Applying for a job through an agency

w00519773

I am thinking about applying for another job, which I have never doe before.  The company advise that applications should be made through a specific agency.  I have never applied for a job through an agency before and want to understand how it works.  The three possible outcomes would be:

1) I am successful; the agency is paid a commission by the company and my relationship with the agency ends.

1) I am unsuccessful and my relationship with the agency ends.

3) I decide not to peruse the application before interview and my relationship with the agency ends.

Have I understood this correctly? I am trying to make sure that my relationship with this agency is for this one role only i.e. I would not have to apply for all roles through them in future.  The agency is Oscar: https://www.oscar-tech.com/

Flugelhorn

you would only be applying for this job - the employer is paying the agency to recruit and hence the contract is between them and not you. You don't have to have anything to do with the agency after this 

FlorayG

My company does all applications through an agency. Even if someone applies who has previously applied for a different vacancy, they are treated as a new applicant. The agency has a contract with the employer, not with you so you will have no contact with them once your application is finished

XzavierWalnut

I have only once had a job via an agency. After about 5 months in the role, the agency started to contact me about other jobs.
One thing to note is that the agency are interviewing you at first, so prepare and treat it like any other interview.

w00519773

Thanks.  So the way I understand it now - I will have no ties to this agency after one of the scenarios is my original post occurs.

Elliott.T123

Op, I have worked for agencies for 15 years (and run one now).

I can confirm you would have no ties to the agency outside of the company you are applying to.

If you spot another vacancy at that company in the next month you are also keen on then there is a high chance that the agencies term will mean you have to apply through them for that vacancy too (usually an agency has 6 months ownership of a candidate at a particular company).

In short though you personally will have no ties to the agency the ties are more the agency to the company.

What I will say though is that recruitment agencies are a nightmare for having your details removed so like estate agents etc expect to receive phone calls / emails from them now and again for the next few years.  

DullGreyGuy

w00519773 said:

I am thinking about applying for another job, which I have never doe before.  The company advise that applications should be made through a specific agency.  I have never applied for a job through an agency before and want to understand how it works.  The three possible outcomes would be:

1) I am successful; the agency is paid a commission by the company and my relationship with the agency ends.

1) I am unsuccessful and my relationship with the agency ends.

3) I decide not to peruse the application before interview and my relationship with the agency ends.

Have I understood this correctly? I am trying to make sure that my relationship with this agency is for this one role only i.e. I would not have to apply for all roles through them in future.  The agency is Oscar: https://www.oscar-tech.com/

Assuming it is a permanent role then yes you apply to the agency who'll shortlist candidates to send on to the hiring firm. Most agencies are engaged on a contingent basis and so yes they get commission if you secure the role but get nothing if the company hires someone else via another agency. 

Relationship with the agency doesn't exactly just "end" in any of the three scenarios, in scenario one they'll likely reach out to you after a fortnight, a month and a quarter to see how you are settling in, are you happy in the role etc. They will similarly keep you on their books such that if in 9 months time another similar but higher paid role comes along they may contact you to discuss it. 

2 and 3 will be similar, your details are kept and they let you know about other potential roles they are working on that may be of interest to you. 

You are not bound to them other than for this employer or role, so if you agreed to be put forward by them and another agency contacted you about the same role but said they'd give you 33% of their commission if you let them represent you instead then you cannot switch over.

If you see two agencies advertising the same role then it's your choice if you go to the same agency again or choose the other one. 


Getting into the contracting space is similar other than agencies tend to keep a bit more in touch given the natural transient nature of contracting and their commission isn't a lump sum but a percentage of your rate on top of what you're offered. The contract is then a chain so if you get offered £500/day and accept the agency contracts with you and the client the client pays them £600/day and passes the £500/day onto you (or if its inside IR35 then there is also an umbrella who get the £500, take their fixed fee and employer expenses and pay you the rest as salary).


As a contractor you need to keep good relations with agencies as you want them calling you first when you're looking for work and they get a new role in. Know many who are rude/obnoxious to agencies when they are in work and then wonder why they find it hard to get work when they're contract ends