Recruitment agencies

[Mark Sreeves]

Are they all ******s?

Well, they piss me off that's for sure!

I saw a "dream job" advertised on jobserve so I sent off my CV to the agency handling it and they won't even acknowledge receipt of my CV let alone pass my details on.

Whenever I phone them, they dude I need to speak to is out of the office or busy, and will "phone me back". Yeah right!

******s!

[Iain17]

I hate them as well. I gave my CV to a few, Monster.co.uk being the most noteable, and did i get one single offer?

Well yes actually, after i already had a job.

[Ianpbaker]

Yes and No. By Nature they are all ******s, pushing you around like a peice of cattle. But No when they take you out for the evening on the company Credit Card for a few (Or 8) bevies

[nullus]

most of them are ******s, yes. i remember the first interview i got through one of them (my very first interview for my very first proper job). they got me an interview for a company that was originally looking for a senior programmer (me being very junior at the time). the interview went well and the guy said he was keen. then later, the agency called me and told me i'd been offered it, so i was like then a week later i called them to ask what i need to do when i start, and they told me the guy who told me i got the job had quit and that i hadn't got it afterall

also, like Mark, they constantly told me they were busy when i phoned them. bunch of ******s.

[InvisibleDuncan]

Originally posted by Ianpbaker
Yes and No. By Nature they are all ******s, pushing you around like a peice of cattle. But No when they take you out for the evening on the company Credit Card for a few (Or 8) bevies

You'd be a contractor, then?

[Ianpbaker]

Yes and No (again)

I work full time for a company. I'm either working for them on in-house project's, or I am contracted out through agencies to Blue Chip companies , So I know all about the pimps

[zmerlinz]

Yes they most certainly are ******s, i went into one ast Wesnesday to get a job for the summer, so i could help pay for uni, and like a doofus i forgot my CV, the woman said "Can you email it to me", and i said "sure no problems", then she gave me her email address, and she siad "one we get it we will contact you and sort out an interview". That was Wednesday and today is Monday and still no bloody joy!!!

******S indeed

[Gaffer]

/enter ex-pimp

Mark, I do remember posting a reply earlier this month saying the market was terrible! This is the agents story when markets get tough:

On Jobserve, you buy a quota of time/no. of job entries. If you don't use them, you lose them. So what they do is post fictitious jobs to get CVs in. You call up, and the job has mysteriously gone. The number of calls I had to take from desparate contractors was unbelievable. But I had to get CVs in somehow.

And believe me when I say that posting fake jobs on jobserve was playschool tactics compared to some of the stuff that went on.

The markets pants at the moment; its not the agencies fault, it the market. Look at this:

CSFB 10% cut,

Merrill Lynch 20% cut,

Deutsche Bank shrinking contractors...

HP asking all staff to take 10-15% pay cut until November.

There is no doubt that some are ******s, but they become less like ******s when they get you your job. Which is going to be difficult at the moment (not impossible though).

As and ex-pimp contractor, my advise is to stick with only a handful of agencies (I use 2), start drinking with more VB programmers and make the most of the "******s" company credit card.

[Gaffer]

Originally posted by zmerlinz
Yes they most certainly are ******s, i went into one ast Wesnesday to get a job for the summer, so i could help pay for uni, and like a doofus i forgot my CV, the woman said "Can you email it to me", and i said "sure no problems", then she gave me her email address, and she siad "one we get it we will contact you and sort out an interview". That was Wednesday and today is Monday and still no bloody joy!!!

******S indeed

They will only call you if you have at least 2 years commerial experience. Otherwise, you call them. And you hassle them. Every day. The idea is that if you keep hassling them, if a job comes up, you will be the first person they think off, mostly because you have p!ssed tham off so much.

Every day feller, its the only way....

[Mark Sreeves]

Originally posted by Gaffer
So what they do is post fictitious jobs to get CVs in. You call up, and the job has mysteriously gone.

I suspected this.

I feel pretty pissed off at the moment.
I know the sensible thing to do would be to stay where I am at the moment but we are moving offices in a couple of months time and the location will be inconvient to say the least.

I've already found myself working for another company not my choice and seeing as I'll soon be changing location as well, I reckon I might as well find a new position altogether...

[Gaffer]

Everyone I know is sitting tight at the moment (including me). They reckon end of this year things will pick up. I've never known it so bad. Loads of Management Consultants (now, some of these guys really ARE the ******s *hack *spit *gob*) have gone permie.

You know, Michael Page are big enough and ugly enough to know exactly the status of the market. Give them a shot...

[Gary.Lowe]

Hi All

I know the feeling I have been after a job to expand on web based skills for the last few months.

There is on in particular who always posts jobs exactly what I'm looking for, he's had my CV for the last 2 months and when I phone him he's never in or at meetings.

Any way just had an interview for another job, went quite well and is the sort of work I want to do and best of all MORE MONEY!!

I have found some agencies are a waste of time and some are quite good and keep you posted.

It seems at the moment that every one is jumping on the IT agency bandwagon to earn a quick Grand or more.

Agency commission is shockin too,

[InvisibleDuncan]

Gaffer,

Just out of interest, do you get all your contracts through agencies or do some fall into your lap through your personal contacts?

[Gaffer]

The one I have at present is essentially direct to the client. I've met a few job contacts using the power of pubs and Guiness. Seriously.
I said "essentially" direct, because although I went direct to the client, I use an agency to process the payroll for me - I pay them about 6% for the honour, but it means I get paid weekly without fail, even if the client hasn't paid the agent (and that can be frequent).

For contracts through agencies, I have 3 that I use, and I have beers with them about once every 2-3 months. They're good guys so its easy to get on with them, therefore they tend to call you when something hits theri desk.

I've just extended another 6 months yesterday, so it's a big relief in the current climate

Are you a contractor?

[InvisibleDuncan]

Me? No - I leave that to people who are actually good at this programming lark.

Actually, I have considered it but it would probably mean I'd have to go back to commuting to London every day, and I'm far too shy of hard work to put up with that.

Congrats on the extension, though - breathe a big sigh of relief.