Slippery agent behaviour.

[PCTNN]

Slippery candidate behaviour, finally.

An agent gets in touch with me today wanting to discuss a role. In ask who the client is. Agent tells me. I find the role on the client's website and apply direct.

[TheDude]

Slippery candidate behaviour, finally.

An agent gets in touch with me today wanting to discuss a role. In ask who the client is. Agent tells me. I find the role on the client's website and apply direct.

Over the years I have been approached many by agents too lazy/dumb to realise the role they are recruiting for is in the team I am currently working.

I always try to finesse rate information from them and one I managed to use this information to negotiate a rate hike.

[PerfectStorm]

Over the years I have been approached many by agents too lazy/dumb to realise the role they are recruiting for is in the team I am currently working.

I always try to finesse rate information from them and one I managed to use this information to negotiate a rate hike.

This happens to me every so often. You can usually say "I'll tell you stuff if you tell me stuff" - so for example, tell me what the real rate range is, and I'll tell you who the other suppliers are.

The last time this happened, it turned out the client wanted to pay people less - and inside IR35 to boot I asked agent if he was having much success filling the roles with such a 'have cake and eat it' offer from the client. He was not.

[Eirikur]

Over the years I have been approached many by agents too lazy/dumb to realise the role they are recruiting for is in the team I am currently working.

I always try to finesse rate information from them and one I managed to use this information to negotiate a rate hike.

I had it once for my own job (for which I had given notice)

[b0redom]

A well known recruitment consultancy which rhymes with Days contacted me asking if I wanted a role in a dynamic and fast paced kitchen as I had Chef on my CV. Twice.

During a permie gig, a recruiter sent my CV to my current (at the time) manager saying he had a great candidate who was looking to leave a company. Fortunately my manager knew I was off as he'd told me the company was about to implode and suggested I started looking.

[PCTNN]

Slippery permie agent behaviour: 2 in 1 day, same tactic.

So I'm looking for a permie role, I get put through for the role at an agreed salary. I don't want to waste my time so I say "this is my salary expectation, please confirm with the client that they can meet my expectations". Agent say yes client says they pay what you ask. So OK, I do 2 interviews, they make me an offer, only that now the salary they can pay is less than what was agreed.

This happened to me twice today: in one case, the salary offered is 10k less than agreed; in the other case the salary offered is now 25k less.

It could be that the client now wants to pay less, but my gut tells me the agents are to blame in both situation and the salary that was agreed was never discussed with the client in the first place. That's why I'm writing an email to the people I interviewed with to let them know why I am rejecting the offer and maybe they'll revise the agencies they work with.

[TheDude]

Two interviews arranged without my consent this week.

[TheDude]

Slippery permie agent behaviour: 2 in 1 day, same tactic.

So I'm looking for a permie role, I get put through for the role at an agreed salary. I don't want to waste my time so I say "this is my salary expectation, please confirm with the client that they can meet my expectations". Agent say yes client says they pay what you ask. So OK, I do 2 interviews, they make me an offer, only that now the salary they can pay is less than what was agreed.

This happened to me twice today: in one case, the salary offered is 10k less than agreed; in the other case the salary offered is now 25k less.

It could be that the client now wants to pay less, but my gut tells me the agents are to blame in both situation and the salary that was agreed was never discussed with the client in the first place. That's why I'm writing an email to the people I interviewed with to let them know why I am rejecting the offer and maybe they'll revise the agencies they work with.

Happens all the time.

I actually had this happen when I applied directly to a bank - HR phoned, told me an offer would be made in a pay range.

Two days later they call back with an offer that was £15k less.

[ladymuck]

Happens all the time.

I actually had this happen when I applied directly to a bank - HR phoned, told me an offer would be made in a pay range.

Two days later they call back with an offer that was £15k less.

Maybe they revised their offer after talking to to you

[PCTNN]

Slippery permie agent behaviour: 2 in 1 day, same tactic.

So I'm looking for a permie role, I get put through for the role at an agreed salary. I don't want to waste my time so I say "this is my salary expectation, please confirm with the client that they can meet my expectations". Agent say yes client says they pay what you ask. So OK, I do 2 interviews, they make me an offer, only that now the salary they can pay is less than what was agreed.

This happened to me twice today: in one case, the salary offered is 10k less than agreed; in the other case the salary offered is now 25k less.

It could be that the client now wants to pay less, but my gut tells me the agents are to blame in both situation and the salary that was agreed was never discussed with the client in the first place. That's why I'm writing an email to the people I interviewed with to let them know why I am rejecting the offer and maybe they'll revise the agencies they work with.

This has gotten so good and entertaining.

I did what I said I would: I sent an email directly to the hiring managers I interviewed with thanking them for their time and explaining I had to reject the offer because the offered salary was 25k lower than what the agency said was agreed. I cc'd the agency.

The hiring manager replied saying that they told the agency from the start that my salary request was too high for my skill level so they never agreed to my request in the first place. The hiring manager cc'd the director of the recruitment agency and said they'd pick up the matter with them next week.

So I reply again, this time kicking up a fuss. I thank the hiring manager for shedding some light, and I blame the agency for wasting 2 hours of my time and 4 hours of the client's time. I accuse them of being a bunch of crooks.

Now it gets interesting. The director of the agency sends me an email, just directed to me, blaming the hiring manager and the client. I forward the email email to the client

There is 0 chance I will consider working with this agency ever again so I can name and shame. It's Zeus Talent. A bunch of liars that wouldn't know ethics if it hit them in the ass.