Agencies going to the wall?

[up4it]

If jobs are getting scarce these days, has anyone heard of any IT recruitment agencies going to the wall?

Or of agents losing their jobs? (Not that I am implying I would like that to happen!)

[chris79]

Yes, there's something in the news about it today actually.. Hays reporting a huge drop and laying off staff.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Bus...Vacancies_Fall


It's not very good news for contractors because it means they are more likely to require a larger slice of the pot to sustain business... less money coming to us, etc.

[up4it]

I'm not that surprised as I had an inkling that agencies were waiting for April and new budgets being realeased hoping that things would improve.

If that doesn't have much of a positive effect then I suspect there may be a few more to follow Hays' example!

[zara_backdog]

Preferred IT closed their Leeds Office earlier this year - 10 agents told to go....

[The Agents View]

I heard that SThree laid off 400 odd staff in Berkshire a few weeks ago - there's a few out there going to the wall - we're struggling to find new business, and are standing still at the moment (as one gets doomed, the next gets boomed to speak CUK language). It's harder work to get someone in, but the good agents will still find it from somewhere.

Good I say - the less of these monkey estate agent spotty oik 19 year olds we have tainting my reputation, the more likely it is that when I speak to someone I'm taken seriously!!

TAV

[up4it]

Trouble is the recruitment industry is just as ageist as the IT industry. So they may actually use it as an excuse to get rid of the older more experienced and expensive people! Just a thought.

[Incognito]

I heard that SThree laid off 400 odd staff in Berkshire a few weeks ago - there's a few out there going to the wall - we're struggling to find new business, and are standing still at the moment (as one gets doomed, the next gets boomed to speak CUK language). It's harder work to get someone in, but the good agents will still find it from somewhere.

Good I say - the less of these monkey estate agent spotty oik 19 year olds we have tainting my reputation, the more likely it is that when I speak to someone I'm taken seriously!!

TAV

You're an agent. Trust me, it's tainted.

[shaunbhoy]

If jobs are getting scarce these days, has anyone heard of any IT recruitment agencies going to the wall?

Or of agents losing their jobs? (Not that I am implying I would like that to happen!)

I had heard a rumour that quite a few agents had been retrained to replace laboratory test rats and chimpanzees. Obviously the agents are not quite as bright as the rats or chimps, but on the upside, the scientists don't become as attached to them.