so far in my job hunt

cazziebo

To be fair, I don't think Sexki11en did say that. what she is saying is don't slag off agencies when you don't know what they do.

yes there are good and bad ones and yes they are sales organisations. But they don't make the sale unless they get the right candidates for the job. Getting lots of candidates registered that you will never find jobs for is in no one's interest.

I think some consultants should be a bit tougher and say to potential candidates that they just can't do anything for them. But they probably take the CV and promise to call them later with no intention of doing so. Damned if they do and damned if they don't. It's very hard work, with high targets and high burn out rate.

sexki11en

i'm not doing very well for my first few posts am I? I know there are a lot of bad agencies out there, I have left 2 myself because I didn't agree with the practices, but there really are a 'few' good ones out there if you can persevere trying to find them.

Someone has already suggested smaller independants, and these can be a good idea. To a company like mine, you aren't just a number. Because I work with only 4 people in the entire office, my numbers aren't as big as 'big agency up the road' so when I loose a candidate for whatever reason, it matters to me. Therefor I make an effort to make sure they are right for the job and the job is right for them. Likewise we don't try and fob the clients off either.

It's sometimes really hard not to 'jump' when you see someone criticising your profession when you try so hard to make a difference but I think I need to make a more concerted effort not to take it so personally.

Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion and we're all guilty of generalising sometimes.

God I can ramble!

looby75

sexki11en wrote: »

Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion and we're all guilty of generalising sometimes.

God I can ramble!

You'll fit in well here then hun :D

lisa21

Understood sexki11en - I just wish there were more out there like you!!

Just to add Cazziebo - I don't think most of us were slagging off agencies or recruitment consultants - just sharing our experiences. Like everything there's good and bad, and, as is human nature, we tend to shout about the bad as oppose to the good.

Oh well rant over!!! Just to echo something someone else mentioned too - speculatively approaching companies direct seems to go down well as it shows you have a genuine interest in working for them....at least that's what I'm hoping as I sit down to write 40 letters tonight

sexki11en

lisa21 wrote: »

Just to echo something someone else mentioned too - speculatively approaching companies direct seems to go down well as it shows you have a genuine interest in working for them....at least that's what I'm hoping as I sit down to write 40 letters tonight

It does!

1) 80% of vacancies are never advertised before they get filled
2) If your CV lands on their desk - it's free! Theres no agency fee to pay
3) Even if there isn't a job available right now, that could change in 1 day, 1 week or 1 month and they may still contact you.

I always advise my candidates to do this (and in the process loose placement fees lol) but it is in their best interests. After all, if i'm too slow to get them a job before they do - that's my luck out not theirs!

lemontart

sexki11en wrote: »

Reading this has made me really angry. I work for an agency (small independant) and rather than us being 'flipping useless' and all the other names that have been bandies around how about the fact that we have to put up with hundereds of unsuitable applicants every day. People who haven't even read the job spec, they just click on apply and hope for the best. Or how about the 5-10 people a day who once you've lined them up an interview or a job - don't even bother to turn up? Or how about trying to help someone who doesn't even know what they want themselves then moan because you don't call them - with what? You can't tell me exactly what you want to do! Even better, the ones who call you constantly to tell you they are available for work but when you call them, do they answer their phones? Don't be stupid. Then you get abuse because the person you called after them got the job and they missed it by 5 minutes! Oh, I know - the ones who apply for a sales job, you send them to interview and they sit there and tell the client they don't want to do sales!!!

You don't even have a clue about what goes on behind the scenes unless you've done it and let me tell you, we don't sit there all day doing nothing. Maybe have a look at yourselves before whinging. Decide what you want to do, tell the agency clearly what you do and dont (more importantly) want to do, only apply for jobs where you have the relevant SPECIFIED experience (clients tell us what they will accept and there is no way we have time to reply to every single applicant personally)

You can't tarnish all agencies with the same brush - all of my candidates are recommendations from people i've placed already. I don't need to advertise for candidates so I can't be that bad.

I actually worked for an agency several yrs ago so do have some insite into the ongoing problems the points being made are that you register in response to a specific job only to find that the particular job does not exist or is a registrant collecting exercise which is irritating to say the least when job hunting, as for peeps not turning up for interview that is part and parcel of any recruitment let and yes annoying for you and employer but we are speaking as those who earn you yr commission and many agencies have poor customer service practices when it comes to those who register with them along with a high turn over of staff - small local agencies do seem to be a lot better in the contact stakes where as the chains are less so.

I am assuming you call those going to interview to confirm they are still able to attend on the day or at least the day before, or email for confirmation.

Liz
x

lemontart

Just re read all the above and seems the smaller agencies are preferential over the large chains though larger ones may have advantage on temp work.

A note on temp work I have just registered with 2 local agencies for temp jobs and you now have to provide passport or photo id, and proof of ni number as the home office carry out checks on them with one of them actually having an audit this week on such things.

Liz

sexki11en

lemontart wrote: »

you now have to provide passport or photo id, and proof of ni number as the home office carry out checks on them with one of them actually having an audit this week on such things.

Liz

That's right. And for every candidate we we are found to have out working with no id on file, the consultants can personally be fined up to £2500 for EACH person!

I get a lot of greif for refusing to register someone with no id (even if they look British) but it really isn't worth it for me, I don't earn that much!

lemontart

sexki11en wrote: »

That's right. And for every candidate we we are found to have out working with no id on file, the consultants can personally be fined up to £2500 for EACH person!

I get a lot of greif for refusing to register someone with no id (even if they look British) but it really isn't worth it for me, I don't earn that much!

and that is with out the 5k fine if the id turns out to be fake................which is not always easy to spot in the first place.


Liz
x