Recruitment Agencies Are Useless!!

mattcanary

lufcgirl wrote: »

Out of interest, do YOU always write accurate job descriptions?
Not implying you don't, but candidates can only go by what's written in the job spec.
However, at the same time, in some ways, I don't blame the chap for doing that, as it's called a scattergun approach, which is EXACTLY the same approach that a lot of agencies use when firing off CVs to companies, in the hope that one of them gets a result.
Another thing to consider is that a lot of people do that, often because of pressure from the job centre. If they don't, they risk being sanctioned.

Yes, and I also don't copy and paste a person specification from a company. Writing a job advert is a skill in itself, it's not all about the company, it's helping a candidate to make the decision to work for YOU. If all you're going to do is write 'this company needs x and y and you must have it or you won't have a job'. It doesn't work like that. You need to sell a role to a candidate. I don't and never have 'scattergunned'. I have a good local knowledge and a good understanding of the industry I work within, I don't go and recruit for jobs outside of that as then I'm just like the national agencies who have a one size fits all approach to recruitment.



Have you ever stopped to consider WHY they might 'interview terrible'? If they have great experience, they've obviously been successful in interviews so far. So why the problem now?
I'm not saying that the particular candidate you mention DOESN'T indeed 'interview terrible', but what YOU think of a candidate, an actual employer might think different, but of course, you're main concern is being able to make money out of this person, in the fastest possible time, so you have different priorities, of course.

I'm afraid most agencies are far more concerned about making as much money out of people as possible, rather than actually offering advice and support.

One example I have is a candidate at 37 had had ONE formal interview in his time working for a promotion at a job and he didn't get it because he came across as too quiet. We can sit there all day prepping people for interviews but sometimes they just come across wrong. My major problem - especially with temporary blue collar workers, is lies on their CV about employment dates. They don't remember them and make them up, or just fabricate them in order to look like there's no gaps. So when they are interviewed they clam up and look terrible. Interviewing skills is something the job centre should be doing an awful lot more of. My main concern isn't about money, it's about providing the best possible service, if I was bothered about money I'd be at one with hundreds of clients who put bodies in who leave after a week. Instead we offer a more consultative approach to both the client and candidate. Which is better, it gains more respect. It's all about knowing your client and candidate, your job is to be the middle man, if you don't you'll just mess up an awful lot and have a very high turnover

When you have had lots of different jobs, it genuinely is difficult to remember when you worked in each one. Especially if they were just a means to an end - Ie: to earn money in order to live.

If companies treat employees as just a number, (which does often happen within many low-end pay jobs), then an employee is ot going to remember much about the employer or their time there either - unless it was a really bad experience!

jbond

If all you're going to do is write 'this company needs x and y and you must have it or you won't have a job'. It doesn't work like that.

Err, sorry, but yes it does! Why do job vacancies exist? Because employers have a need, otherwise they wouldn't be advertising!
If you do not have the skills to do a job, you're not going to be of much use to the company, are you?
I think we are beginning to see the holes in your thinking lufcgirl !

Just as an add-on thought, I know of people that have applied for vacancies through agencies, only to be told that they won't be put forward for a particular job, because they're deemed unsuitable. That candidate has then found out somehow, who the employer was, applied direct, and guess what, got the job!
I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again, agencies are nothing but a barrier to getting into work!
It's bad enough having to deal with the issue of not knowing whether the job you're applying for is fake or not, never mind all the other cr*p you have to put up with!

I don't suppose you'd saying WHICH agency you represent, would you?! :-)

[Deleted User]

mattcanary wrote: »

When you have had lots of different jobs, it genuinely is difficult to remember when you worked in each one. Especially if they were just a means to an end - Ie: to earn money in order to live.

If companies treat employees as just a number, (which does often happen within many low-end pay jobs), then an employee is ot going to remember much about the employer or their time there either - unless it was a really bad experience!

Interesting.

Not always, I'm constantly told I've memory skills. Couldn't genuinely ever say I'd forgotten even the bad ones.

I remember an insurance company being wowed that I was so coherent with being able to provide exact dates of past employment there and then. Apparently a lot of people couldn't when they would have easily been expected to.

lufcgirl

jbond wrote: »

If all you're going to do is write 'this company needs x and y and you must have it or you won't have a job'. It doesn't work like that.

Err, sorry, but yes it does! Why do job vacancies exist? Because employers have a need, otherwise they wouldn't be advertising!
If you do not have the skills to do a job, you're not going to be of much use to the company, are you?
I think we are beginning to see the holes in your thinking lufcgirl !

Just as an add-on thought, I know of people that have applied for vacancies through agencies, only to be told that they won't be put forward for a particular job, because they're deemed unsuitable. That candidate has then found out somehow, who the employer was, applied direct, and guess what, got the job!
I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again, agencies are nothing but a barrier to getting into work!
It's bad enough having to deal with the issue of not knowing whether the job you're applying for is fake or not, never mind all the other cr*p you have to put up with!

I don't suppose you'd saying WHICH agency you represent, would you?! :-)

Job vacancies exist in order to help a candidate (and client) find a particular job. It's not for me or anyone else to copy and paste a job description - in this scenario the company wouldn't even need an agency. Check out Mitch Sullivan and his copyrighting courses, it's common knowledge.

If for example I put an advert out and said:

'You MUST have eight years experience of operating a Fork Lift Truck. You MUST have worked at a large corportation'

So you're telling me someone with seven years experience of using a FLT or working within a small company wouldn't be worth considering? A Consultants job is exactly that - to consult ans challenge the company of anything you think isn't right and make your job advert stand out. You would go to the client and ask them what they thought of that person, saying that they're outside of the parameters but after meeting with them and interviewing you feel they'd be a good fit. There is absolutely zero holes in my thinking - however your mind is that set to believe agencies are the devil, that absolutely nothing anyone says will change your mind.

I don't work at a National, I have no interest in them and their graduate courses. So I'll respectfully bow out. I've no interest in discussing this further with someone who can't even open their eyes a tiny bit.

jbond

You've said that you've bowed out, so you won't be reading this, but:

lufcgirl wrote: »

Job vacancies exist in order to help a candidate (and client) find a particular job.

Clients don't need to find jobs, because they're the ones putting the adverts out! Again, vacancies ONLY exist, because employers have a need/requirement!

lufcgirl wrote: »

If for example I put an advert out and said:

'You MUST have eight years experience of operating a Fork Lift Truck. You MUST have worked at a large corportation'

So you're telling me someone with seven years experience of using a FLT or working within a small company wouldn't be worth considering?

Nop, not saying that at all. With EXPERIENCE, there is usually always a bit of leeway, with SKILLS there isn't usually.

lufcgirl wrote: »

There is absolutely zero holes in my thinking - however your mind is that set to believe agencies are the devil, that absolutely nothing anyone says will change your mind.

My mind isn't 'set' to believe anything, but I couldn't have put it better myself, agencies ARE the devil!

lufcgirl wrote: »

I've no interest in discussing this further with someone who can't even open their eyes a tiny bit.

My eyes are probably more open, than yours will possibly ever be!