Huxley Associates

[NotAllThere]

I am positive there is one Huxley consultant who doesnt actually exist. Name: E.Johns@Manchester office, phone up for here and she is always, always (10 times I tried) in meetings or on another call, she never replies to the calls or emails. I am sure it is a hook and when people phone for her they automatically know to say she is busy.

Pretend to be a hiring manager, and they'll talk to you pretty quick.

[pippo]

This shower are the only lot I don't even bother applying with after being d1cked around and scammed for leads in the past. I expected this would eventually impact the business as candidates decide to swerve them but I guess not !

I also decided to stop applying for jobs with Huxley and also all other SThree agencies (Computer Futures, Pathway, etc.) about 2 years ago. I found them very unprofessional and devious when i had to deal with them. As lukemg says i do hope this will ultimately impact their business if more and more candidates stop using them. It would be really good to see the end of this kind of agencies.

[NotAllThere]

It's seems, however, that there's a never ending supply of the naive and gullible.

I stopped using S3 about eight years ago.

[pippo]

It's seems, however, that there's a never ending supply of the naive and gullible.

I have that impression too at times. However it seems to me that there're some decent agencies out there, more than a few years ago.

All we can do as experienced contractors is to stay away from unprofessional agencies (for example S3, Computer People and FDM Group are some of the agencies I'm not dealing with) and spread our knowledge about their bad practices through forums like this one. In the hope that less and less contractors will use their services in the future.

[Jason2013]

Huxley must be using fake recruiters to contact candidates. Keep calling the apparent recruiter Adam () but he is always busy and cant talk!!! He keeps sending mails even though i asked to unsubrscibe from Huxley mail list!

Hi,

Received this poorly excused 'request for information' from Huxley after applying for a position - claming that a client had requested this information, when it is clear that it would only be beneficial to the PIMP!

"Sam,

Thanks for sending your CV in for the role.

This e-mail means you have been shortlisted for the role and have made it passed the first stage. I am currently in the process of reviewing the list I have compiled to send to my client.

In the mean time, my client has requested i receive an overview of efforts you have made to secure work elsewhere. They are looking to see how keen you are to get involved in an IT position and want to see how you have been doing it.

Please reply to this e-mail with a list of interviews you have had and interviews you have coming up so i can forward this to my client. Please do include the company name, the manager who interviewed you, the location of the office and the position applied for.

This will allow us to update our record of you and will allow our client to get a better understanding of what type of candidate you are.

Look forward to hearing from you."


What a crock!

Sam

[sunflower]

I can add more tricks to this list...

I once worked near a Huxley office. 2 of their agents were discussing openly on public transport how they used references from candidates to get the names of new clients, who they then called to sell services.

If they don't send you a full list of questions like this one, they will ask you on the phone where you have been interviewing or which companies you have applied to.

If they get an office number on a client site, they will try a few extensions at random to see if someone sitting at the desk is in a position to hire their contractors. One day, a Huxley agent got through to one of my colleagues on a project. At the time, our team actually had no manager (previous one had just left and no replacement had arrived), so we just got on with the job ourselves. The Huxley agent asked my colleague to put him through to his manager, to which he replied: "Manager? I haven't got a manager".

Another strategy some agents will try is offering to pay IT specialists, who are not currently searching, to apply for jobs and go on interviews so they get the names of recruiters and hiring managers.

[Sausage Surprise]

Hi,

Received this poorly excused 'request for information' from Huxley after applying for a position - claming that a client had requested this information, when it is clear that it would only be beneficial to the PIMP!

"Sam,

Thanks for sending your CV in for the role.

This e-mail means you have been shortlisted for the role and have made it passed the first stage. I am currently in the process of reviewing the list I have compiled to send to my client.

In the mean time, my client has requested i receive an overview of efforts you have made to secure work elsewhere. They are looking to see how keen you are to get involved in an IT position and want to see how you have been doing it.

Please reply to this e-mail with a list of interviews you have had and interviews you have coming up so i can forward this to my client. Please do include the company name, the manager who interviewed you, the location of the office and the position applied for.

This will allow us to update our record of you and will allow our client to get a better understanding of what type of candidate you are.

Look forward to hearing from you."


What a crock!

Sam

If that was a cut and paste, the grammar and spelling are shocking too.

[Wanderer]

Another strategy some agents will try is offering to pay IT specialists, who are not currently searching, to apply for jobs and go on interviews so they get the names of recruiters and hiring managers.

Wow, it truly is a dog eat dog world in the recruitment game.

How much do they pay, by the way?

[northernladuk]

I can add more tricks to this list...

I once worked near a Huxley office. 2 of their agents were discussing openly on public transport how they used references from candidates to get the names of new clients, who they then called to sell services.

If they don't send you a full list of questions like this one, they will ask you on the phone where you have been interviewing or which companies you have applied to.

Nothing new here. This isn't just Huxley, it's common practice.

If they get an office number on a client site, they will try a few extensions at random to see if someone sitting at the desk is in a position to hire their contractors. One day, a Huxley agent got through to one of my colleagues on a project. At the time, our team actually had no manager (previous one had just left and no replacement had arrived), so we just got on with the job ourselves. The Huxley agent asked my colleague to put him through to his manager, to which he replied: "Manager? I haven't got a manager".

Also common practice, we get a couple of calls asking for x and then digging for more information. I don't think this is related to them either.

Another strategy some agents will try is offering to pay IT specialists, who are not currently searching, to apply for jobs and go on interviews so they get the names of recruiters and hiring managers.

I can't believe this one.

[AnonAgent]

Nothing new here. This isn't just Huxley, it's common practice.



Also common practice, we get a couple of calls asking for x and then digging for more information. I don't think this is related to them either.



I can't believe this one.

Well its a bit of a weird way of phrasing it, but I routinely tell my contractors to let me know which roles they are contacted about. I have heard of some contractors going along with any dodgy agencies that ring them to get the lead and then pass it to their consultant.

But by and large, a recruiter will always use any tactic to find out who is hiring and who is a potential hirer. Its a sales environment.

Someone replied to me once saying "why cant you just work the roles that are given to you by companies". Unfortunately, agencies dont start up with ready made roles and need to business develop. Otherwise they fail, liquidate and all the contractors lose their pay.