is trying to scare me into talking a large drop just to accept the role.
I am willing to walk away from this role, but I got on well with the manager/interviewer, and he even mentioned another role that may be available later in the year. I dont want to mention this to the consultant, nor do I want him to interfere if I approach this company later on.
(as background, I work in IT, and I am amazed at the lack of knowledge RCs have of a role. They are just sales people, with no real insight to the jobs they are trying to fill, yet skim fat fees for being intermediaries.)

1984ReturnsForReal_2

wimblewomble wrote: »

Does anyone know the approximate fees that recruitment Consultants charge for a role?
I appreciate if the higher-paying or specialised roles have higher fees than semi-skilled types of work.

Another question is if you are introduced to a company via an agency, can you approach them yourself directly later on?
What I mean is, you may get on with the interviewer, but you're not taken on, but speculatively find another role, and get that one.
Is there a kind of time-period where the agency has the right to charge an introducers fee, and after a certain time, say 6 months, they cannot?

I am currently in the frame for a role, and the consultant seems to be dragging his feet over salary. I am sure that he is afraid he will miss his fee, and is trying to scare me into talking a large drop just to accept the role.
I am willing to walk away from this role, but I got on well with the manager/interviewer, and he even mentioned another role that may be available later in the year. I dont want to mention this to the consultant, nor do I want him to interfere if I approach this company later on.
(as background, I work in IT, and I am amazed at the lack of knowledge RCs have of a role. They are just sales people, with no real insight to the jobs they are trying to fill, yet skim fat fees for being intermediaries.)

I think you will find that the "dragging of heals" is down to the client not wanting to pay the wage you want.

Fees: From £1000 to 25% for low & mid level.

Fees due on employment from submission up to 2 years. Most commonly though is 6 or 12 mths.

& no, you & the client can't bypass it if the terms are written properly.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

EDIT: 1984 beat me!!! DAMN YOU!!!! lol x

---

It depends.

At the agency i used to work at they took 20% of the yearly figure as their "cut"

If you approach the company direct and gain employment after the agency submitted your CV then the agency can make the company pay the fee as this would be a clause in the contract the company signed. (its a fingders fee)

If you dont want to take a drop in pay then stick to your guns. Chances are it is the company who is offering the lower salary, and not the RA. Generally, if they take the % then they would obviously want you to get the higher wage!