Rant about Recruitment Agencies

[600+]

Right,

sorry about the rant but just need to get it off my chest!

Been looking for the "right" job for about 6 months. Have been to various interviews, some I declined myself others I was not what they were looking for - fair enough.

About 3 weeks ago found a job I'd really like, it's consulting, IT, growing UK company, good salary package overall and seems like a nice place to work. So I apply through the advertising agency and go for the 1st interview. They like me, I like them so go for the 2nd and final interview.

That was last Wednesday. On Thursday I get a call saying they really liked me and they want me.....so here's me waiting for the offer.

I'M BLOODY STILL WAITING A WEEK+ LATER!!!!!:smt067

They need to get the offer signed off from the big boss and until then they cannot tell me anything more apart from the fact that they want me!!

How cr@p is that??!!!! So instead of turning people away when they ring me for more interviews I have to prepare and attend as this job never came up:(

And since I want the job I have to keep ringing the Agency everyday to chase for updates!

[Jelster]

2 things to remember.....


Nothing exits between you until both parties have "signed on the line which is dotted". Ignore the fact you want that job and they want you. (Hell, I even had a signed offer once which was revoked 2 days before I was due to start because the MD left. It cost them 3 months money though.....)
Finding a job is a full time occupation in itself. Assume the attitude that you work for "600+ Ltd" and nobody else, until such time that you have the position you're looking for.HTH...

[Pedro68]

Yeah, don't do what I did ...

(I'm an IT contractor btw)

My contract was ended by my employer (because they had no further work for me). I got "offered" another contract. Basically, I had a telephone interview, and then several calls to/from recruitment agency. Then was told "they want you to start, but we are just waiting on a confirmed start date, but it will probably be early next week".

I went and told my current employer who decided it would be in everybody's best interest (except the agency) for them to release me from my contract 2 weeks early so that I could start my new contract, and so they didn't have to pay me for the last 2 weeks for sitting round on my backside doing very little. [Last I heard, agency and employer were still embroiled in bitter dispute about this - contracts blah, blah, blah].

So I left one employer "fully expecting" to be working another contract the following week. The next week came ... and I still hadn't got a confirmed start date. When I asked why, "oh the manager who needs to authorise your start is on holiday at the moment" ... what a load of BS ... so there was NOBODY else in the organisation that could deal with this? The week went ... I lost a weeks pay that I could have had by staying with the previous employer ... then halfway through the following week I get a phonecall from the agency ... "They've pulled the role. They are not going to fill that position now due to contractual arguments, etc., etc.".

Great, so now I had to look for another contract sharpish ... and I missed out on 2 weeks pay that I could otherwise have still had ... AND ... as part of the application process I agreed to get my passport renewed THE SAME DAY AS REQUESTED AT A COST OF £108 because they needed it for security checks (well the job was working for a company called Northgate - who supply software/services to many police forces up n down the country - so there ya go, "named & shamed").

Lesson learnt ... don't leave one job for another just because they have told you that they want you :(

I don't lay any blame with the agency tho - they couldn't have known that the company was going to pull the role. Although I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I signed the contract they sent me with no start date on it?! :-k

Pete

[600+]

cheers for the replies - this is the attitude I have as well but it's getting on my nerves big time

[the_runt69]

Dont worry too much but dont leave until you have the contract signed and sealed. Am working my 3 months notice with my company now to take up the same position within another company. Both Companies are owned by the same umbrella group but one wont release me without serving my 3 months notice to the other and i have to start as a new entrant so lose 31 years service.

[600+]

yeah they keep asking me if I would resign if they confirmed by email LOL

I told them to sod off and I wouldn't resign without a signed contract!!!

[the_runt69]

Have resigned from my Old job in October to find new job doesnt start until November, The company however are honouring the contract to start 8th of October and doing all the induction and learning bits in the month before it starts instead. At least I will be in at the beginning now instead of being 2 months behind everybody else

[600+]

well i need to ring the agency at 2pm for an update although since they haven't rang me yet I assume they have jack **** to tell me

[600+]

have just had an update from the agency

they have given me specifics this time in terms of salary etc etc but they said car allowance of £250 a month nothing about a company car as I was told initially

Now I am based in M'cr and all clients are in the southwest. My car is an 06 reg and could get £7k if I sold it now. If I have to travel around in my car and take the car allowance I would earn £250*12= £3000 but I don't think that would cover my insurance, wear and tear of the vehicle.

I reckon a 2 year old car with 50k on the clock wouldn't be worth much:)

should I accept?

[Viney]

I deal with recruitment agencies on 2 levels. I get staff from them, and i rely on them trying to find me a job.

Staff wise...hmmm, i want a,b&c i get Z,K & L not helpful. Shout and scream, but after 5 years, nothings changed!

Recruitment wise - Hate them with a passion. Sadly no other way to find a job. They dont call you back. They set expectations with the client that are far from your capabilites, they are just plain slack.

[600+]

well this is why I'm getting a bit miffed with the whole situation

agency says one thing then company come back with a different offer on things I didn't ask or want in the first place

[Pedro68]

I have a lot of sympathy for ya ... although I can also say that I've dealt with a lot of good recruitment agencies also ... and I don't mind mentioning some of them:

Progressive
Pathway
IS Recruitment (Iain Brassal - top bloke!)

The ones that really hack me off are the ones that try to use "automated matching" systems that try and match job specs to CV's. Just because I mentioned that I did 6 months of Unix Admin 12 years ago, they contact me with jobs asking me if I'd be interested in a Unix Admin position!

And then there's the agencies who "have just received your CV ..." and thought you might be interested in this "exciting new role" (sorry but I've done Computer Operations, Technical Support, Systems Admin, Development, and now Business Intelligence, and I would hardly describe ANY of them as "exciting", although if they are offering a six-figure salary perhaps I'd revise my definition :P ) ... one agent even contacted me on an e-mail address that I know for a fact had been removed from my CV for the past 5 years - I still don't know how they acquired such an outdated copy of my CV :scratch:

Pete

[Dave The Rave]

Mate I am in the same situation. Agent phoned and got me this interview. They liked me, I liked them and I am still waiting. The interview was on the 3rd of July! Beat that! On the phone to the agent 2x, numerous e-mails. No feedback! How bad is that? Next time he asks I will tell him to ki$$ my 4r$e.:smt067

[600+]

Well i'm going to ring the agent at 5pm as agreed for a further update.

I've done the maths and without a company car the car allowance wouldn't cover the money i'd lose on my car - heck even the payrise i'm getting half of it would have to go to cover the car bills!!

so with no company car it will be a complete show stopper! their loss as far as i'm concerned if it comes to that.

Dave - what can I say! been there had that and unfortunately cannot find a different way of getting a new job :(

Pedro - have had positive experiences as well but the ratio between good and bad is unfortunately going towards BAD!

Sales people end of the day if you think about it! They are after a commision

[Jelster]

Sales people end of the day if you think about it! They are after a commision

Please...... Sales people ? Most of these people couldn't sell Ice to Arabs.

Sales is a respectable profession. The pressure to achieve, month in month out, is greater than even a football manager. Good sales people look after clients as they are an asset, and if you don't protect your assets you'll have no job.

I've been a successful sales person/manager/director for over 20 years, please don't tarnish me with the same brush as amateur recruitment consultants ! :smt014

.

[600+]

actually I thought about it after I wrote it but thought leave it :D

as in every profession there are good and bad - it just happens that most recruitment agencies are cr@p and Jelster they are sales people, they as well need to achieve month in month out, they have targets as well.

[Jelster]

actually I thought about it after I wrote it but thought leave it :D

as in every profession there are good and bad - it just happens that most recruitment agencies are cr@p and Jelster they are sales people, they as well need to achieve month in month out, they have targets as well.

Peanuts & monkeys syndrome....

The agencies I use charge a lot of money, but they deliver premium people. And it's not sales, it's consultancy, even if they get paid a bonus for hitting targets. There are lots of failed sales people out there who are now "consultants"....

[600+]

I think we will just agree to disagree on this one mate

different type of experiences shape our different points of view

[gettin2dizzy]

I got my payslip from the recruitment company i work for (which i incidentally didn't get my job through - i found it independently but this was the 'official' way of doing things) valued at ...£170. Then as part of my job I open mail - to see that the recruitment company were payed £270! For some reason they were also charged VAT on this? I can't understand why.

[600+]

Just a bit of an update (in my frustration really)

Company have come back to the agency after 2+ weeks to say that apparently now their Director wants a business case raising before they can recruit me - which could take up to another 2 weeks!!!

The agency also had the nerve to ask me if I would resign now in order to start within 4 weeks!!! Needless to say I'm fumming!! Told them how unpro they were advertising a job that doesn't really exist! They should have checked as far as my concerned.

So now that is off the books really until the contact me to say the contrary - which I'm not holding my breath for :( :@