Recruitment Agencies

[caz99]

I need a bit of advice. Can someone tell me how they work? I applied for two jobs online last week. Heard nothing from Reeds. Phoned them and they said I had not got through the selection process and she wouldnt let me speak to a recruitment consultant. The job was ideal, locally based and I would have loved to have an interview at least!

Do they not give you a shot at applying for jobs what criteria do they specifiy?

Getting really down really need to find another job and at the moment just cant!

 

[Uncle Buck]

With that Reed website just apply for everything, a lot of the jobs are not handled by Reed, but other agencies and head hunters advertise positions on there. So they get your details.

Also agencies are arses, end of.

 

[caz99]

Well I just spoke to someone there and he just said my insurance is too specialised so he is finding it hard to find anything especially for the money I earn. Its doing my head in!

Bit difficult to get an insurance job otherwise as you dont see a lot of them advertised!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Am in the process of looking as marketing water is boring.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Agencies very often advertise jobs which don't exist - at least in IT they do anyway. They are after getting CVs in, so that when they do get open positions, they already have on hand a number of people who may be suitable for the job. Just keep applying for anything you see, even if it is not a perfect match.

 

[Lokki 7]

Recruitment agancies are toss. They are run by people not good enough to get proper jobs for themselves. And don't get me started on headhunters
If I were you I would send speculative CV's to every company you would like to work for, the more the better. Most big companies will always make room if someone good comes along, and if they have a vacancy already you can bypass the agency monkeys.

 

[Bluejuice]

Agencies are utter !!!!!. The only way to deal with them is by going in and seeing them face to face and making sure they remember you. Then keep pestering them each week about vacancies and they will soon find something for you.

Remember that 90% of new positions come in on a Friday so if you're making yourself known at the right time then chances are they'll pick you for whatever role comes up.

 

[sully]

Probably depends on the sector you're in.

I've had nothing but good experiences with agencies, and would use one again to get my next job, as I did to get 3 of my last 4 jobs.

Sending CVs off to all and sundry might work, but generally doesn't unless you get lucky, particularly if, like me, most companies you could work for are actually quite small.

 

[caz99]

well i work in legal expenses insurance which is a small sector of the large insurance market. but have not motor etc insurance experience but get paid quite well.

 

[Bluejuice]

If you get paid quite well why are you looking for a new job Caz?

Seriously agencies are so much hassle, you'd be far better off avoiding them if you can afford to.

Just take the longer route of looking for jobs yourself and enquiring at the sorts of companies you'd like to work for.

Agencies are best for stop gap solutions but are unlikely to significantly beat your current wage.

 

[London Calling]

Agencies are utter !!!!!. The only way to deal with them is by going in and seeing them face to face and making sure they remember you. Then keep pestering them each week about vacancies and they will soon find something for you.

Remember that 90% of new positions come in on a Friday so if you're making yourself known at the right time then chances are they'll pick you for whatever role comes up.

Good advice, plus you have to keep on their plus side. I pissed off an agency by standing up for myself againgst a bad manager. So they ignored me. Until they realised I was a good "commodity" and in demand and could obtain above average rates!

 

[dwayne]

Agencies are best for stop gap solutions but are unlikely to significantly beat your current wage.

based on what?
talking bollocks mate!

 

[sully]

Agencies are best for stop gap solutions but are unlikely to significantly beat your current wage.

I disagree.

I wouldn't have left my last job if it hadn't been for the significant increase in my salary / reduction in total hours away from home.

Make sure they know what you want and if they're any good they'll find it easier than you can on your own. Unless you have endless time on your hands to go searching around for companies you might like to work for and writing to them....

 

[dwayne]

I disagree.

I wouldn't have left my last job if it hadn't been for the significant increase in my salary / reduction in total hours away from home.

Make sure they know what you want and if they're any good they'll find it easier than you can on your own. Unless you have endless time on your hands to go searching around for companies you might like to work for and writing to them....

Bottom line is agencies are a neccessary evil. There's no way you would be able to get or hear about the majority of jobs without doing it through an agency.

 

[Skaville]

What a load of utter tripe! I've been working in recruitment now for five years. Just for the record I don't make up jobs and I had a "proper job" before I went into it. There are some tossers out there, but there are plenty of those in any industry. I used to work in Marketing Uncle Buck and i work much harder now and find it more rewarding. Maybe you should give it a go yourself.

Last month I found six people jobs, all of whom were very grateful.

Some advice on working with recruitment agencies.

DO NOT APPLY FOR EVERYTHING. I will come back to as many people as i can in a given day, I already do a 48 hour week. Applying for jobs you are not qualified for wastes your time and mine. Apply for everything you are relevant for.

Agreed, get in front of agencies if you can and make an impression, but as with every walk of life, hassling is not the best way to form any realtionship.

In my experience, apply through an agency INCREASES your chances of getting a job. I am working with a company at the moment who have direct response as well as agency candidates. One in four getting through their initial screening interview. My hit rate is two in three. Why? Because I help them with advice, technique and preparation.

Finally, writing loads of appliactions to companies of your own back hoping they may have a role for you is, in my honest opinion, a total waste of your time. It's all agencies and the web now. Use a few agencies with a good reputation. Quietly ask your peers who they would recommend. Look on the web and target the agencies that have a larger amount of relevant jobs for you.

Rant over.

 

[caz99]

If you get paid quite well why are you looking for a new job Caz?

Seriously agencies are so much hassle, you'd be far better off avoiding them if you can afford to.

Just take the longer route of looking for jobs yourself and enquiring at the sorts of companies you'd like to work for.

Agencies are best for stop gap solutions but are unlikely to significantly beat your current wage.

cos i havent had a payrise in two years,no bonuses no financial stablity. no benefits etc etc. shit management company is too small. my first job since i left college.

 

[caz99]

What a load of utter tripe! I've been working in recruitment now for five years. Just for the record I don't make up jobs and I had a "proper job" before I went into it. There are some tossers out there, but there are plenty of those in any industry. I used to work in Marketing Uncle Buck and i work much harder now and find it more rewarding. Maybe you should give it a go yourself.

Last month I found six people jobs, all of whom were very grateful.

Some advice on working with recruitment agencies.

DO NOT APPLY FOR EVERYTHING. I will come back to as many people as i can in a given day, I already do a 48 hour week. Applying for jobs you are not qualified for wastes your time and mine. Apply for everything you are relevant for.

Agreed, get in front of agencies if you can and make an impression, but as with every walk of life, hassling is not the best way to form any realtionship.

In my experience, apply through an agency INCREASES your chances of getting a job. I am working with a company at the moment who have direct response as well as agency candidates. One in four getting through their initial screening interview. My hit rate is two in three. Why? Because I help them with advice, technique and preparation.

Finally, writing loads of appliactions to companies of your own back hoping they may have a role for you is, in my honest opinion, a total waste of your time. It's all agencies and the web now. Use a few agencies with a good reputation. Quietly ask your peers who they would recommend. Look on the web and target the agencies that have a larger amount of relevant jobs for you.

Rant over.

have you got any suggestions?

 

[Lokki 7]

In my experience, apply through an agency INCREASES your chances of getting a job.

Finally, writing loads of appliactions to companies of your own back hoping they may have a role for you is, in my honest opinion, a total waste of your time.

You would say that as otherwise you'd be out of a job!
Of course there are good recruitment consultants, just like there are probably a few half normal Palace fans out there somewhere. But that doesn't change the fact that an awful lot of people have bad experiences with recruitment firms time and again.

 

[Skaville]

If the problem is that you are not getting repsonse from the agency it might be worth finding out which consultant is dealing with the role (there should be a job reference number with the vacancy) and try to speak to them. I know this is not always easy.

Anyway, give them a call and explain why you think you are relevant. Do this as you are sending your CV. Some roles get huge response and this might help you stand out.

 

[Skaville]

You would say that as otherwise you'd be out of a job!
Of course there are good recruitment consultants, just like there are probably a few half normal Palace fans out there somewhere. But that doesn't change the fact that an awful lot of people have bad experiences with recruitment firms time and again.

as they do with taxi drivers, accountants, politicians, estate agents, dentists, doctors, nurses, the police, restaurants, public transport, football managers (ask Celtic fans)...