Top 15 Recruitment Agency tricks...!!

[LondonManc]

Hmm has anyone else actually been asked this? I certainly haven't. I've been asked how the interview went afterwards which I thought was pretty good of the agent to bother as usually you don't hear a thing. I've also never been prep'd by an agent before an interview either. I'd like to hear that others have seen this before I believe it.

Bless. I've always been asked how the interview went.

Only very occasionally been asked by the agent what questions I faced; I agree with others, you're simply boosting the chances of others. If I get that nowadays, it's usually met with a generalist answer about some technical questions and relevant experience.

[wogewwabbit]

#21: Putting an hourly rate into the contract while on the phone you agreed into a daily rate.

Plus the contract will most likely mention that the client has 37.5 working hours per week. The desired (and discussed) rate has no trail in emails, so you can't complain. If you do, you might find it out that the client was never willing to pay £340, only £320. It was just the agent's trick to make the role more appealing to you. And you might face a "take it or leave it" situation by the client. True story.

[LondonManc]

#21: Putting an hourly rate into the contract while on the phone you agreed into a daily rate.

Plus the contract will most likely mention that the client has 37.5 working hours per week. The desired (and discussed) rate has no trail in emails, so you can't complain. If you do, you might find it out that the client was never willing to pay £340, only £320. It was just the agent's trick to make the role more appealing to you. And you might face a "take it or leave it" situation by the client. True story.

Self-inflicted though.

[wogewwabbit]

Self-inflicted though.

You go to the interview with a certain rate in mind. Then you are told that your interview was successful, and you see in your contract, that the rate is actually lower. Solution: always ask the agent to put down the offered rate in writing, in an email, before any interview. I always ask this now. This way the agent can't turn the whole thing against me, if there are disputes with the client. I had to learn this the hard way.

[northernladuk]

IMO you are bordering on what is part and parcel of the relationship we have and what we do for a living and 'devious tricks'.

Anyway.. Isn't this covered by tip 11 in the original list?

[LondonManc]

IMO you are bordering on what is part and parcel of the relationship we have and what we do for a living and 'devious tricks'. We could go on forever if we just want to talk about BAU process when applying for gig's.

If that was the point of this thread then I'll shut up but I don't think a list of stuff someone has fallen for really counts as list worthy.

Not sure about the difference myself between tricks and standard practice, or simply accepted behaviour. We know they ask for two references, we know they want to get you the rate that benefits them the most, etc.

[northernladuk]

Not sure about the difference myself between tricks and standard practice, or simply accepted behaviour. We know they ask for two references, we know they want to get you the rate that benefits them the most, etc.

Good point. I did edit mine down after I'd put it because of that thought.

[wogewwabbit]

I guess I thought of this list as points that newbie contractors should be most aware of. So that they won't get tricked, and they get to know how this business works.

[northernladuk]

I guess I thought of this list as points that newbie contractors should be most aware of. So that they won't get tricked, and they get to know how this business works.

Ah seems fair enough sorry. I'll delete my off topic stuff..

[Bee]

Looks like I got lot of time in this forum today. After talking to couple of agencies in the morning I thought its worth learning & sharing new tricks ( and some older ones as well) of Agencies. Here is my pick of Top 15 !!

Feel free to comment on them with your experience and how you handled them. Also add recent ones seen from more 'innovative' agencies. Thanks.

1. “Need two references”.
[Recent Status - Over used trick haven’t heard this recently].

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]

I got these 2 points in a recent call.

Point 1: After the interview.

Point 4: I replied that it's confidential and the guy hunged up the phone after telling me that he will not move forward.

What a crap...