Why the unecessary caution in submitting candidates?

[Aman]

I submitted a CV and covering letter very late last night to an agency about a role with Clientco. It took me bloody ages to address about 30 requirements in a succint letter.
Clientco offered me a PM role several years ago after I had been out of work for ages. I didn't take the role at the time, in retrospect I should have. Oh well live and learn.

Clientco calls early this morning and asks if I'm working. Had my number from a milk round last year I gatecrashed and remembers meeting me in 2002. They have a vacancy they are finding hard to fill, more junior than I'm used to, would I still be interested in working for them? Said I'll look at the job spec and address each point as I might be rusty in some areas. [I don't have a passport, driving licence or birth certificate (name's not Bob) and I thought it would involve travel].

Two hours later e-mail comes in from Agent; they will not put me forward as they need a stronger candidate. I telephoned. They asked why I am out of work and they want to put people forward with more recent experience, do I know anyone? My experience and CV meet all the requirements clearly and I can take something extra to the table that clientco business need (according to customers I know). I didn't mention call from client.

That's the fourth or fifth time in a year that agents haven't submitted my details to clientcos but I've been offered interviews or contracts with the respective clientcos they were meant to be representing.

What's the point in agents?
Where's the value addition?

[Marko]

I submitted a CV and covering letter very late last night to an agency about a role with Clientco. It took me bloody ages to address about 30 requirements in a succint letter.
Clientco offered me a PM role several years ago after I had been out of work for ages. I didn't take the role at the time, in retrospect I should have. Oh well live and learn.

Clientco calls early this morning and asks if I'm working. Had my number from a milk round last year I gatecrashed and remembers meeting me in 2002. They have a vacancy they are finding hard to fill, more junior than I'm used to, would I still be interested in working for them? Said I'll look at the job spec and address each point as I might be rusty in some areas. [I don't have a passport, driving licence or birth certificate (name's not Bob) and I thought it would involve travel].

Two hours later e-mail comes in from Agent; they will not put me forward as they need a stronger candidate. I telephoned. They asked why I am out of work and they want to put people forward with more recent experience, do I know anyone? My experience and CV meet all the requirements clearly and I can take something extra to the table that clientco business need (according to customers I know). I didn't mention call from client.

That's the fourth or fifth time in a year that agents haven't submitted my details to clientcos but I've been offered interviews or contracts with the respective clientcos they were meant to be representing.

What's the point in agents?
Where's the value addition?

Go direct to the client and if they insist on an agent, tell one that you trust what his margin will be and that he should accept it as a foot in the door at Clientco. You both win.

[northernladuk]

Couple of things spring to mind here...

I submitted a CV and covering letter very late last night to an agency about a role with Clientco. It took me bloody ages to address about 30 requirements in a succint letter.

Don't bother with this. Make the requirments shine in you CV. I don't believe agents take much notice of a letter and after looking at 20 odd CV's he will have forgotten anyway. Make your CV fit the role and forget the letter

The client rings you up 8 years later??? Jeez that is some impact you made and some memory he has!!!

Said I'll look at the job spec and address each point as I might be rusty in some areas. [I don't have a passport, driving licence or birth certificate (name's not Bob) and I thought it would involve travel].

I hope to god you didn't say that verbatim to him. Might as well go back permie now if that is the kind of cock up make regurlarly lol. Something better would have been 'Great, sounds like just what I have been doing for many years and right up my street, send me the spec and I will have a look'

Now the nitty gritty... agent won't put you through but client ringing you. This is pretty obvious really but.....

The agent doesn't know you from adam. You are a piece of paper to him and that paper has to match another piece of paper he has. It could be, as previously mentioned, the fact you had to put 30 points in a covering letter your CV is a bit weak (or over qualified). It could also be he got presented with this huge letter and binned you without reading it. It is also possible that as this is a more junior role he has dropped you as you are above it. Oddly enough PM's do not make good PMOs and Senior PM's don't make good junior PM's. You also might get a better rate later and leave. The agent's pile of contracts might have 20 odd other people at exactly the right level and he doesn't have to gamble...

The client rings you up as he knows you, knows you are capable and trustworthy and is willing to take you on that basis. The next guy the agent might send might be perfect on paper but a right numpty or horrible to manage. Clients would often go for someoen they know that take someone new.

The point in agents is that the clients don't always know the people they want and don't have a huge database of people capable of doing the job who are not in contract. They leave the legwork to the agent but call a couple of key choices themselves. Easy.

[pmeswani]

I submitted a CV and covering letter very late last night to an agency about a role with Clientco. It took me bloody ages to address about 30 requirements in a succint letter.
Clientco offered me a PM role several years ago after I had been out of work for ages. I didn't take the role at the time, in retrospect I should have. Oh well live and learn.

Clientco calls early this morning and asks if I'm working. Had my number from a milk round last year I gatecrashed and remembers meeting me in 2002. They have a vacancy they are finding hard to fill, more junior than I'm used to, would I still be interested in working for them? Said I'll look at the job spec and address each point as I might be rusty in some areas. [I don't have a passport, driving licence or birth certificate (name's not Bob) and I thought it would involve travel].

Two hours later e-mail comes in from Agent; they will not put me forward as they need a stronger candidate. I telephoned. They asked why I am out of work and they want to put people forward with more recent experience, do I know anyone? My experience and CV meet all the requirements clearly and I can take something extra to the table that clientco business need (according to customers I know). I didn't mention call from client.

That's the fourth or fifth time in a year that agents haven't submitted my details to clientcos but I've been offered interviews or contracts with the respective clientcos they were meant to be representing.

What's the point in agents?
Where's the value addition?

I assume the clientco don't accept direct applications? If they do, go direct. If they only accept agency contact and have a preferred agency list, find out if there is another agent you can use. If there isn't, find an agency (that the client will agree with) to represent you and mention that the client wants you to go forward (If you have an email from the clientco, send that to the agent).

[Aman]

Go direct to the client and if they insist on an agent, tell one that you trust what his margin will be and that he should accept it as a foot in the door at Clientco. You both win.

My mate called and the agency said the role is listed as "cancelled".

[Wanderer]

That's the fourth or fifth time in a year that agents haven't submitted my details to clientcos but I've been offered interviews or contracts with the respective clientcos they were meant to be representing.

Sounds like the clients are trying to screw the agencies, getting names of candidates and then approaching them direct.

I wouldn't worry about it, if the agency gets bypassed or the client contacts you direct and puts you through a preferred supplier agency then there's more money for the contractor, innit. I don't think anyone is going to cry too much about the agency getting cut out of the deal...