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Previously on "Am I right to be a little sceptical?"

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  • Whorty
    replied
    I get 5-10 of these types of emails a week via linkedin .... 90% are for roles that I have no skills set for so ignore. If the role is doable, I'll look at the agent and if I think it's worth it I'll ping a msg back saying not currently looking, but I'll connect up to him/her.

    Mostly tosh though ..... my normal trusted agent gets most of my work so why go elsewhere. I guess as you're niche you're in teh same boat.

    Leave a comment:


  • NotAllThere
    replied
    Originally posted by Paralytic View Post
    Without even reading the thread content, the answer should always be yes.

    As soon as you mentioned an agent, the answer is definitely yes.
    The answer is no. You should be massively sceptical.

    Leave a comment:


  • BigDataPro
    replied
    Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post

    Let me guess. Degree in History.
    or Degree in English Literature (which I am )

    Leave a comment:


  • edison
    replied
    Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post

    Let me guess. Degree in History.
    I've noticed that many bog standard recruitment agents these days used to work in a pub or gym prior to going into recruitment, which is obviously great preparation.

    Working with some of the higher end or boutique interim and search firms is quite different. I don't think I've come across any of that ilk. Quite a lot have been to top unis, got Masters degrees etc. No guarantee they would be any good but the better ones are light years ahead of your typical pimp, partly because they pay them much better, funded by higher fees to clients.
    Last edited by edison; 24 November 2021, 14:20.

    Leave a comment:


  • Eirikur
    replied
    Was called by one yesterday who was literally a trolley pusher in Tesco a month ago. Pretended he had a role but they were waiting for the job spec, but asked if I could send my CV anyway straight away, I said can't send my CV without a job description. I then asked who is the end client? Wouldn't give me the name of the end client because of GDPR reasons, when I pointed out GDPR only applies to people and not to companies he went quiet and hung up.

    Leave a comment:


  • NotAllThere
    replied
    Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
    You are all so cynical.

    Not all of them are ex-estate agents or ex-sales people - some of them are straight out of university.

    I had an interesting 15 minutes on a bus once listening to two recent female graduates. One had just got a role in an IT recruitment agency....
    Let me guess. Degree in History.

    Leave a comment:


  • quackhandle
    replied
    The ones I was dealing with last week used to work for easyJet and a Car salesman (for Maserati, apparently).

    With a pimp I always see if they are on LI and what past work history they have.

    As NLUK says, doesn't make a great deal of difference, they are all shyster's who will sell their grandmother for extra commission.

    qh

    Leave a comment:


  • Peoplesoft bloke
    replied
    Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
    Sceptical? Absolutely but that doesn't mean you just drop it there. There is an outside chance he could have and you won't find out until you progress it. I'd say engage and see what happens. Expect nothing and don't be giving too much away but nothing wrong with doing a bit of further digging.

    I don't think the fact he used to sell bifold doors has much relevance though. There are plenty of agents with roles at previous agencies that are still crap and will spin any old line however ridiculous they sound so I'd get over that bit and just see what happens.
    Fair point about the Bifold doors - I wasn't sneering at him; the trouble is his employer obviously hasn't given him appropriate training for this market.

    Leave a comment:


  • Peoplesoft bloke
    replied
    Well that didn't last long - I invited him to elaborate on what roles he had - no asking for client names but just descriptions - but he demanded my CV and we'd schedule a chat before he'd talk about all the wonderful roles on his books.

    Of course I don't know everything - but I do know my target market and if there were oodles of juicy roles hanging around I don't think they'd be going to this guy and not any of my favoured pimps who are at least upfront and honest (to a point) about what they do and don't have.

    I pointed out that all my CV information is on Linkedin and it's public so could read there if he wanted. I have wished him luck. If he has any roles they will be no doubt be paying £20k pa and wanting 97 years experience.

    I do wish him luck - we all have to start somewhere.

    Leave a comment:


  • Lance
    replied
    Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
    You are all so cynical.

    Not all of them are ex-estate agents or ex-sales people - some of them are straight out of university.

    I had an interesting 15 minutes on a bus once listening to two recent female graduates. One had just got a role in an IT recruitment agency....
    have you ever watched the Apprentice????

    Leave a comment:


  • SueEllen
    replied
    You are all so cynical.

    Not all of them are ex-estate agents or ex-sales people - some of them are straight out of university.

    I had an interesting 15 minutes on a bus once listening to two recent female graduates. One had just got a role in an IT recruitment agency....

    Leave a comment:


  • malvolio
    replied
    Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
    Sceptical? Absolutely but that doesn't mean you just drop it there. There is an outside chance he could have and you won't find out until you progress it. I'd say engage and see what happens. Expect nothing and don't be giving too much away but nothing wrong with doing a bit of further digging.

    I don't think the fact he used to sell bifold doors has much relevance though. There are plenty of agents with roles at previous agencies that are still crap and will spin any old line however ridiculous they sound so I'd get over that bit and just see what happens.
    It was ever thus. I always chuckle over one agent telling me that having looked at my 30 year long CV with a major focus on ITIL-based Service Management consultancy and implementation that I lacked the experience to be considered for an ITIL implementation role. When I looked him up he had a whole three months in recruitment and five years selling sporting goods. I got the interview (and ultimately the role) when I went over his head to someone who actually understood how to read a CV.

    But the agents we deal with are ideally ex-estate agents or failing that ex-salesmen - and that came from the Ops Director of a major agency in Bristol. We cannot expect them to understand either the intricacies of the technical roles or the breadth of the managerial ones. Their one skill is keyword matching.

    Leave a comment:


  • northernladuk
    replied
    Sceptical? Absolutely but that doesn't mean you just drop it there. There is an outside chance he could have and you won't find out until you progress it. I'd say engage and see what happens. Expect nothing and don't be giving too much away but nothing wrong with doing a bit of further digging.

    I don't think the fact he used to sell bifold doors has much relevance though. There are plenty of agents with roles at previous agencies that are still crap and will spin any old line however ridiculous they sound so I'd get over that bit and just see what happens.

    Leave a comment:


  • Paralytic
    replied
    Without even reading the thread content, the answer should always be yes.

    As soon as you mentioned an agent, the answer is definitely yes.

    But, play the game - you'll soon find out if he's just after previous client contact details "for reference purposes"

    Leave a comment:


  • Peoplesoft bloke
    started a topic Am I right to be a little sceptical?

    Am I right to be a little sceptical?

    The market for my skillset (Workday UK payroll) is pretty small and very quiet at present (contract and perm).

    I've been inmailed this morning by a pimp who claims to have "multiple roles" in Workday Payroll.

    I see from his profile that until September he was selling bifold doors.

    Does anyone else think he might not be being entirely truthful about the "multiple roles" or am I just a hard-bitten old cynic?

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