Recruitment consultants....necessary evil..

[Donza]

I had an interview with one today.

Made me wait half an hour. I got to the point where i grabbed my suit jacket and my document wallet and was about to walk out of the door.

Yet she told me she had to no choice but see me at that time, even though i was stuck in a meeting with the Finance Director.

Then told me i was worth less than what the other companies told me i am worth. And these companies were falling hand over foot to get me signed up.

She even failed to have my updated CV in her hands.

I am seriously thinking about not sending in my CV to these morons.

I dont know whether i caught her at a bad time or what. But it was bloody laughable.

 

[Rumble]

Lol, this is the norm, there are very few decent recruitment agents out there maybe not their fault and more like a trait of the job.

I've dealt with so many agencies and agents and there is one rule, be a ba$tard and they will listen. Agencies kinda treat you like you're scum and you should be grateful rather than it being a mutual benefit. They act dumb when you ask simple questions like what are the hours of work, is there parking or does the company have an onsite cafeteria.

I mean there must be like 20 to 40 max that need answering for any job but they never seem to know (or may not want to disclose) the answers.

If you see an opportunity go with the agency and then create your own deal with the company 6 to 12 months down the line.

 

[R2e]

Pimps one and all. I cannot for the life of me understand why companies use them, the ones who actually filter people properly, if at all, are few and far between, and they tend to have a lack of understanding of the technical terms referring to the skills of the candidates they are providing.

Recruitment agents are salesmen, nothing more, trying to sell to their clients, the employer. Like all salesmen, they appear pleasant and sell themselves well but they care nothing for the cannon fodder they are trying to place. If your cv contains a couple of buzz words they perceive the client is looking for, they'll put your cv forward.

Sorry, but you've got me started now........ Don't mention the agencies which deal with IT Contractors or I'm really likely to go off on one!! Septic pimples on the a**e of society they are...........

Like everything else in life, there are probably a few good ones here and there, but the bulk are very poor indeed.

 

[Gollom]

I am looking for full time fairly basic admin people at the moment and the totally unsuitable people that are put forward by the agencies are unbelieveable!

• Can't work Thursdays
• CV mispells qualifications in Englihs and Scence (probably the agency I know)
• Resting between acting
• A few candidates with no admin experience whatsoever despite the brief being very explicit
• On candidate who was late because she got off at the wrong bus stop
• On candidate who was late as there was "traffic on the road - his appointment was at 9am (then told me he was leaving his current job as he "did not get on with the boss" )

Sheesh!

 

[Merc-C180K]

Pimps one and all. I cannot for the life of me understand why companies use them, the ones who actually filter people properly, if at all, are few and far between, and they tend to have a lack of understanding of the technical terms referring to the skills of the candidates they are providing.

Because they work out cheaper than having the necessary HR function on site.

Recruitment agents are salesmen, nothing more, trying to sell to their clients, the employer. Like all salesmen, they appear pleasant and sell themselves well but they care nothing for the cannon fodder they are trying to place. If your cv contains a couple of buzz words they perceive the client is looking for, they'll put your cv forward.

To be fair thats only the rubbish ones. I've dealt with alot of good ones too.

Sorry, but you've got me started now........ Don't mention the agencies which deal with IT Contractors or I'm really likely to go off on one!! Septic pimples on the a**e of society they are...........

Like everything else in life, there are probably a few good ones here and there, but the bulk are very poor indeed.

Yup they are the worst. Even more so that the ones dealing with the lower end of the market (i.e. temps for picking carrots...)

 

[DITTRICH]

Recruitment companies! Let me explain! They are worth only as much as their contacts lists (paying clients) and their candidate lists (non paying clients). Candidates don't pay - the hiring companies do pay (this is the big clue). There are 2 kinds of assignment - retained (the recruiting company instructs the agency) - cold calling (speculative enquiries by the recruitment company). The first question any candidate should ask is has the agent been retained by the client. If not the chances are they're wasting your time and theirs. I work in a position where agencies constantly try to call me to wheedle information on my hiring requirements. Agencies will try any trick known to God to get to speak to the person who makes the decision. Luckily I have installed countermeasures via good switchboard operators and a PA. They rarely call us now. We call them when we have a job for them to do. I chose to deal with one agency and there is an established relationship and since they are a leader in their field we get about an 85% success rate with new hires. This same agency has acted for me in a personal capacity for a number of years not that I move that often. How is all this relevant to a candidate? Well, the size of the agency and its contacts and databases for a start. However, smaller specialist agencies, who have **real** expertise and understanding of your chosen field are a good bet too. The employees are much more likely to actually understand what it is you do and also convince paying customers to give them business.
Know what you are worth by using the internet - don't rely on agencies to tell you.
My 2c
Les

 

[Ted]

I had once one candidate, who the recruitment company advised me had been 'charged with carless driving' (sic)

I did take him on, and he was an excellent employee.

 

[Merc-C180K]

Then told me i was worth less than what the other companies told me i am worth. And these companies were falling hand over foot to get me signed up.

Want some help finding out what you are worth?

 

[Rose Chap]

Sorry, but you've got me started now........ Don't mention the agencies which deal with IT Contractors or I'm really likely to go off on one!!

As an IT contractor, I completely agree with you.

Recruitment consultant is such a jumped up term too - a better definition would be "job pimp", though even that would upset me if I was an actual pimp.

Total scum.

 

[Merc-C180K]

As an IT contractor, I completely agree with you.

Recruitment consultant is such a jumped up term too - a better definition would be "job pimp", though even that would upset me if I was an actual pimp.

Total scum.

Slave Traders we call em.

 

[purplegoddess]

I am looking for full time fairly basic admin people at the moment and the totally unsuitable people that are put forward by the agencies are unbelieveable!

• Can't work Thursdays
• CV mispells qualifications in Englihs and Scence (probably the agency I know)
• Resting between acting
• A few candidates with no admin experience whatsoever despite the brief being very explicit
• On candidate who was late because she got off at the wrong bus stop
• On candidate who was late as there was "traffic on the road - his appointment was at 9am (then told me he was leaving his current job as he "did not get on with the boss" )

Sheesh!

now you know how i feel and i only want them to pull pints but in saying that i have just took a lovely piece of eye candy on and he can pull a pint too

 

[Gollom]

now you know how i feel and i only want them to pull pints but in saying that i have just took a lovely piece of eye candy on and he can pull a pint too

yes, but what with?

 

[R2e]

Because they work out cheaper than having the necessary HR function on site.

The strange thing is every job I've got through an agency (in the bad old days when I was a wage slave...) has been with a company which had its own HR dept. Work that one out! Also my argument is that few agencies provide any HR functionality other than picking cv's with buzz words (thus probably missing people the manager recruiting would prefer). There cannot be anything more important than obtaining the best employees and managers should spend more time concentrating on this.

To be fair thats only the rubbish ones. I've dealt with alot of good ones too.

You are indeed fortunate! I've come across one or two good ones (tend to be in the head-hunting league which is a different thing) but most are sharks.

Yup they are the worst. Even more so that the ones dealing with the lower end of the market (i.e. temps for picking carrots...)

If the IT work dries up, reming me not to go for carrot picking

 

[scotth_uk]

I found agencies and recruiters to be a rather expensive way of hiring IT guys, so the company that I work for procured an excellent IT recruiter and brought him on full time. Good guy, screens absolutely everything for me.

 

[Sp!ke]

I've got to go through this hell shortly.

After nearly 7 years where I am, I think its time I move on elsewhere. Time to sort out a decent CV and dish it out to the wolves. Can't say I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Martin clk]

Bit short of time now but I'm itching to come back with some truths and corrections for you - from a consultants point of view

Before anyone starts shouting, you've said some very valid points, some I agree with, some are just incorrect, but please allow me to answer when I've enough time which will be later today.

We're not all sh1t at what we do!

 

[Rose Chap]

I've got to go through this hell shortly.

After nearly 7 years where I am, I think its time I move on elsewhere. Time to sort out a decent CV and dish it out to the wolves. Can't say I'm looking forward to it.

Likewise, and contemplating a move to the Cambridge area. Any IT bods on here in the Cambridge area recruiting?

 

[99E320LPG]

I can't wait for this >>>

Bit short of time now but I'm itching to come back with some truths and corrections for you - from a consultants point of view

Before anyone starts shouting, you've said some very valid points, some I agree with, some are just incorrect, but please allow me to answer when I've enough time which will be later today.

We're not all sh1t at what we do!

Personally, as an IT Contractor, I haven't found a good one so I will be interested to hear your views.

Most of the people I deal with have no idea about IT and are just looking for a quick turn around to fill a position.

 

[Martin clk]

Right here I go - I may need to come back and answer other bits but....

I should point out that I am not an IT consultant, I agree that lots of them are pretty murder at their jobs and it's a real bums on seats environments. In their defence for not knowing what they're talking about. As technologies are changing all the time, It's very hard to have a supply of consultants that have total knowledge, hence daft kids being employed out of call centres or graduates because they're cheap. Take them on, train them, p1ss off candidates.

Points I can remember -

HR - there's a HUGE difference between HR and Recruitment, neither of us are career advisors and neither of us should be looked upon as such.

Sales - bang on there, you're right, we are sales people. Noting grates me more than stuck up consultants with inflated ideas of their own self importance. This is a sales environment, I often SELL a candidate if they're short of some requirements but bursting with others. Some guys need to realise that we generally pounce and love the candidates that, I call "a walking fee". Other "less placeable" candidates can be a nightmare.

Rudeness - there's no excuse for consultants not getting back, it only tarnishes their reputation and the industry as a whole. I do spend more time with some than others (explanation above) A good agency will be members of the REC, we should work to their best practice guidlines. If you feel you've been shortchanged then make a complaint to them.

Why use us - Because some candidates cant be bothered going thtough papers, like to say they're represented by an agency. I know we charge lots of money but it's relative to the salary. Is it right? I honestly dont believe it is. Will I keep doing it? Damn right! Is it anymore unjustified than what some IT programmers charge per day? You decide !

Retained business - You've got this wrong. Retained assignments are when we are instructed on a exclusive basis to search for candidates. This generally means splitting the fee with usually half upfront. Normal recruitment processes or "contingency" is when we have been given the go-ahead by a client to submit and search for candidates but usually with a handfull of others. It is against guidelines for agencies to advertise roles that they have not been instruced to do so.

I love my job, I love meeting people. I have great relationships with the majority of my candidates and my clients. Nothing is better than getting referrals and repeat business. I'm also under no illusions that they're are some very bad consultants and agencies out there. I would stay away from the large agencies that I refer to as "supermarket". Try to find smaller, niche agencies. We cant afford to get it wrong. It has to be right the first time and everytime. Sometimes it means we lose out with the big boys as we cant service them nationally, but that means we can place their employees elsewhere ]

I dont know if this was interesting, annoying or what. I just wanted to clear up a few things.

Peace !

 

[R2e]

Nice to hear a view from the 'dark side'! Yes I'm sure it is only a proportion of consultants that give you all a bad reputation. I think however it is the companies that tend to use Agencies out of choice rather than 'job seekers' who find that most companies do not like a personal approach and prefer what they perceive (generally wrongly in my opinion) as value added services from the agency. This forces people looking for a job to use Agencies.

As for "It is against guidelines for agencies to advertise roles that they have not been instruced to do so.", I guess very few agencies follow guidelines. I speak from personal experience, where agencies are trawling for cv's they can then try and use to get into a new Client, particularly if there is a vacancy advertised through another Agency. No honour among thieves...................

As to what IT programmers charge per day, this tends to be commensurate with experience and demand, and is peanuts in comparison to what the large consultancies charge per day for less qualified people. You won't catch me complaining I'm laughing all the way to the bank (via the Mercedes dealership!!). On the other hand I've worked hard to get and retain the skills I have, and obtain new ones, and work long hours developing my business. The saving grace is I genuinely enjoy my job