Reply to: BAD Agency! Most blatent fishing yet, What are your experiences??

[minestrone]

I once resigned my permie job and the place put the role out with a single advert on jobserve done through themselves.

I got a call that night from some dodgy agent, "aright mate, I have the perfect job for you matches your CV perfectly, Software, Manager, Java, JSP, JBoss, Tomcat, in your town"

About halfway through it dawned on him he was trying to sell me the job I was leaving. If I was not laughing he probably would not have realised.

[BrilloPad]

I'm not surprised that huxley have such a bad name, they somehow got my CV recently and posted it on some site called IProfile.org without asking me.

I was getting loads of emails from agencies and could not work out why, they must have been advertising me off.

I only realised when someone sent me through a comment that he had picked up my details through IProfile.org and i found out that Huxley had put it on. Went mental and got it removed.

I had same thing happen - but different agency. Worse still - it had my personal mobile(as opposed to my pimp mobile) as it was an agency I was working through!

These things happen.....

[Diver]

I'm curious - has your new .sig influenced her views at all:

Shhh!

I don't think she's noticed it yet

[NickFitz]

Now wifey wants me to take a perm position with all the benefits and settle down

I'm curious - has your new .sig influenced her views at all:

I'm not a gynaecologist, but I'll have a look

[Diver]

Care to name and shame.

If I could remember which agency it was, I would

[pmeswani]

<------Me

Posted my CV to a site two weeks ago, phone hasn't stopped since.

Care to name and shame.

[Diver]

I like posts like this, they point out which of you are professionals and which are downright amateurs.

<------Me

Posted my CV to a site two weeks ago, phone hasn't stopped since. My CV seems to be flying around (traded around) the internet. I now have several companies and agents begging me to take positions I don't want (all over the world but UK) I have them calling me at all hours (04:30 am ffs). and I don't know how to stop it, it's bluddy ridiculous
I darent tell them that I no longer need a placement, just in case the two I've accepted for interview fall through.

I shall be a lot wiser next time. the problem was that for the last twenty odd years, I've run my own show or been headhunted, and not had to look for a job

Now wifey wants me to take a perm position with all the benefits and settle down

[Pete Cullen]

progressive were probably the worst agency I've ever dealt with, and they seriously jeapordised my career at one stage not too long ago.

scum.

That's interesting, my first contract a couple of years ago was with Progressive and I found them to be very good. As a naive first timer I did get gouged a little but with my rate, but everything was very swift and smooth. They did have a rather forceful legal department though who caused some problems for the client.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Simple really, quite a few client companies won't deal with Contractors directly as they have approved suppliers for labour, it simplifies their accounts rather than getting invoiced by dozens/hundreds of tin pot LTD companies.

IBM and CSC both approached me directly through old contacts, rates were negotiated and then Agencies inserted for the payment supply chain and actual contracts. My last contract with a large defence company was similar.

It's actually slightly advantageous to me as the Agent is the one with the cash flow and invoice chasing headache not me. Yes it costs the client more, but that's their choice and they have fixed margin or fixed price agreements with their Agents.

Yep we provide this service for a number of our clients. Typically charge 4% to the client. It's not a bad operation as the contractor gets paid weekly and on time, has the benefit of an IR35 proof contract, less exposure for their Ltd Co - does not have to worry about any commercial liability clauses the end client wishes to impose. We have an employee whose entire job is credit control with our clients!!

[minestrone]

I'm not surprised that huxley have such a bad name, they somehow got my CV recently and posted it on some site called IProfile.org without asking me.

I was getting loads of emails from agencies and could not work out why, they must have been advertising me off.

I only realised when someone sent me through a comment that he had picked up my details through IProfile.org and i found out that Huxley had put it on. Went mental and got it removed.

Huxley also sent through my CV to a company without permission, the guy knew me from school, got my number from the phonebook called me up and offered me work direct. Just so happened that I was looking at that point but had not applied for anything through Huxley.

They got me a job last month and I declined it, they were nearly crying, totally begging.

Progressive were the worst ever for "I have a job for you but i need to get 2 references first", they never asked if i was looking or for my CV, I was getting these calls every week, I eventually told them to remove all my details from all of their systems and if i ever got 1 more call or mail I would contact my lawyer.

[vfr_rider]

progressive were probably the worst agency I've ever dealt with, and they seriously jeapordised my career at one stage not too long ago.

scum.

I do recall one agency completely slating the company I was a permie with at the time (in order to persuade me to take up a permie offer), and then within 10 mins the same consultant is on the line to the testing manager discussing cv's submitted for roles at the very same company he was badmouthing moments earlier.

recruitment agencies - without doubt, the biggest bunch of *****.

virtually every phone call I've ever had with an agent contained questions about names of managers past and present....

[SueEllen]

Funny... I have had these guys actually cut and paste my last job description from my CV word for word, and post it on the job boards as one of their job specs

I had that as well a few years ago.

I just phoned the guy's manager up and told them to remove it before I took further action.

I had put quite a bit of work into it, so I was glad someone appreciated it!

I hadn't.

Mine was an edited version of the spec I had received for the role.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I'm surprised how well that was worded and structured.

Very good, perhaps it should be worring considering that the agents are getting educated haha

TM

It's not that marvelous - who but a total rsole ever says "yourself"?

[themistry]

Just received this:

snip

Sweet!

I'm surprised how well that was worded and structured.

Very good, perhaps it should be worring considering that the agents are getting educated haha

TM

[SillyMilly]

Just received this:

I am writing to you as I have recently received your CV in response to my advert for a position in life and pensions, I may have spoken to you recently however, due to the high level of response to this advertisement i have chosen to email all those that have been considered for the current available position.

As you are probably aware the market is not at its best at the moment and most of the software testers i have spoken to are growing particularly frustrated with two aspects of applying for jobs, the first being with companies interviewing and then deciding to recruit internally and the second being the amount of interviews clients are carrying out as there so many consultants working on the roles and therefore restricting any chances of getting to a second stage interview.

Because of this i have spoken to the clients i am currently working with and the response i have had is that the most successful candidates that are placed with them have had a reference attached with their CV. This therefore saves the client time and also demonstrates the efficiency of you the candidate and myself your recruitment consultant. As i obviously would like to put you forward in the best possible light and give you the best chance possible, I am requesting the details of a referee for yourself.

This information should contain the name of your most recent Test Manager, a phone number, an email address and to which office they are located. As previously explained you have been considered for the role in life and pensions that you have recently applied for therefore, a swift response in order to obtain a reference for you would be greatly appreciated.


Yours sincerely,

Sweet!