Ideal Job

[Scoobos]

I have a "friendly" agent whom I trust.

For every gig I've had calls from a agent for, I've used my friend to also try to represent me - if I don't hear back within the same working day from the original guy. (With the exception of 1 gig with a single approved supplier)

It might be dirty, but it would seem the clients also prefer to deal with my 50+ year old agent , with real experience and understanding of the market ; than the carphone warehouse teenage dolls that appear to have saturated the agencies.

[northernladuk]

To be honest, this kind of complaint about agents is pointless.

This IS how {whatever large}% of agencies operate and we all have stories we could bitch about.

I actually don't have an issue with this. They are a business, I am a competing business even if they deem me unworthy to put forward themselves.

That is simply the way it is.

Am totally with you on this. Same in the thread about the recruiter not ringing back with feedback after an interview. They don't. It is how it is, deal with it and move one. There is just no point worrying about the agents approach whether shameful, lazy unprofessional or whatever you want to call it. Is how it is. Shrug your shoulders and move on. I would most likely end up what they were doing if I was an agent, the bonus would make me... I just don't understand why people get upset about it or think it should be something else... It just isn't. Like looking out the window every day and saying 'It is shameful it raining in the UK in Autumn'

[northernladuk]

I have a "friendly" agent whom I trust.

For every gig I've had calls from a agent for, I've used my friend to also try to represent me - if I don't hear back within the same working day from the original guy. (With the exception of 1 gig with a single approved supplier)

It might be dirty, but it would seem the clients also prefer to deal with my 50+ year old agent , with real experience and understanding of the market ; than the carphone warehouse teenage dolls that appear to have saturated the agencies.

And as I type Scoobos hits the nail on the head. The landscape has changed. That's life.

[TestMangler]

I can see why you get under the skin of so many posters with your inability to answer a simple question with having to rub in how much you think you know and how little they do. I consistently defended you, maybe I shouldn't have bothered.

Here's a hint for you sweetheart, when someone tells you they know f-all about something and asks a question which you can easily understand, getting all sarky because their question shows a lack of understanding is just childish; that's WHY they're asking questions in the first place. Either answer the question with grace, or don't bother at all.

I dunno maybe you are just trying to get some street cred by picking on someone, but attacking someone who has supported you out of the blue is pretty pathetic. Makes you as bad as the ones you ganged up on you really.

Well said Dooohg. Other than the fact that no one 'ganged up'. She pissed a few people off on an individual basis in exactly the same way as she's just done to you. You're no more part of any 'gang' than anyone else, unless you're proposing starting a 'Gentile gets on my tits' club

[Gentile]

I can see why you get under the skin of so many posters with your inability to answer a simple question with having to rub in how much you think you know and how little they do. I consistently defended you, maybe I shouldn't have bothered.

Here's a hint for you sweetheart, when someone tells you they know f-all about something and asks a question which you can easily understand, getting all sarky because their question shows a lack of understanding is just childish; that's WHY they're asking questions in the first place. Either answer the question with grace, or don't bother at all.

I dunno maybe you are just trying to get some street cred by picking on someone, but attacking someone who has supported you out of the blue is pretty pathetic. Makes you as bad as the ones you ganged up on you really.

I think the "what a cow" message that you left for me in my rep panel said the above more succinctly, and revealed rather more about your true character than the rant above.

Anyway, as I said, you've dragged this thread off-topic more than enough with your Aspie-style questions about minutiae that are only tenuously related to the subject of the thread, and that furthermore are based wholly on a misunderstanding on your part.

If you want to talk about identifying individuals or their IP address using Google Analytics, I suggest you start a thread on that topic in Technical. You won't get many replies, because it's not possible to do that and hasn't been claimed to be possible in this thread despite several references to same by you, but at least it'll save dragging this thread any further off topic.

[Gentile]

This is a very good idea!

However I always find that agents will require you to send your CV in PDF or Word Format, normally Word so that they can edit it, and they are not bothered that much with an online link.

That's a very fair point. I send mine in PDF, which usually prompts them to at least ask me to send it in Word format if they want to change it. At which point I can have a discussion with them about leaving links to my online content in.

When I'm discussing leaving the CV as is, I usually say that I understand they may have a concern that the client could contact me directly (my online portfolio includes contact details). But I underline that it's in both our interests for the client to be exposed to that online material, since it's a big part of my marketing efforts. There's only so much info you can get from a CV. Actually seeing someone code and demonstrate the skills you're recruiting for in YouTube instructional videos tells hiring managers so much more about the person's real ability. It helps enormously in the interview room if the hiring manager has already established confidence in your professed skills. It also helps cut down on requests for those inane "ProveIT" -stylee technical pub quiz "tests" that some places misguidedly ask you to do.

You're right, though, I still find some agents cut and paste from the PDF without even so much as informing me, then present a mangled version of my CV with the links removed to hiring managers. I think I might start sending it as a protected Word document instead to get around that.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Am totally with you on this. Same in the thread about the recruiter not ringing back with feedback after an interview. They don't. It is how it is, deal with it and move one. There is just no point worrying about the agents approach whether shameful, lazy unprofessional or whatever you want to call it.

How about if you call it lying and fraud? Is that just how it is?

[Gentile]

Am totally with you on this. Same in the thread about the recruiter not ringing back with feedback after an interview. They don't. It is how it is, deal with it and move one. There is just no point worrying about the agents approach whether shameful, lazy unprofessional or whatever you want to call it. Is how it is. Shrug your shoulders and move on. I would most likely end up what they were doing if I was an agent, the bonus would make me... I just don't understand why people get upset about it or think it should be something else... It just isn't. Like looking out the window every day and saying 'It is shameful it raining in the UK in Autumn'

To be honest, I don't understand why you're so accepting of unethical behaviour by agents, when in threads where unethical behaviour by contractors is discussed (e.g., renegotiating rate mid-contract, accepting a role verbally then declining it if you get a better offer before the contract starts, invoking MOO from the contractor side to terminate early without notice, not doing a handover if you get messed about, etc) you're usually very against that type of behaviour going the other way.

I'm with you on the latter points: I believe that contractors should behave ethically (even if we're not strictly compelled to by law, and even if some of our peers don't behave as well). I just expect the same consideration from individual agents in return. There are very few agencies that I wouldn't deal with, but there are some individual agents that I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them because they've behaved unethically in the past. I don't waste time dwelling on it on the odd occasion when I've been messed about, but I wouldn't deal with those people if they came calling again.

[jmo21]

I have a problem with being lied to. I don't think it's on to pretend you've sent a CV when you haven't, whatever percentage of agencies may do it. It's obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception (or whatever the appropriate offence is now under the Fraud Act 2006), if they manage to cause you not to apply for a role by the fraud of stating they have represented you for it and they subsequently win the bid with a 'better' candidate (read: one that they can fleece more of their rate from). I've no doubt there are agencies out there that operate this way, but I wouldn't deal with anyone I discovered working that way again.

Lied to? You're right, I don't like being lied to either

But we are a competing business. This is business. Much worse things happens in business than an agency not informing you about being put forward.

I won't guess at a percentage but I'm positive most operate in this fashion.

I accept it, and I certainly wouldn't cut my nose off to spite my face should an agent be the ole route into a client co in th future.

[northernladuk]

To be honest, I don't understand why you're so accepting of unethical behaviour by agents, when in threads where unethical behaviour by contractors is discussed (e.g., renegotiating rate mid-contract, accepting a role verbally then declining it if you get a better offer before the contract starts, invoking MOO from the contractor side to terminate early without notice, not doing a handover if you get messed about, etc) you're usually very against that type of behaviour going the other way.

I'm with you on the latter points: I believe that contractors should behave ethically (even if we're not strictly compelled to by law, and even if some of our peers don't behave as well). I just expect the same consideration from individual agents in return. There are very few agencies that I wouldn't deal with, but there are some individual agents that I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them because they've behaved unethically in the past. I don't waste time dwelling on it on the odd occasion when I've been messed about, but I wouldn't deal with those people if they came calling again.

Because there is f*** all I can do about agents and as I keep saying, it is just the way it is. As agencies turn more and more in to just sales shops staffed with young sales staff it is going to get worse. It is part of business so I learn to understand it and deal with it. I don't think it is right but I ain't gonna spend any time worrying about it.

I am a contractor so unethical actions by other contractors just piss me off. Period. It's like being a forum for say policemen and then other policemen come on asking how to break the law etc. I work hard and don't see why I should be tarred with people that don't know their business and cba to think about it. Ok the police is a terrible analogy but you get my meaning.