Agencies - bit of a whine

Tygermoth

Busy and frustrating morning – with nothing gained

Call from a very prestigious agency regarding a very defined role with a renowned local employer. I have all the required skills (mainly I have a clean background check, done this type of work before, have used their system previously and can start asap). They were very keen.

Before they can tell me more I have to undertake online assessment. Do the assessment 40 mins of multiple choice. 20 min Math and 20 min English test - Passed the assessment with flying colours.

Agency call me back delighted, they have called my previous employer in the mean time and confirmed some details so are happy to offer me interview in London next week.

They send me interview details and the full details of the role......while reviewing I notice a bit of a discrepancy... though the employer is local the job is the other end of the country. Not a jolly train ride away. We are talking serious travel time. The salary was okish (for a local role). But not enough to swallow that vast commute and other researched alternatives (b&b/house share). Agent had not noticed the role was not local.

While waiting for him, to look in to the matter......Received an application form through the post for a job I have an interview for tomorrow. Colour me confused as I was applying for a Customer Liaison (office based) role but the job description related to a security role (customer facing)

I have no previous experience in this area and am not a noted skill match with my office worker CV. Called the Agency and she advised that I had applied for the liaison; however, the employer has removed the role. She still thinks the security trainee job it will suit me and wants me to go to the interview.

I am entirely baffled how the agency thinks the role will it suit me? I am 4ft 11, tiny, quiet spoken, bookish looking. Not any attributes I think are highly regarded in the security industry. The role relates to potential crowd disbursement and challenging anti social behaviour. I have no relevant skills or training in this area and as such am now on the back foot regarding the interview tomorrow.

Then call from another agency – relating to a role that pops up again and again on the job search sites. They advised me it was customer service and had put me forward for an interview on Friday which they confirmed today I have gained yay!..........however she then drops the ‘but’. She then went on to say it’s not really customer service.......its very heavily targeted sales .... Which is not a role i have ever done and is not my skill set. (My experience is you have to be a particular personality to flourish in sales, dynamic, outgoing and competitive.... said no one about me. Ever.)

During all this I miss a call from an employer the jobcentre made me go for which is a rank NMW call centre job (for a company with a dire reputation). They have been playing telephone tag with me all morning to do a telephone interview.

I know you should not look a gift horse in the mouth but I have only been unemployed 2 weeks and being pummelled to go for a NMW role when I am presently getting interviews in my normal salary range and skill set seems a bit silly. I am concerned they will offer me the job not because I am right for the role but because they have a phenomenal turnover of staff and then the job centre can wash their hands of me as ‘job done’. Not giving me the potential to seek comparative employment. I would understand if i had been signing on for months and not getting anywhere but i am getting relevant interviews.

This being said, I will attend all the interviews (apart from the up-country one it just not worth it for the money) and hope I gain experience with interview scenarios and that one of them surprises me and becomes an awesome role.

Presently it just appears that agencies are soft soaping you and then throwing your CV randomly at employers to see if something will stick.