Agency Interviews

[MrC]

Bump again

[MrC]

Bump again!
How many more posts till my posts aren't moderated (delayed) one wonders

[Pogle]

I had one of these with Venn group - It cost me the bus fare to town and about half an hour of my time.
Utter waste of time, I was interviewed by a 12 year old in a shiny suit who didn't know what BI was, but wanted references. It was a useful exercise as it taught me never to do that again

[TheFaQQer]

Spoke to agent today, said i couldn't make it but asked if the conversation was something we could do over the phone. He said no, it was all part of their "Virtual Bench" which he says is their preffered shortlist of contractors that they consider first when a role come in.

Anyone had any experience/sucess of said virtual bench?

I had an agent try to sell me that idea last year. Seemed to me to be a fishing exercise, since they "pre-vet" you so insist on a number of references up front. They were insistent as well - kept emailing to get the references after the phone call.

I tried to fob them off with the old "last one is a government project that I can't discuss" so he asked for the one before that. I told him it was an NDA so couldn't discuss, so he asked for the one before that. I offered the name of the agent as the client staff have all moved on since then, so he asked for client before that....

I never did give the details, but I'm still job hunting, so maybe I'm not the best person to listen to.

[cojak]

I had one of these with Venn group - It cost me the bus fare to town and about half an hour of my time.
Utter waste of time, I was interviewed by a 12 year old in a shiny suit who didn't know what BI was, but wanted references. It was a useful exercise as it taught me never to do that again

WSS.

It sounds to me like you've got one of those, MrC. But if you're not far away and you've nothing on that day, why not? It would be excellent practice, and you could see a shark at close quarters!

It won't get you a job though..

[MrC]

OK, thanks for your opinions. I've postponed said meeting for a couple of weeks time and will see how (desperate) I feel then, but if i decide to go i'll have forgotten to take my medication to help with the terrible amnesia i suffer when it comes to recalling names of individuals at clientcos...

[MaryPoppins]

I've been asked to meet up by two agents, and said no both times.

If an agent has a decent role, which is a decent match to my CV, they will put me forward for it - end of.

I'm not a temp.

[norrahe]

I've been asked to meet up by two agents, and said no both times.

If an agent has a decent role, which is a decent match to my CV, they will put me forward for it - end of.

I'm not a temp.

I've met up with Dodgy, does that count? (he really does look like Arthur Daley)

[DodgyAgent]

I've met up with Dodgy, does that count? (he really does look like Arthur Daley)

[Mozart]

I think you should go. In the US and Australia it is pretty normal, and expected, for agencies to do face to face interviews first because that is their job: to filter out the dross properly. In this country agents are lazy. So either this is a reputable agency trying to do a good job for their clients or others have said, they are fishing. Perhaps to find out if its the latter, call them and ask what the format of the interview will take and what preparation you are expected to do, that may make it clearer. In my experience, you may be lucky and really impress the agent and build a rapport with him, I have done this with one of my agents and he realised my employability and is often calling me about new jobs he thinks I would find interesting and has helped secure a couple of great contracts.