A message to all recruitment consultants, agencies, head hunters etc out there

pompeyrich

dibuzz wrote: »

My son was with an agency in Manchester who were excellent, ringing him every few days and always giving him feedback.
They had him in to do a mock interview as well before his last one which resulted in him getting the job and have rung several times since he started so see how he's getting on.

My experience with a couple of local agencies has been very positive too, similar to your son, good feedback help tweaking my CV to include the latest fasionable buzz words, phone calls to boost my confidence and last minute pre interview tips.

I did visit many agencies and like all service providers there were good and not so good. Of course the agent is after the commision for placing the right person in the right post but to achieve this they have to understand the needs of the employer and the employee.

[Deleted User]

I remember one of my last interviews (with any luck...) - the person was clearly still recovering from the xmas do (at 1 point I thought ...please don't throw up) said yep we'll let you know next day, not sure if was just wanting me out the door though I was happy to oblige for obvious reasons, next day came and guess what ' it's xmas we can't possibly make a decision till after the new year.... hands up I can see they will need another interview if performance was anything to go by! :rotfl:It's one time I felt sorry for the recruitment agent, didn't have the heart to tell him how the interview really went

Though I'm still getting over the fireworks I was woken up by this morning when a recruiter is chasing references....and hasn't quite remembered to be polite maybe however justifiably, boy I hope I don't need any references in future LOL - that should definitely feature in the rule book somewhere!

Takeaway_Addict

imatt wrote: »

But without any kind of feedback, how do you as the interviewee know where you may be going wrong? And indeed how to rectify it?

The recruiters responsibility is to their employer, not the interviewee.

ThemeOne

Having worked in a recuitment agency myself, though not as a recruiter and not on commission, I can see things from both sides.

People who work at agencies are also only human, and actually get messed about quite a bit by the candidates - CVs full of lies, turning down a role they had previously accepted as soon as something better comes along are both common occurrences that many recruiters will face regularly.

The recruiter also works for the employers, not the candidates, and the employers sometimes place ridiculous demands on the agencies, ranging from breaking the law ("we don't want any Asians / blacks etc"), to being overly picky about candidates' experience and background and then offering a derisory salary, and !!!!!ing at the agency when they don't come up with many candidates.

I'm obviously not trying to excuse the shoddy service candidates do undoubtedly receive from some recruitment agencies, but one thing you can say about the recruitment business is there are usually lots of agencies to choose from, so if one disappoints go elsewhere. Often the smaller, one-office type agencies give the best service, but they don't always advertise much, so you may only discover them via word of mouth, or tramping the streets.

GothicStirling

imatt wrote: »

But without any kind of feedback, how do you as the interviewee know where you may be going wrong? And indeed how to rectify it?

True. I went for an interview for an organisation I had been targeting for two years, last January. The interviewer called me (that day) to tell me that that I had been pipped to the post by someone with more sales experience than me, but that I should keep trying as I was exactly the kind of person the organisation was looking for. So, when I saw the same job, at a different property, I went for it - and got the job.

Saying that though, I went for another job with them in March, and I'm still waiting for the requested feedback.

mustang121

I've only experienced three decent recruitment Agencies.


Two during University;


1) At my home area who immediately got me summer and Christmas term employment at a factory. (Wow I remember when £250 a week seemed like a lot...though time did stand still there). During my first summer break I literally signed up to the agency, got a interview at the factory and an immediate start day all on the same day.


2) A recruitment agency at my university town. I must have impressed them as they always got me strange and wonderful Ad-hoc jobs at my request.


3) After I left university I discovered my current employer through a recruitment agency - whom were very professional themselves. They even sent me a gift basket when the company took me....though I'd guess that they themselves may have got a finders fee or something.


Although after University I did sign up to a load of recruitment Agencies which treated me a like a drone, and there is nothing worse than employers not giving a simple courtesy rejection / feedback call.

poorlittlefish

Before I left my last job I was called so frequently by certain recruitment agencies it became exceedingly annoying. Each time they were overly friendly, asking if I knew when I'd be looking for a new role, raving about my experience and promising I'd be snapped up as soon as I gave them the nod.

I left my job, let them know and... absolutely nothing. I applied for a role via another agency and it was much the same, telling me I was everything the company was looking for, blah, blah. I spent an entire day going through all manner of tests, exercises and interviews. Afterwards (and only four candidates were assessed)... nothing.

If I get another job where I'm responsible for recruiting again these agencies won't be making commission off me.

skadupuk

imatt wrote: »

But without any kind of feedback, how do you as the interviewee know where you may be going wrong? And indeed how to rectify it?

Whilst I agree it is morally right/good manners to give feedback, I am not sure you should expect a company that will not be hiring you to care about how you do in your future interviews.

bevanuk

I don't think you understand a recruiters job. It's to make money.
They get paid by the client - as a candidate you don't pay them anything, it's a free service. Most people dislike them because they don't get jobs through them. They are to deal with skilled workers - skilled in the talents that the employer wants - not every tom !!!!!! and harry.

It's the way it is unfortunately. Keep ringing them and you will get hold of someone.

Hermia

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

Interviewers are wise not to give feedback incase anything they say is misconstrued as discrimination.

The less said the better.

Unfortunately true. The last company I workef for did used to give feedback, but ended up with so many people arguing with them and yelling about discrimination they gave up in the end. If the reason someone did not get the job is something simple and practical it's fine, but often it's more complicated than that.