Agencies to avoid....

[Eirikur]

Last time I dealt with square one they scheduled me for a phone interview, nobody showed up, they rescheduled it and no one showed up again. Not their fault, but the endclient's I told them to tell end client to f€k off if they treat their candidates in this way I don't want to contract with them.

[LondonManc]

I've found a company called "Square One Resources" to be utter tulip. Posting plenty of contract ads on Jobserve that exactly match my skillset. Applied for a couple, agency phoned me on all occasions, talked through requirements, all seemed good. They didn't let off who the contract was with though. Never heard anything back from any of them, yet I still see the same agents from there posting the same / very similar ads on Jobserve. Can only assume they are CV harvesting, strangely enough when I checked for one of the agents posting the job ads, he wasn't on LinkedIn, which I find very odd...

At which point I'd insist on not being put forward. I don't want to be put forward to places that I don't want to work. Part of that is the consideration of expenses and hassle - is it near a station, what's the drive like, etc.? In Manchester, you can pay anything from free to £14/day for car parking and being wrong side of town can add 30 minutes to your journey. Jobs at Barclays in Cheshire are sometimes advertised as Manchester too, which it certainly isn't. Not only that, but the client may be in an industry that's just beginning a downturn, so you may not want to waste your time.

As for the job poster, I can imagine that they're using dummy posters because of the volume of applicants these days. A dummy dolly bird profile on LinkedIn doesn't mean much either.

[Lance]

I've found a company called "Square One Resources" to be utter tulip. Posting plenty of contract ads on Jobserve that exactly match my skillset. Applied for a couple, agency phoned me on all occasions, talked through requirements, all seemed good. They didn't let off who the contract was with though. Never heard anything back from any of them, yet I still see the same agents from there posting the same / very similar ads on Jobserve. Can only assume they are CV harvesting, strangely enough when I checked for one of the agents posting the job ads, he wasn't on LinkedIn, which I find very odd...

or could it be that they had better people to put forward for the role?

Isn't your CV downloadable from Jobserve anyway? If not then you're missing out as most agencies use the CVs on their books before they pay to place an advert. I've never got a contract I applied for, only ones that agencies have rung me direct based on the CV they've downloaded from Jobsite/Jobserve.

[I just need to test it]

Square One have been around for a while. I have used them lots of times and never had a problem with them.

[northernladuk]

I've found a company called "Square One Resources" to be utter tulip. Posting plenty of contract ads on Jobserve that exactly match my skillset. Applied for a couple, agency phoned me on all occasions, talked through requirements, all seemed good. They didn't let off who the contract was with though. Never heard anything back from any of them, yet I still see the same agents from there posting the same / very similar ads on Jobserve. Can only assume they are CV harvesting...

Hmm. That's not the safest assumption. And avoid them because they have a slightly dubious but common marketing tactic? Wish I could be that picky.

[Brenning]

I've found a company called "Square One Resources" to be utter tulip. Posting plenty of contract ads on Jobserve that exactly match my skillset. Applied for a couple, agency phoned me on all occasions, talked through requirements, all seemed good. They didn't let off who the contract was with though. Never heard anything back from any of them, yet I still see the same agents from there posting the same / very similar ads on Jobserve. Can only assume they are CV harvesting, strangely enough when I checked for one of the agents posting the job ads, he wasn't on LinkedIn, which I find very odd...

[happlessBeaker]

Thanks NLUK.

No issue with the removal of the handcuff clause. Suspect that was down to pressure from the client who have been really good. Understand they want to keep resources but they also made sure people leaving at the end of the year had their payments from the agency secured.

No rate rise as COAL didn't have to do any work either. I got the role due to contacts I'd worked with before (was asked to help out for a month last November and still there).

Have reviewed new contract and all fine to me (plus the actual working practices are very on-side).

happlessBeaker - Hope you get things sorted soon.

Thanks Tank. Your feedback's were really helpful.

[Tank]

Great feedback. Thanks for the update.

Out of interest did you see any grief or problems around the handcuff? The agency didn't try it on with you or anything?

Nice rate rise since the new agency didn't have to do any work?

Did you recheck the new contract for ir35?

Thanks NLUK.

No issue with the removal of the handcuff clause. Suspect that was down to pressure from the client who have been really good. Understand they want to keep resources but they also made sure people leaving at the end of the year had their payments from the agency secured.

No rate rise as COAL didn't have to do any work either. I got the role due to contacts I'd worked with before (was asked to help out for a month last November and still there).

Have reviewed new contract and all fine to me (plus the actual working practices are very on-side).

happlessBeaker - Hope you get things sorted soon.

[happlessBeaker]

Late payment issues. A number of contractors at current client site have November invoices that should have been settled 08/11 that are still outstanding (others through the same agency have been paid).

Emails to the payments team not being responded to. Do get contact / responses from the Agent who can only advise he is doing what he can do get payment through as soon as possible.

Will continue with the email / dunning process whilst maintaining contact with the Agent (who I really do feel is doing his best to sort).

Just posting as a heads up as I see Coal are still posting vacancies.

The same story with Coal IT. Receiving the time sheet a few days late and Christmas is their excuse for not paying November invoice. Mails are not answered or the parts you are asking for the payment are ignored deliberately. I will raise the issue with the client at the first opportunity. Consider contracting through them as your last option just before begging in the streets.

[northernladuk]

November invoice now paid.

Client severed relationship with Coal and all handcuff clauses waived.

New agency now in place.

Great feedback. Thanks for the update.

Out of interest did you see any grief or problems around the handcuff? The agency didn't try it on with you or anything?

Nice rate rise since the new agency didn't have to do any work?

Did you recheck the new contract for ir35?