recruitment consultants

[aucomptoir]

Is there some kind of code of conduct for recruitment consultants? Something that says they must at all times treat candidates like turds? I always imagined something pinned next to their desk.

1. I vow to treat all candidates with contempt and arrogance.
2. I promise not to think twice about advertising bogus jobs, lying to them about daily rates, job locations and contract lengths.
3. I will go out of my way to harrass their referees and former colleagues for leads, until such time as the candidate's name has become mud and he has lost all goodwill with them.
4. If any of my colleagues catches me treating any of my candidates with courtesy or respect, I accept to be fired immediately.

While I'm at it, if anyone knows of a cure for recruitment consultants, please let me know. At least with germs or bacteria we can use antibiotics.

[BrilloPad]

I have found that 50% of agents are good : 50% are bad. Its roughly the same for contractors.

[jmo21]

I have found that 50% of agents are good : 50% are bad. Its roughly the same for contractors.

come on, you're generalising!

[pmeswani]

Is there some kind of code of conduct for recruitment consultants? Something that says they must at all times treat candidates like turds? I always imagined something pinned next to their desk.

1. I vow to treat all candidates with contempt and arrogance.
2. I promise not to think twice about advertising bogus jobs, lying to them about daily rates, job locations and contract lengths.
3. I will go out of my way to harrass their referees and former colleagues for leads, until such time as the candidate's name has become mud and he has lost all goodwill with them.
4. If any of my colleagues catches me treating any of my candidates with courtesy or respect, I accept to be fired immediately.

While I'm at it, if anyone knows of a cure for recruitment consultants, please let me know. At least with germs or bacteria we can use antibiotics.

They are trying to keep their jobs. It's in their job description to treat all candidates by the description you mentioned.

[TheVoice]

Almos all agents are a bunch of w*nkers it seems - so far my contact with them this week (& I will name & shame, screw 'em)

1: 3rd Line work with Fujitsu, I was told "in Belfast" - fair enough - put in for it & told agent I'm working in England right now but sort out phone interview with the client in first instance to make sure they're happy, agent came back oh they want to see you tomorrow...& they wont do it on the phone. Oh & by the way it's Perm & in Derry. I then asked the consultant what the hell her game was & she tried to lecture me on 'flexibility' then telling me "Oh just forget it, they wont see you any other time or ring you" - tulipe!

Total Stupidity.

(VanRath, Belfast)

2: Another 3rd line gig, short term, near where I am right now, good rate. Emailled agent with read receipt. Deleted without reading. Sent a followup message asking WHY the agent felt the need to delete my message & not respond. Oh, it was filled a week ago (only advertised yesterday!) & anyway, 8 years experience in the job didnt seem like enough.

W*nker

(David Pemberton, Hays Birmingham)

3: Sent over for a couple more similar gigs with an agency who had messed me around before (got me to fly to see their client & cancelled the interview whilst I was on the aircraft...they paid the invoice....) but times are hard etc so give them another chance. A week went by - nothing. Chased - "We haven't heard from you in 12 weeks & we give up after that" - WTF?! Do they not read emails?!!

Twerps

(Blueprint, Belfast)

NOW...After all the trash, Praise must go to:-

1: The agents who are always happy to hear from me & have a friendly chat, who actually know how to do their job:-

Mike Myers @ CooperLomaz (Norwich)
Laura @ LMC Consulting (Lisburn)
Paul Vingerhoets @ Hays (East Anglia somewhere...)

These folks are the exception to the rule though, I must say!

I am very nearly considering giving up on agents all together...if it weren't for the good few, I think I would've done it long ago.

[Recruitment Agent]

Good news all the crap recruitment consultants are leaving the industry due to the economic climate as they are not making money and they are being forced out as their salarys are weighing down the the profits of their companys.

As soon as the market picks up again which it will,they will be back.

[expat]

.....
I then asked the consultant what the hell her game was & she tried to lecture me on 'flexibility' then telling me "Oh just forget it, they wont see you any other time or ring you" - tulipe!
.....

I had one who tried to tell me it was unprofessional to mention weekly commute to a client, that I should travel on Sunday, start early on Monday morning, and only then ask whether I could fly out on Monday mornings.
I love it when agents lecture me on how to do contracting: considering that I started doing it before most of them started reading, or eating solid food.

[Scuddy]

The classic bull that I here and have heard from agents comes in the folloiwng situation.

You've contacted the agent
You agree a rate
Your put forward.
Attend the interview
Wait for feedback

The feedback takes some time, in the time you wait you are phoning the agent daily to get feedback - this is when the agent gets a feel for how desperate you are.

The agent phones you and says I've had some feedback and yes they are intersted, however they cannot meet the rate.

Note that most large companies have set rates and the rate that you agreed up front with the agent is one they know they can get and takes into account there margin blah blah blah.

So when they come back to you they know the rate they can get and know you have been offered the job, what they are now trying to do is scare you into lowering your rate by a couple of quid, to boost thier margin.

My advice would be stick to your guns!

[Swamp Thing]

While I'm at it, if anyone knows of a cure for recruitment consultants, please let me know. At least with germs or bacteria we can use antibiotics.

I'd go for the direct approach: Mace. Tazer. Knife. Choose your weapon..

[Svalbaard]

The classic bull that I here and have heard from agents comes in the folloiwng situation.

You've contacted the agent
You agree a rate
Your put forward.
Attend the interview
Wait for feedback

The feedback takes some time, in the time you wait you are phoning the agent daily to get feedback - this is when the agent gets a feel for how desperate you are.

The agent phones you and says I've had some feedback and yes they are intersted, however they cannot meet the rate.

Note that most large companies have set rates and the rate that you agreed up front with the agent is one they know they can get and takes into account there margin blah blah blah.

So when they come back to you they know the rate they can get and know you have been offered the job, what they are now trying to do is scare you into lowering your rate by a couple of quid, to boost thier margin.

My advice would be stick to your guns!

Perhaps you should name and shame as in 10 years of contracting I've not had this "classic" happen once.