What is your experience with recruitment agencies?

DKLS

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

I love em. As well as getting me all my work, they make thick people rant because they can't understand the concept of how things work.

Well said that gypsy I love agencies too, they have served me well during my career. I have always found it great that they do all the leg work for me.

InsideInsurance

ozma83 wrote: »

No I completely understand this! Of course I understand she doesn't want to waste her time and her job is to provide cheap staff to companies.

But did you read the rest of my post? I said I don't think it's fair of her to say "yeah, if you're lucky!" like I don't deserve even that much and was being big headed. She could have just said "companies are at the moment offering less than that so I can only help you if you're prepared to accept less".

Instead, she tried to make me keep my head down by ridiculing my ideas of getting more than they can offer, like I wasn't worth it - and this is not fair.

The first part isn't true. Companies, once you're above the volume roles, generally want cost effective staff not cheap staff. Notably underpay someone and they become disengaged and you don't get the most out of them.

Right or wrong doesn't come into it really, it suits her purposes more to manage your expectations now than a few weeks down the line when shes recommending you consider a job for £18k. Likewise if she thinks you are a reasonable candidate she possibly doesnt want you thinking you can do better with another agency and going off with them.

I found that this used to happen a lot when I first started out contracting and was fairly closely aligned to calls from said agencies with clients wanting someone at the price point they had said I was worth.

Evilm

Honestly: There are bad ones and good ones. You have to manoeuvre through all the non-responses and jobs that disappear to find the ones that are for you. However most of my jobs (with in the accounts area of work) have been through agencies including the job I am doing now.

As for what the agent said sounding like "you'll be lucky" I really don't think it sounds rude or dismissing. Its much better than some things that I have heard over the years!

Nessi

I saw an ad yesterday for a large recruitment agency that were recruiting for consultants. At the bottom it read 'this is not an HR role - it is purely sales'.

I think that's a good reminder for anyone who has to deal with agencies. It's all about 'bums on seats' and at the moment there are a lot of bums and not many seats which is why as a job seeker your experience with an agency is unlikely to be that great!

Having said that seek high and low and you'll come up with one or two that are ok.

GotToChange

I wonder though if there is not some karma in my situation - as [STRIKE]maaany[/STRIKE] a few years ago, I did secure a position via an EA - or RC (this was in the days before they had such a bad rep) and I know that the employer paid a large fee for me (again, so long ago that I was considered quite a catch), a %age of the salary as would be the norm.

I found out on Day One that I was pregnant (married and all above board so not totally unexpected). Oh boy, was I popular for the time I worked there - and no, no maternity leave/entitlement in those days either.

Like I said, karma.

InsideInsurance

Agents/ Consultants also tend to have a fair proportion of their salary made up of commission. You will therefore find a big difference with how agents are depending on how the months going, how long they've been in their current company & vertical and thus how well developed their little black book is.

Those doing well with a strong book of candidates will be picky with who they take on and put forward. Those who've just got into the role or switched companies and had to leave their black book behind will be much more keen to take people on.

There are good agents out there worth keeping in contact with, there are those that like to splash the cash a little and the odd free drink or meal isnt too bad even if you don't rate them as an agent and those that arent worth dealing with no matter what they're offering

Broadwood

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

I love em. As well as getting me all my work, they make thick people rant because they can't understand the concept of how things work.

For recently qualified HGV drivers like i was in 2005 they were the only way round the usual vicious circle of needing 2 years experience. I'm now working regular 4 days a week on a Zero hours contract for the best parcel carrier in the world as a trunk driver and have been with them since 2007.

Maybe I've been lucky, but all 3 of the driving agencies that I have worked for over the years have been first rate and I couldn't have got those first 2 years experience without them. Never been short of whatever number of shifts I wanted and they pay the going rate. But I like to think I do a good job, am reliable and not too picky with my availability.

prowla

I have had most of my jobs via agencies; if I get what I want then I'm happy.

tartanlass

Every one of my long term jobs have been through agencies. When hundreds of employers haven't looked the road I was on, they've gotten me into places where I've then been able to display my skills then been taken on by the company.

Come December agencies are to offer same pay and most terms and conditions of the company you are working in.

geoffky

tartanlass wrote: »

Every one of my long term jobs have been through agencies. When hundreds of employers haven't looked the road I was on, they've gotten me into places where I've then been able to display my skills then been taken on by the company.

Come December agencies are to offer same pay and most terms and conditions of the company you are working in.

Unless like a idiot you sign the right away which agency's are asking people to do...