Recruitment Agencies Are Useless!!

kittygirl20

Sorry for the generalisation, I wasn't referring to all and have landed some pretty nice admin jobs through some agencies in the past.

motorguy

gettingready wrote: »

We obviously deal with different agencies.

I work contracts, deal with specialist agencies that work my field - I absolutely do not agree for my CV to be sent to anyone unless I know who the client is so I can decide if I want to work for them or not.

I sign the sole rep agreement (with details of the employer, daily rate, length of contract) with the agency I decide to go with, they send my CV and arrange the interview.

Most of the time they call me - when they have a role that needs my skills.

Exactly the same as my experience with agencies

AugmentedHat

I have the same problem. The agencies say they find you work but the never do. One agency I'm with advertised all these jobs (like, we also have positions in blah, blah, blah type of thing) so i called up and asked about this one "job" in particular. They told me "We don't have any positions available. We do that to get people on our books."

marliepanda

My experience with agencies is mixed. My field was teaching and I was on supply two times.

The first time there were two main agencies and I got tonnes of quality work and put forward for many permanent positions.

The second time there were maybe 7 agencies, one was really pleased I signed up as I was their 100th client that month and that was their target... I started to wonder how on earth there was enough work for that many clients.

Alongside that my 'main agency' was advertising jobs that were 100% perfect for me and my skill set. When I would ring and ask about them, they pretty much admitted it was a bait to get people signing up, the job didn't exist it was just an example job.

daytona0

marliepanda wrote: »

My experience with agencies is mixed. My field was teaching and I was on supply two times.

I did TA work a few years ago before teacher training and the agencies were crap. Little work knocking about. I suspect that they already had a few core people and they only "hired" me to make up numbers just on the off chance that one of their regulars went off sick. Wouldn't wish teaching on anyone at the moment, though I hear that support work may be alright.

Was also registered to an agency who did bar work and betting cashier work at racecourses/football clubs. At least they gave me steady work! BUT the coach journeys were up to 2 hours each way (not including waiting around time) and they only paid for 2 hours total for travel. You get ticked off sitting on the coach waiting for the tills to be cashed up before you can start your UNPAID 2h journey back home! BUT, money is money and you have to earn your coin by any means necessary.

(PS, this thread was revived! It is donkeys years old)

marliepanda

daytona0 wrote: »

I did TA work a few years ago before teacher training and the agencies were crap. Little work knocking about. I suspect that they already had a few core people and they only "hired" me to make up numbers just on the off chance that one of their regulars went off sick. Wouldn't wish teaching on anyone at the moment, though I hear that support work may be alright.

Yeah I've recently left teaching and so far have not regretted it for a second!

TyreLever

tiredofscammers wrote: »

Lots of comments about recruitment agencies. And agree with most on here. Its all about meeting targets to keep their jobs. They will send CVs or register candidates just so they can tell their manager they have hit their target for that month. When you regsiter, they want all the information of where you've applied, and who you dealt with, so they can basically poach that company for themselves. If they think you are not sure about a role, they will not put you forward, they want a guaranteed margin you see by placing someone who they know will take the job and can do the job.
Just so you are aware, there are some companies who will find your details on a jobsite and send it to their client without your permission, this is a breach of Data Protection laws and they should not be doing this. If your info is on a job website and is made searchable, surely you would want an agency to put forward your details to an employer. The purpose of uploading your details to a job site is to try to find employment, and an agency sending your info to their client increases your chance to gain employment.

If they think you are unreliable, i.e. if you have previously had interviews, been offered a job and decided not to take it (which you are well within your rights to decline), If your well within your rights to decline, why will your dole get sanctioned should the dole people find out you turned down a job? they record this on their system and dont ever call you again. Some of the big recruiters do this, even recruiters like Hays.

If you are really dissatisfied with a recruitment agency follow their complaints procedure (not that the branch managers are bothered really) because they dont want their divisional managers to find out! If unhappy with their response complain to the The Recruitment & Employment Confederation, any agency registered should follow a code of practice, available on the site,The REC also accepts complaints in regards to individual Members of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) e.g. recruitment consultants.

Also, useful but very lenghty legislation:The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 on legislation.gov. uk

If enough people complain about poor service from recruitment agencies and consultants, the industry will have to change and start doing much much better!

Good luck !

I have worked for both agencies and directly for employers. Both can suck big time. However employers tend to interview you, agencies tend to sling anyone right into the job so its easier for thick people like me to get some form of employment that way.

micacomp

Really are they useless. But some one recommend that go for drug testing and drug screening form employment agency

Frankfaz2000

They are just lazy and have no idea how to match a position to an application. I am sick of waiting for calls back from agencies.
Or even a reply

TyreLever

Anybody know any good ideas of how to !!!! these agencies off? I'm thinking of spamming them with fake CVs or somethin.

Maybe applying for their jobs with farcical information.