Agency can't put you forward as you aren't working?

LadyMissA

hcb42 wrote: »

that is not a skill set, it is an employment status

Does your skill set match the employers requirements? You might not know this, you dont have access to that information.

Yes I understand that but the conversation goes like this

agency: do you have 5 years or more expereince
me: yes

agency: have you used sage
me: yes

agency: have you managed a high work load
me: yes

agency: are you currently working
me: no

agency: ah ok then we can't help you

It is still a criteria it seems for a lot of agencies to help you that you have to be currently in a job.

LadyMissA

getmore4less wrote: »

Is this a new agency or one you have been working with before, have the put you forward for other jobs?.

Not a new agency no they got me my last job and I was there for 5 years. I have been back with them for 7 mths and they have only out me forward for one job.

She told me since the empolyer can dictact who they want to see if you aren't working then she can't make them see me.

She said if someone was in work with 2 yrs experience and there was me with 20 years the job would interview the person with 2 yrs as they were in work.

I am now spending more time applying for jobs direct with companies instead of agency advertised ones as id rather get the job myself and the 2 jobs I had interviews for this week were direct with the company so if I get any (prob not but still) it will be with no help from any agency

DCFC79

Maybe a new agency is called for then

LadyMissA

DCFC79 wrote: »

Maybe a new agency is called for then

I am with 12

heretolearn_2

You seem to have forgotten that agencies work for employer, not you. If that is what the employers want, that is what the agency will send them. Agencies aren't there to 'help' anyone other than the employer, who pays them. Same as any other company, but people seem to forget who the actual customer of the agency is.

LadyMissA

heretolearn wrote: »

You seem to have forgotten that agencies work for employer, not you. If that is what the employers want, that is what the agency will send them. Agencies aren't there to 'help' anyone other than the employer, who pays them. Same as any other company, but people seem to forget who the actual customer of the agency is.

No I haven't forgotten at all that's why its so hard to get interviews

Red_Elle

heretolearn wrote: »

You seem to have forgotten that agencies work for employer, not you. If that is what the employers want, that is what the agency will send them. Agencies aren't there to 'help' anyone other than the employer, who pays them. Same as any other company, but people seem to forget who the actual customer of the agency is.

That will depend entirely on the agency and I would say only really bad agencies work like this!

I am the MD of a specialist Accountancy agency. My customers are my clients AND my candidates. Candidates may not pay me, but they are just as important in the whole process. Today candidates become tomorrows clients if you do your job well.

It's important for me to get to know a candidate well to establish if we can work together and represent them. They have requirements and clients have requirements.

Only a very poor agency will take what my client says and trot along and find what they want. A decent Consultant will consult! Sometimes clients have unrealistic expectations, often they haven't considered the most cost effective method of recruiting, or they haven't looked at other options. It's my job to find out what they are trying to achieve and facilitate that. They might think they need to spend £50k recruiting a qualified Accountant, but it turns out they don't need someone at that level. Or they might think their future Accountant has to be qualified and end up paying a premium when they could work just as well with someone qualified by experience.

It frustrates me that people expect poor service from an agency. If you get poor service, find a better Consultant.

Red_Elle

LadyMissA wrote: »

I am with 12

That is concerning. I would not work with a candidate who was registered with 12 agencies. Why so many? The market will be saturated with your details.

There are a lot of CV pushing agencies out there. They will have done your CV in their format and mass mailed it to 101 companies. Times that by 12.

Scenario - Company A gets your CV from 3 agencies.
Result - they worry they'll get 3 invoices if they take you on, so CV goes in the bin.

My advice would be to find out where your details have gone already for a start. Ask the agencies. Then, select the best 2 agencies that you've dealt with. The ones who return your calls and don't waste your time with jobs that aren't suitable. The ones who you've met. If you haven't met any of them then you need to. I wouldn't let anyone direct my career if I didn't know them.

People in jobs often look more desirable. If I was out of work I'd probably get a job cleaning or something to show willing whilst I looked for something else, but that's just me.

lynzpower

Am I the only person here who is outraged that it is legal ( if indeed it is) to discriminate against someone because they are unemployed, all other things being equal.

This is pretty common in the US as well from what I can gather.

nearlyrich

Red_Elle wrote: »

People in jobs often look more desirable. If I was out of work I'd probably get a job cleaning or something to show willing whilst I looked for something else, but that's just me.

Some of the people who are out of work can't get a job cleaning or stacking shelves or any of the usual NMW jobs that used to be available, you might not find it so easy as you think.