Recruitment Agency/Agents experience - They are getting worse

[DCollins]

I came in market after 3-4 yrs so I was not aware of the mess agents/agencies have created.

I would say moral decline. Was it not always there? May be I didn't feel in the past as I dealt with only good reputable agencies.

Here are few scenarios which I would like everyone's input

1) Agent rings, says he got £600+ per day in City with a Bank, C++ no fin/bank exp required.. blah blah....
Now tell me who you were reporting to in your prev. company.

Dilemma - If you refuse to "Obey" their orders they press SHIFT+DEL.
If you reveal you loose morality; they will ring the manager, he would know that I'm out it must be me revealing identity and you get pi$$ed off.

80% of the agents fall in this category.

Q. What do you do in such situation?

2) Agent rings say he got a vacancy I get details I say I already applied, he says which agency is representing you?
I say none of your business, he gets pi$$ed off and says you are blacklisted.

In this situation I don't care as the agency is not so big never heard of them, it is just one person's ego troubling.

3) (Most sophisticated Stupidity) Agent rings, asks permi or contracting?
Dilemma starts I still prefer contracting, open for permanent, I reply both.
He/she gets pi$$ed off.

Why they have problems with this?

4) They take your details pass CVs to clients (you never know where) they never come back all is black, only to know that they have already forwarded to companies without you knowledge and you are pi$$ed off.

5) He rings say got openings, give me references, I say I can't, I can give to end client, not to you, he replies he can't forward without references as he had trouble in the pas (all well know excuses) slams phone.

I'll appreciate your inputs

[Ardesco]

I came in market after 3-4 yrs so I was not aware of the mess agents/agencies have created.

I would say moral decline. Was it not always there? May be I didn't feel in the past as I dealt with only good reputable agencies.

Here are few scenarios which I would like everyone's input

1) Agent rings, says he got £600+ per day in City with a Bank, C++ no fin/bank exp required.. blah blah....
Now tell me who you were reporting to in your prev. company.

Dilemma - If you refuse to "Obey" their orders they press SHIFT+DEL.
If you reveal you loose morality; they will ring the manager, he would know that I'm out it must be me revealing identity and you get pi$$ed off.

80% of the agents fall in this category.

Q. What do you do in such situation?

Fishing for leads, just tell him you were reporting to Ray Pugh, or Tess Tickle, etc. Agent won't realise and it will give the people he calls a good laugh

2) Agent rings say he got a vacancy I get details I say I already applied, he says which agency is representing you?
I say none of your business, he gets pi$$ed off and says you are blacklisted.

In this situation I don't care as the agency is not so big never heard of them, it is just one person's ego troubling.

None of agents business and some will try to then replace you with somebody cheaper/do their best to screw up your chances so that they can get on of their contractors in.

3) (Most sophisticated Stupidity) Agent rings, asks permi or contracting?
Dilemma starts I still prefer contracting, open for permanent, I reply both.
He/she gets pi$$ed off.

Why they have problems with this?

They don't want somebody who is going to faff about they want either a contractor or a permie, not a Wilmslow.....

4) They take your details pass CVs to clients (you never know where) they never come back all is black, only to know that they have already forwarded to companies without you knowledge and you are pi$$ed off.

That's the way some work, nothing you can do about it so why get stressed?

5) He rings say got openings, give me references, I say I can't, I can give to end client, not to you, he replies he can't forward without references as he had trouble in the pas (all well know excuses) slams phone.

I'll appreciate your inputs

See my answer to the first question

HTH

[NotAllThere]

The base point is that if an agent really thinks they can make money out of you, they'll be as nice as approximately 3.

1) Agent rings, says he got £600+ per day in City with a Bank, C++ no fin/bank exp required.. blah blah....
Now tell me who you were reporting to in your prev. company.

Contract doesn't exist. Don't worry about it.

2) Agent rings say he got a vacancy I get details I say I already applied, he says which agency is representing you?
I say none of your business, he gets pi$$ed off and says you are blacklisted.

And as soon as he thinks he can make money out of you, you'll suddenly be off the blacklist.

3) (Most sophisticated Stupidity) Agent rings, asks permi or contracting?
Dilemma starts I still prefer contracting, open for permanent, I reply both.
He/she gets pi$$ed off.

Why they have problems with this?

Rather puzzling isn't it. I get calls asking me if I'd consider permie. I'm sure many permies get calls asking if they'd consider contracting.

4) They take your details pass CVs to clients (you never know where) they never come back all is black, only to know that they have already forwarded to companies without you knowledge and you are pi$$ed off.

Take note of the agencies doing this, and don't use them any more. Ever.

5) He rings say got openings, give me references, I say I can't, I can give to end client, not to you, he replies he can't forward without references as he had trouble in the pas (all well know excuses) slams phone.

The contract doesn't exist.

There are some agents who don't behave like this. Usually, they're the ones that the clients perfer as well, and so have real jobs. The best thing to do is create your own black list of agencies and specific agents , and never ever use them. If you ever get into a hiring role, such a list can be immensely satisfying.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

.........
Rather puzzling isn't it. I get calls asking me if I'd consider permie. I'm sure many permies get calls asking if they'd consider contracting.
.........

Actually I have a theory that the IBMs, Oracles, Xansas etc (and their smaller counterparts) of this world are finding it to attract and retain good staff. I'm sure once most of us figure out the benefits of contracting, we'd never go back unless forced. This means that their business models of (allegedly) charging as much as possible while paying rubbish wages and having continual rounds of reorganisations, takovers and redundancies* isn't attractive to anyone with marketable skills and a bit of get up and go............

* I mean this in general terms - no criticism of any of the outfits mentioned, living or dead is intended :-)

[expat]

....The best thing to do is create your own black list of agencies and specific agents , and never ever use them. If you ever get into a hiring role, such a list can be immensely satisfying.

[ratewhore]

To the OP, you worry too much. It's the nature of the beast and you have to live with it.

Either that or go permie...

[Bod]

they want either a contractor or a permie, not a Wilmslow.....

I believe you just coined an entirely new adjective.

[DCollins]

Try another one

Thanks all nice reading.

I've started preparing lists.

Here is another one.

One agency sent me an agreement form (The only one I ever received in my Contracting career), just glanced through it seems to be typical legal stuff.

Question, why this agency wants this?

[NotAllThere]

Agreement to what?

[dude69]

I believe you just coined an entirely new adjective.

NOUN