recruitment agencies?

meluvnext

My previous job title was recruitment consultant/admin, I believed I was working for a recruitment agency but I have my doubts as to whether they were a typical agencies.

They had about 20 clients that they provided with warehouse staff and HGV drivers and we basically had to ring round every day to these clients asking if they needed any staff that day or the next. Or we took bookings from them as and when they came in, for example they provided a large supermarket chin with HGV dirvers, they would phone up and say can we have 15 drivers today to start at xyz a time. We went down our list of drivers and asked them if they were available to work.

We didnt really get any incentives for filling a job. They did often advertise for agency workers but the amount of time I received narky calls because people had figured out they were advertising in prepation for a busy time and there was no real job opportunity there was unbelievable.

I dislike the term that people use saying we are more sales people. I genuinely did give a toss for the agency workers and would try my best to evenly give out any jobs we had in, unlike some staff who seemed to be doing personal favours alot of the time.

I just now have my doubts as to whether I was really a recruitment consultant, more of a glorified receptionist

BodyElectric

It not nice to realise you are doing a job that you actively disapprove of. I have been in this situation where I was called upon to lie and cover up for people I despised under the guise of 'customer service'. You just have to try and spot them and not apply.

meluvnext

I actually never once lied to any of the drivers, I was to honest, that was probably why a hell of alot of the drivers were so annoyed on my behlaf as to how I was treated in that job. Thankfully I have made some good friends from it!

longwaydown

In all of my years of working as an office temp I have come across maybe 2 "recruitment consultants" like you OP. Both looked like they did not fit in the company as nobody else had the same integrity and I suspect neither worked for agencies ever again! I am immensely grateful for the help they gave and you should remember even the small ways you may have made somebody's day better.

Job titles get dressed up a lot these days. I was a shelf stacker - title: "grocery replenishment assistant." Also I have done data entry described as a "consultant" position. We're not supposed to lie on our CV but I can't help but think that some companies' job titles stretch the definition a little far!

stephyt23

It's actually a shame there aren't more people in recruitment agencies like you.

I'm not really having any luck from the one I'm registered with. They were all nicey nice to me when I went in to register as they needed someone at short notice to work that afternoon, all the usual people they called on weren't free. Unfortunately since that day which was 4 weeks ago I've had no further work from them at all. Seems they've pushed me to the side as the usual people are free again. I've tried emailing every week to say when I'm available but never get a reply.

Hammyman

meluvnext wrote: »

My previous job title was recruitment consultant/admin, I believed I was working for a recruitment agency but I have my doubts as to whether they were a typical agencies.

As a former HGV driver who did over a decade working for agencies, I'd say it was the sector norm.

Logistics is very fluid and it was extremely rare to get placed with a company for more than a week guaranteed - sometimes you'd be there a month or in one case 18 months but it was confirmed on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

The problem is that you didn't actually have a clue about the sector you were involved in recruiting for.

meluvnext

I have an interview coming up with a small recruitment company who is at the moment establishing itself, cant wait!

Sammyantha

Hammyman wrote: »

The problem is that you didn't actually have a clue about the sector you were involved in recruiting for.

I'd second this, and add that Recruitment IS sales, period.

nellytheelephant

I'm a Recruitment Consultant and I don't do any sort of sales whatsoever.

I think a 'traditional' Recruitment Consultant would involve sales but not every kind.

meluvnext

Hammyman wrote: »

As a former HGV driver who did over a decade working for agencies, I'd say it was the sector norm.

Logistics is very fluid and it was extremely rare to get placed with a company for more than a week guaranteed - sometimes you'd be there a month or in one case 18 months but it was confirmed on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

The problem is that you didn't actually have a clue about the sector you were involved in recruiting for.

But I did learn and learn very quickly I did, I didnt survive doing on call over the christmas period the busiest time of year though sheer luck, it was hard work but I never gave up. I mainly had to learn which clients could use which drivers depending on points or offences they had on their licences, plus which drivers liked and were prepared to do which sort of work eg. tramping etc. Not bad considering I was on call within 2 weeks of starting the job!

Hammyman

meluvnext wrote: »

I mainly had to learn which clients could use which drivers depending on points or offences they had on their licences, plus which drivers liked and were prepared to do which sort of work eg. tramping etc. Not bad considering I was on call within 2 weeks of starting the job!

Oh so nothing to do with knowing what drivers actually had enough hours left to legally be able to drive and who had had sufficient daily rest to be able to start at the time required.

That'll explain why many times my sleep was interrupted by someone who had sent me on a night job then wanted me to drive the following day.....

For those people reading this who work as recruitment consultants in the haulage sector, I suggest you read up on the EU Drivers Hours regulations. That way when a driver tells you they can't drive, you'll realise its because legally they're not allowed to - not because they're being awkward.