Recruitment Agent interfering with job offer

nobbysnuts_2

I have applied for several jobs recently through various job sites. I had a call from a recruitment agent who told me he was going to pass my application to one of the companies I'd applied to. I didn't realise my application had gone through an agent but he did come across as very helpful (of course) and we had a good conversation about my application.

However two things came up that annoyed me about this process;
I mentioned to him that my daughter was starting school soon so the position I'd applied for (night support worker) suited my circumstances. In the email he sent the employer he'd put that I'd applied for the job because I needed to be with family during the day! This made it look like I wasn't flexible and was misleading.

The second thing that has come up was after I was offered the job by the employer. As far as I was aware from what I was told at the interview the job was permanent and I would be able to start after all the relevant security checks were done. This was all fine by me.

I then had a phone call from the recruitment agent who was peeved that they'd made the offer direct to myself and said that the agreement should have been a 10 week temp contract going on to a permanent position. At no stage before my interview was this mentioned to me and I wouldn't have been happy with this arrangement. He then said he'd speak to the employer about it. I came off the phone without questioning the agent as I was a bit confused as to who I should be dealing with, the employer or the agent. I'm now worried that it will look like the agent is speaking on behalf of me and that I'm questioning the terms of contract before I've even started!

I don't want to lose the job that I've just been offered because of this interfering agent that I didn't intend to be dealing with in the first place.

Can anyone advise as to how this process is supposed to work? I'd rather just deal with the employer direct.

Mistral001

It looks like the agent made an application for a slightly different post to the one you originally applied for directly with the company. You probably got the one originally applied for and not the one he applied for on you behalf hence his annoyance as it is doubtful that he will get a commission from the company now. I do not think it is anything to do with you and it should be sorted out between the company and the recruitment agency. I would not let yourself feel intimidated by this agent. You got the job because of you and not because of the agent.

nobbysnuts_2

Mistral001 wrote: »

It looks like the agent made an application for a slightly different post to the one you originally applied for directly with the company. You probably got the one originally applied for and not the one he applied for on you behalf hence his annoyance as it is doubtful that he will get a commission from the company now. I do not think it is anything to do with you and it should be sorted out between the company and the recruitment agency. I would not let yourself feel intimidated by this agent. You got the job because of you and not because of the agent.

Thanks Mistral001.
I've just checked the site I applied through and they have a new post advertised for the same position which is on a Temp to Perm contract. The post I applied for says Contract/Full time which is now marked as ended so you were right and the recruiter has got mixed up. I'm trying to get hold of him now to clarify this.

Mistral001

Has the job offer come through this agent or direct from the employer?. If it has come from the employer and you want it, I cannot see why you should not accept it by directly contacting the employer and then turning up for the job. You only need to contact the agent if the offer has come through the agent as far as I can see. You have to be careful as the employer might have offered you the job that did not involve them paying a fee to this agent and if you now going through the agent they might be the ones who are peeved.

AntF

nobbysnuts wrote: »

Thanks Mistral001.
I've just checked the site I applied through and they have a new post advertised for the same position which is on a Temp to Perm contract. The post I applied for says Contract/Full time which is now marked as ended so you were right and the recruiter has got mixed up. I'm trying to get hold of him now to clarify this.

The recruiter sounds like a right

nobbysnuts_2

Mistral001. The offer was straight from the employer. They are a respectable company so I don't think they would be at fault.

AntF. I think there is more than one post available. At least I hope that's the case and they're not advertising it again under different terms.

nobbysnuts_2

So I've spoken to the guy from the agency who told me that he wouldn't have advertised the job as permanent ('Contract/Full time') but luckily the job website I applied from has kept the advert on my profile so I have proof. He's also now questioning the pay rate.
After comparing the old advert and the new I now think he's messed up and put the wrong details on the ad I applied to and is trying to say that I've got it wrong.
I'm just going to go straight to the employer to sort this out.

patman99

Was the original job application direct to the potential employer, or was this also via the Agency ?.

This does matter.
If it was direct to the employer and not via an Agency, then the Agency don't have a leg to stand on as far at getting their finders fee. The job they forwarded your details for was a separate one to the one you have been offered.

Personally, I would make no further contact with the Agency. Ignore any further emails and let them deal directly with their client (your new employer).