Recruitment Agencies Are Useless!!

[Deleted User]

I applied for a job yesterday with what I thought was an agency (hard to tell these days!).

I knew that the vacancy looked fishy, but then I felt guilty for not trying, so I fired my email.

Not even one minute and I got this reply (I've changed some bits to protectthe innocent:

Dear Ciaccino,


Thank you for your recent application.

[...]
If you are aged 19 and over and currently claiming benefits would you consider attending a 5 day certified training course, to develop your skills and guarantee you an interview at the end?

So, they did not have a job in hand. They sent an automated email to advertise a training course that could potentially be free if I was on benefits or maybe not.

I would call this fraud, but I can settle with waste of time.

regprentice

jbond wrote: »

Bizarrely I was on the phone to one agency a while back, and they actually told me who the company was!??? Although, I have to admit it might of been a temp role.

I've seen a few adverts recently where the agency has been too busy (lazy) to even remove the company names from the original text (recently seen this for an advert for a role at sainsburys bank).

Also... If they simply cut and paste the job spec they have been given ,even if they remove the company name, there are often enough specific phrases/paragraphs or references to department names which can often be used to find the original ad on the actual companies website via google.

jbond

regprentice wrote: »

I've seen a few adverts recently where the agency has been too busy (lazy) to even remove the company names from the original text (recently seen this for an advert for a role at sainsburys bank).

Also... If they simply cut and paste the job spec they have been given ,even if they remove the company name, there are often enough specific phrases/paragraphs or references to department names which can often be used to find the original ad on the actual companies website via google.

Yeah, I can sort of understand how they could make the mistake of doing that, but when you're actually on the phone to them? Doesn't make any sense. "Oh, right ok, thanks for that, I'll just contact the company direct now that you've told me who they are! Cheers, bye!"
Unless the agency thought that the client was so insignificant to them, that they didn't care less whether they lost them or not???

Another thing that annoys me is that it feels like recruitment agencies are popping up left right and centre these days. Go and get a proper bl**dy job!

Dutchman2

TheRecruiter wrote: »

This post cracks me up. Most of you have absolutely no idea what recruitment involves, the comments show your ignorance and it's no surprise that you've had no luck finding a job.

Complaining that the agency makes a mark up on your contract of £4 p/h haha - do you realise how little profit this is? IT's probably 15% - 20% ish - do you know how many other SERVICE based organisations work to this margin?? NONE!

Look at restaurants, do you ask to see how much their wholesale food costs them? You'll pay £5 for a desert that costs £1 or less but god forbid a recruiter makes 15% margin.

Good recruiters make a lot of money, £80k - £100k + isn't unusual, if they do so little for this money and it's so easy why don't you try it instead of moaning about how little they do for you.

The reality is that recruitment is difficult and it's made harder by idiots applying for jobs that they're completely unsuitable for then wondering why the phone never rings.

We get paid on commission, if you're any good, we'll call. If we don't call then guess what...

Oh dear where do I start? I've been around long enough to know the facts. I have had recruiters tell me I need to take on unsuitable people as there is nobody better on their books only to find out separately that a friend with suitable experience was on their books but was only being told about lowly paid jobs. The agency's role was to place the right person in the right job and they failed, not only that they did not try. I had similar experience when looking for roles and always find roles without the ahem help of agents. I have no idea how you make a living maybe somewhere you ensure somebody is recruited, maybe some people are scared of recruiting directly, but hopefully the time will come for employers to cut out the ineffective middlemen and recruit direct, I find it easy, you are not needed

Dutchman2

jbond wrote: »

Yeah, I can sort of understand how they could make the mistake of doing that, but when you're actually on the phone to them? Doesn't make any sense. "Oh, right ok, thanks for that, I'll just contact the company direct now that you've told me who they are! Cheers, bye!"
Unless the agency thought that the client was so insignificant to them, that they didn't care less whether they lost them or not???

Another thing that annoys me is that it feels like recruitment agencies are popping up left right and centre these days. Go and get a proper bl**dy job!

I've been given the name of employers and have looked up the job online, it appears to be one of 3 things, firstly there is no job so nothing for them to lose, secondly they are using a real job that is not on their books as a carrot to entice you with and finally they are using a real job to make an on-spec application. In every situation they have little to lose. My field is accountancy and I think some managers are so scared of personal interaction that they let the agent do that kind of thing, otherwise there is no way anybody would use them, they are ineffective

jbond

Dutchman2 wrote: »

I've been given the name of employers and have looked up the job online, it appears to be one of 3 things, firstly there is no job so nothing for them to lose, secondly they are using a real job that is not on their books as a carrot to entice you with and finally they are using a real job to make an on-spec application. In every situation they have little to lose. My field is accountancy and I think some managers are so scared of personal interaction that they let the agent do that kind of thing, otherwise there is no way anybody would use them, they are ineffective

I've heard of the fake jobs to get CVs in, but not sure I fully understand what you've just put.

1) If there is no job, then how would you be able to find it online?
2) If they are using a real job that's not on their books, then how on earth would they work that one? Especially if you decided to apply for it? Wouldn't that prove to be really embarassing for them?

Sorry for being thick here, just don't entirely follow what you mean?

gettingready

(1) Fake job advert to get CV's and be able to use those when real position is logged with agency - have candidates ready. Telling candidates "you were not selected this time" after receiving CV

(2) They are not authorized/have no deal with particular employer and want to get one by having/trying to submit good candidates

gettingready

Dis not read the whole thread but just please remember agencies do not exist to find you a job - they exist to fill vacancies logged with them by employers so they work for the employers not for candidates.

I contract via agencies and whatever they charge on top of my daily rate is not my concern - I say what I want and what they get extra is their business.

Do not think you will get paid more if you go directly to the employers - (1) lots of vacancies are not advertised directly so you won't be able to apply (2) employers ask agencies to find GOOD candidates to save themselves time shifting through 3053745 CVs

gettingready

jbond wrote: »

LOL, yeah, totally agree with that one, it's just that it certainly seems like every second vacancy you see, starts with those famous words, "My client....", or "Our client...". I cringe when I see those words!
Bizarrely I was on the phone to one agency a while back, and they actually told me who the company was!??? Although, I have to admit it might of been a temp role.

What is bizarre about it?

When I speak to any agency about a role I am interested in they always tell me who their client is, nothing bizarre about it.

You may think after this info you can bypass agency and apply directly but you will be wrong. Many employers deal ONLY with agencies and candidates submitted to them via those agencies.

CCFC_80

gettingready wrote: »

What is bizarre about it?

When I speak to any agency about a role I am interested in they always tell me who their client is, nothing bizarre about it.

You may think after this info you can bypass agency and apply directly but you will be wrong. Many employers deal ONLY with agencies and candidates submitted to them via those agencies.

That is completely untrue. In my experience agencies hardly ever told you who the company was working for as They were scared to death that you would go directly to the employer. If that is not the case then why would they refuse to tell you who the job is working for?