Top 15 Recruitment Agency tricks...!!

[northernladuk]

Don't want to be rude but is there a chance the second agent is also lying so he can put you forward?

[cojak]

I'm curious to know why this is happening - what's in it for them by not putting me forward but saying they have?

And is there anything you can do to counter it?

There is usually more than 1 agency trying to fill a post and each agency will have a fixed number of CVs they can put forward to the client. If an agency has already put in their quota and then you turn up (potentially a strong candidate) they'll keep you out of the race by telling you that they've put you forward, thus stopping you from going to a different agency in competition to them.

If a different agency tells you that they've checked and you aren't in front of the client, you could tell them to put your CV forward 'again'. I would doubt that an agency would deliberately poison the well by putting you forward twice, but it is possible.

If they did then it's a lesson learned not to trust that agent again, isn't it?

[Whorty]

You must be a ******* agent if you've never heard of or had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11.

As for 10, you must be friggin' unique then.

So because I answered truthfully, and haven't been shafted like others have, I must be an agent? I work in a very niche area so maybe agents respect and like me and don't just treat me the same as the other 100+ developers on their books

[jkdaniel]

My Take on Top 15 Tricks -

1. “Need two references”.
[Albeit Over used trick still would say 1 out of 100 Calls did asked]

2. "Who did you work for at Client X. Was it Tom"? "No", you say. "It was --".
[Recent Status - Not that popular now a days, still come across couple of times in a month]
Very cheeky and intimidating one, I just say No

3. They post jobs on job boards that don't exist to get themselves a number of extra CVs and more leads.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
My Question is how to spot them?
Lack of Job Description, No End Client information


4. They'll ask you "Tell us what companies that your CV has already been sent out to or had interviews so that we don't make the mistake of sending your CV there again ".
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]

Will add to this another point to this where Multiple agencies are after you for the same job to get your profile Submitted.
Had this many times, felt good about my CV being selected by multiple agencies.
Nowadays they take your last name and last 2 digits of NI to avoid duplication.
I'm not sure how it affects the End client even if it is sent by multiple agencies.
As to me it’s the company that matters, and to the Company it’s the candidate it matters.
Doesn't matter I'm represented by Agency A,B or C.


5. "What's your bottom line? What's the least that you would take to get a job? Obviously we will try to get as much as we can for you".
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
To add to it, have had the same Job Advertised by different Agencies on different rates.

6. “What’s your current or last rate” – This also have same impact as “bottom line” question.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
Not sure, why would the agent believe us and decide the contract rate based on that.
I would never say i was working at 300/day even if i did.

7. They'll put a clause in your contract that they and the client company can terminate you with a month's (or a week's) notice,
but that you have no notice period with them.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies, most of us either ignores or will not notice this]
This is a tricky one. Sometimes you wouldn't know it till you have cleared the interview.
And once you have gone through you have the upper hand so can negotiate it on 2 weeks both sides.
Exception- IBM have introduced the Zero notice in contracts since last few years.


8. If you get a job interview through them, they'll tell you that they'll call you back when they have any feedback. Will get call only if there is positive news!
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
Well doesn't really affect much, don't expect every agency to feedback on status.

9. When you don't get the job after interview or failed to progress after initial screening, they'll say they'll look for other jobs for you, but they won't.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
They say out of sheer courtesy, but sometimes they do call in fact.
It's in their best interests, not expecting them to do it always.It's not that my career is at stake for them.


10. They tell you that if you introduce them to another contractor that they get a job for, they'll pay you 250 or 500 quid.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies, haven’t heard anyone got money..?]
Personally I would do that for any good friend or colleague, won't really do it just for money or iPad.


11. Once they've got you a job, they may say that they weren't able to get you the rate that agreed earlier– that the client will only pay 5% or 10% less.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
Again once you're selected you've got the upper hand, can negotiate hard.

12. When are you available? Agencies call contractors ever so often to find out when they are available. This is likely to be a dirty trick. They are more interested in when your job might become available in market than when you are available.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
Also they keep a log of when they've called you and what you've said.
You might not remember what you've said to whom , they can sometimes select or reject your profile if you are lying entirely.

13. Agency “managed services”. Client pays daily rate & you are salaried permanent employee of agency, rest goes to agency’s pocket....!
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
I would avoid such roles like FTC, Being Permie is better than that.

14. “Fixed term contract”. Client pays daily rate & you get fixed salary, rest goes to agency’s pocket..!
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
I would avoid such roles like FTC, Being Permie is better than that.

15. Agency “face to face Interviews”. Agency conducts screening interviews before client interview, just to get reference form filled.
[Recent Status - Still well used by agencies]
Wouldn't give References till I clear the Interview.


Few Additional tricks/time wasting habits used by Agents to Add :-

16.Agency "When are you available, We need someone ASAP". Bear in mind their ASAP could be well over 4-6 weeks easily.
When you might think you'll finish your current Gig this week and start your Next job just after.

17. Agency "Tell me something about yourself/ Describe your current Role", Its fine if they want to put a voice to the CV in words as if they've spoken
to the person whom this CV belongs to. But at the end what they really want is a bit more insider info about your Contract Role/Manager.

18.Agency "Talking about everything else including Weather,Location,Commute,Company,Agency,Rate other than the Role itself" which turned out to be a
"MySQL Developer Role Permanent" probably because i had the SQL word in my CV.

[mdw]

I've just been on the market and was utterly blitzed by agents

"I've got a role suiting your skills in your area. Can you tell me a bit about your last role...what was the project...is it still ongoing...", some even go so far as "...who did you report to, I might know them...".

"Where else have you been put up...". I refuse to tell them

...chit chat...

"So do you have any interviews coming up...where are they so I can not present you twice...". Yeah right.

"Ok, thanks, if we get anything in we'll be in touch". ...wait a minute, what about the role in my area matching my skills you rang up for? "oh, its too junior for you.".

When I ask for their details they say "I'll email you them as soon as we're off the phone", but never do.

Unbelievable. One day a few weeks ago I had the same BS 3 times in one morning, about 7 times over 2 days. I even had one guy ring me twice and use a different name the 2nd time, when I rumbled him he just abruptly slammed the phone down.

What an awful profession to be in.

[northernladuk]

I've just been on the market and was utterly blitzed by agents

"I've got a role suiting your skills in your area. Can you tell me a bit about your last role...what was the project...is it still ongoing...", some even go so far as "...who did you report to, I might know them...".

"Where else have you been put up...". I refuse to tell them

...chit chat...

"So do you have any interviews coming up...where are they so I can not present you twice...". Yeah right.

"Ok, thanks, if we get anything in we'll be in touch". ...wait a minute, what about the role in my area matching my skills you rang up for? "oh, its too junior for you.".

When I ask for their details they say "I'll email you them as soon as we're off the phone", but never do.

Unbelievable. One day a few weeks ago I had the same BS 3 times in one morning, about 7 times over 2 days. I even had one guy ring me twice and use a different name the 2nd time, when I rumbled him he just abruptly slammed the phone down.

What an awful profession to be in.

Don't be a hater.. It's not cool. They have a way of doing stuff, it's their profession. It happens. It's your job as a contractor to deal with this so just appreciate it happens and get on with it. Moaning about agents is akin to permies moaning about their work.

[Northern Soul]

Don't be a hater.. It's not cool. They have a way of doing stuff, it's their profession. It happens. It's your job as a contractor to deal with this so just appreciate it happens and get on with it. Moaning about agents is akin to permies moaning about their work.

very true. however, I find moaning about agents to be essential therapy...so i try to keep my therapeutic ranting within confines of my home (to the detriment of my already long-suffering wife). But as a quick one-off public rant...bottom line is that most (not all) agents are habitual liars that employ underhand tactics which make used-car salesmen look like paragons of virtue.

[mdw]

Don't be a hater.. It's not cool. They have a way of doing stuff, it's their profession. It happens. It's your job as a contractor to deal with this so just appreciate it happens and get on with it. Moaning about agents is akin to permies moaning about their work.

Hate is a very strong word. Its not hate. I've been contracting over 20 years and nearly immune to the tricks. I posted that more to add to the thread about what to watch out currently to help those new to contracting and who just don't realise. I don't ever see a reason to condone lying and deceit as acceptable.

[FrontEnder]

Don't be a hater.. It's not cool. They have a way of doing stuff, it's their profession. It happens. It's your job as a contractor to deal with this so just appreciate it happens and get on with it. Moaning about agents is akin to permies moaning about their work.

Its not a profession. Unless they give out professional qualifications in bulltulip and ****wittery.

[northernladuk]

Its not a profession. Unless they give out professional qualifications in bulltulip and ****wittery.

My point made nicely.