Bypassing agency?

vroombroom

Ok, so there is a huge call centre 5 mins down the road from where I live. They have shifts advertised at the moment for 5 mornings a week - perfect for me as it fits in with childcare/OH's shifts etc.

I have worked at another call centre working within the same industry using the same systems etc so have the experience and knowledge they require.

Now the problem is, all the recruitment is done through an agency who, quite frankly, are rubbish. I have applied twice over the last few months for this position and have chased it up several times with the agency through phone calls, emails and even appearing at their office to see someone. Consequently I have been told someone will get back to me/on their lunch/no one available to see me.

If I wasn't suited to the job, surely they should just tell me?

Sooooo I have come up with idea of handing my CV and a covering letter into the call centre myself. I don't know if their HR is located there, but does anyone know if it is a good idea? Will it scupper my chances any more? Or should I continue to hassle the agency?

Two4Tuesday

It's worth a try, and if you're not getting anywhere with the agency you have nothing to lose. Plus it saves them money as they won't have to pay the agency their margin.

patman99

If you know the name of the company operating the call centre, why not use google to see if you can find a contact detail for their HR dept.

You might however, find out that they only recruit via agencies, so make sure to sell them the idea that employing you directly will save them money.
Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.

vroombroom

it all seems to go back to the bloody agency. I'll try have a look when my LB goes to bed

thanks guys - just needed the kick up the backside off you! x:money:

haha have just emailed their query form on their website x

scooby088

It's worth a try going to the company, I have often found agency people to be like the scarlet pimpernel of the employment industry you call them and they are never around to speak to or you leave them your number and never hear anything. Pretty pointless agencies are.

paddyrg

There are reasons they may only recruit through an agency - simplified payroll, no maternity cover concerns, and provisions for pensions blah blah for three. However they may not realise the agency are being useless, and may not be on an exclusive deal with that one agency. A direct approach will say for sure.

Don't slag the agency off per se, just put it in terms that you know want to work for the company so are approaching them directly to be more efficient - something like that as you may get bounced back through the agency even if the company take you on at interview - just for the ease of payroll etc!

MissSarah1972

You can omnly really go direct to the company if they too have the job/s advertised on their site or they will just re direct you to the agency and will say they do all the recruitment for them.

I have just applied to a large charity in London and although the job is on their site the role is being managed by a an accountancy agency so are not taking CV's direct and you have to apply via an online link that sends the CV direct to the consultant at the agency.

gibson123

is it an agency that only really work for this firm or only do recruitment not supply temps? Some bigger firms may be the majority shareholder if it is specialist and the agency is simply a subsidiary of the company or if independent is on a set fee. A large discount retailer and a large on-line bookd and other stuff retailer both have these types of arrangements with their HR departments not involved in recruitment (apart from senior management) if this is the situation you may find that the HR department do not deal with recruitment at all. Persevere with the agency. try popping in again to just check up where they are with your application try to avoid first thing in the morning, lunchtime and before home-time.

k12479

Who would be the employer - the call centre company or the agency? If the latter, which I assume it may well be for a call centre, then applicants would have to go through the agency.

vroombroom

The jobs are posted on their careers website (eg https://www.******careers.com) but the app form is then linked to the agency. There are a number of positions but they are all permanent so I'm assuming the agency will be sifting through the apps, putting forward and getting a fee for whoever gets the job?

I noticed over the weekend there is another smaller agency who are advertising the job but temp positions.

Raaaahhhh I just want a blimmin day time job! x

Bigmoney2

Sometimes if a company is expecting a large number of applications, then the initial screening is done via an agency to wittle the numbers down to something more managable for the next stage.

I don't think bypassing the agency will get you anywhere.