La Fosse Associates - experiences?

[Disguised Contractor]

I'd be interested in fellow contractor's experiences of La Fosse Associates - specifically, the proportion of successful applications have they won through this agency?

I ask, because every single one of my applications that I apply through this agency always results in a polite email response, telling me that my application was received after the closing deadline (which incredibly must have been less than an hour after they posted it, because I sit on Jobserve for eight hours a day), or simply that "I've not been successful this time", with no other reason.

This is noticeably different to the feedback I get from other agencies, whereby (if the role is genuine), I will usually get considered by the agency, and am often fortunate enough to be put forward, if we both agree I stack up well against the job description, rate, travel, etc. This is because I don't apply for every role I can do, just the ones I feel a perfect fit for, and am confident I can win over a hostile ClientCo interview panel should things progress.

(Of course, the end-client will then take a week to review the submissions, another week to organise a telephone interview, another week to process those, another week to book a personal interview.... but I digress)

Now, I strongly suspect that, on the evidence I see, that in fact I may have actually been blacklisted by LF, because some years ago I declined to go to a booked personal interview, as I'd already won a role that same morning as the day for which the interview was booked. LF wanted me to go anyway, but I preferred to cancel as I considered it dishonest - I was no longer in the market. Maybe that wasn't my smartest move, with hindsight, but it was many years ago, I was younger, etc. (Any thoughts on the morality of that would be welcome, too.)

If I have indeed been blacklisted, I would prefer to know, simply so I can stop bothering them and wasting my time, and chalk it up to experience - they're not obligated to provide me with their services. I have asked them directly, and they have told me that I'm not blacklisted - however, the continual rejection by them alone for any and every role I apply for seems incongruous.

So, I'm wondering if everybody is getting this treatment, or just me?

Please can I ask you to keep your responses limited to actual facts and experiences - I have no strong feelings for or against LF personally, and certainly don't want to see anything defamatory about them (or agencies in general) written in any way.

[Paralytic]

No similar experience, but have you considered making a Subject Access Request for what information they hold on you?

[Eirikur]

I have worked through Lafosse a couple of years ago, no problems whatsoever
Have applied for many roles with them since (some 100% match) and always got the same polite email as you do. It means they don't really open your cv and/or probably the ad is fake.
However I am now interviewing through Lafosse again for a contract

[northernladuk]

Do you not think the problem is a little closer to home?

Never had a gig through La Fosse which has been a shame as three of the best agents that actually bothered to keep in touch with me over the years have been with them. Still in touch with one that has now left. Can't fault them on that level.

[KinooOrKinog]

Same. I haven't actually worked through them, but I've had plenty of phone conversations with a couple for their agents. My approach to applying to roles I've seen online though, is always to phone them up first and then send my details directly rather than just applying online & waiting for a response.

[DigitalUser]

I'd be interested in fellow contractor's experiences of La Fosse Associates - specifically, the proportion of successful applications have they won through this agency?

I ask, because every single one of my applications that I apply through this agency always results in a polite email response, telling me that my application was received after the closing deadline (which incredibly must have been less than an hour after they posted it, because I sit on Jobserve for eight hours a day), or simply that "I've not been successful this time", with no other reason.

This is noticeably different to the feedback I get from other agencies, whereby (if the role is genuine), I will usually get considered by the agency, and am often fortunate enough to be put forward, if we both agree I stack up well against the job description, rate, travel, etc. This is because I don't apply for every role I can do, just the ones I feel a perfect fit for, and am confident I can win over a hostile ClientCo interview panel should things progress.

(Of course, the end-client will then take a week to review the submissions, another week to organise a telephone interview, another week to process those, another week to book a personal interview.... but I digress)

Now, I strongly suspect that, on the evidence I see, that in fact I may have actually been blacklisted by LF, because some years ago I declined to go to a booked personal interview, as I'd already won a role that same morning as the day for which the interview was booked. LF wanted me to go anyway, but I preferred to cancel as I considered it dishonest - I was no longer in the market. Maybe that wasn't my smartest move, with hindsight, but it was many years ago, I was younger, etc. (Any thoughts on the morality of that would be welcome, too.)

If I have indeed been blacklisted, I would prefer to know, simply so I can stop bothering them and wasting my time, and chalk it up to experience - they're not obligated to provide me with their services. I have asked them directly, and they have told me that I'm not blacklisted - however, the continual rejection by them alone for any and every role I apply for seems incongruous.

So, I'm wondering if everybody is getting this treatment, or just me?

Please can I ask you to keep your responses limited to actual facts and experiences - I have no strong feelings for or against LF personally, and certainly don't want to see anything defamatory about them (or agencies in general) written in any way.

I've had good experiences with them. Have you picked up the phone, called the agent(s) and asked them a fairly polite but direct question about where you stand?

[eek]

Same. I haven't actually worked through them, but I've had plenty of phone conversations with a couple for their agents. My approach to applying to roles I've seen online though, is always to phone them up first and then send my details directly rather than just applying online & waiting for a response.

+1 - get yourself in their mind before the email arrives.

[Disguised Contractor]

Do you not think the problem is a little closer to home?

Always a possibility, never overlooked. Always happy to get honest feedback.

[Disguised Contractor]

Many thanks for all the responses so far - and doubly so for not turning this into a warzone (!).

So many positive comments in their favour - maybe it is me just not coming up to their standard, so I have to raise my game.

What I did find interesting to read in these responses, was the advice to call the agency - now, that I regarded as being a very big no-no, that would cause me much more harm than good.

I have tried to follow-up applications on Jobserve and the other board with calls directly to the advertising agent, to try and, as you say, increase my profile with them in their mind and be one of the lucky few who gets submitted out of the hundreds that apply.The overwhelming response, has been that this is:-

a) not practical, as the agent becomes snowed-under with calls, and you will not get through,
b) not useful, because all they will say is, "have you sent in your CV? Yes? Then we'll get back to you if we think you're suitable",
c) not productive, because they don't want candidates to call them out-of-process, and may even remember the name of the horrible urchin who tried to subvert it...

The fact that practically no agency puts their phone numbers on their Jobserve adverts or their contact records, and that their websites are increasingly not including phone numbers either, would seem to support this. Some "boutique" agencies are even ex-directory!

No, after not getting any success at all with that model, I gave that up. You say you had success?

[WTFH]

Same. I haven't actually worked through them, but I've had plenty of phone conversations with a couple for their agents. My approach to applying to roles I've seen online though, is always to phone them up first and then send my details directly rather than just applying online & waiting for a response.

+1 - get yourself in their mind before the email arrives.

+2

Phone first, establish contact, let them know you're applying, then submit your details.