Reply to: What are your favourite agencies to deal with?

[Fred Bloggs]

Engineering-

Tony Fallows at First Technical, Warrington. A top guy, tries very hard for you and is very fair.

[bullseye]

Hays Information Technology and PCR recruitment have been good.

[JaybeeInCUK]

Logix IT, absolutely diamond guys. Strange selection procedure though, but once you're working through them you're in good hands.

[synoniv]

Professional lies are different, and they come easily with training or by experience

One estate agent I met over the weekend said I've been selling houses for the last 15 years in similar market conditions....I just smiled ;-)

Agents dont need to be trained to lie.

[alantan]

Have very good things to say about JM Connections. Someone there made a mistake with the margin which would have meant that I couldn't take the role at the agreed rate, and they proposed to allow the client to hire me directly as a resolution.

They asked me in to meet them, gave plenty of information about setting up business, and their contract was fair. The agent stayed in touch long after and never disappeared off the radar.

Have just started a stint with DP Connect, so far so good. The agent called me right back after sending in my CV and didn't wait for me to chase. We will see how things progress as the contract goes on...

[tim123]

LA International is the possible 3rd.

When I was looking to leave Germany in 2005, every time LA International rang me about a job the rate was laughable low (in an environment where everybody else was offering rates that are just plain low).

After a couple of calls, I politely told the CONsultant that either their margins were too high or the job simply wasn't sufficiently senior enough for me to be interested and either way I didn't want them to bother me again at that rate.

They haven't (which is rare!).

FWIW, after about 6 months of looking I eventually got an agent to represent me at the same site that LA were blagging for almost 50% more money.

tim

[TheBigYinJames]

Agents dont need to be trained to lie.

They only need to have done 2 months at catering college. *that's what I'm talking about!* *reverse veloceraptor!*

[DodgyAgent]

Recruitment agent companies are similar to estate agencies.
Both do their best to keep their clients happy and work for the clients best interests.
They are trained to lie, and most likely will do so to any extent because those who avail the 'services' get them free

Having said that, I do have some personal contacts with recruiters(contracts) in the industry. My area of expertise is embedded systems and PM me if you would like details.

Agents dont need to be trained to lie.

[synoniv]

Recruitment agent companies are similar to estate agencies.
Both do their best to keep their clients happy and work for the clients best interests.
They are trained to lie, and most likely will do so to any extent because those who avail the 'services' get them free

Having said that, I do have some personal contacts with recruiters(contracts) in the industry. My area of expertise is embedded systems and PM me if you would like details.

[grey_lady]

I can recommend a good one for tester/QA types in London, pm for details,
have to get that referral fee

[voodooflux]

DP Connect, ECRM People and Spring IT have all been good, the latter two having bought me lunch (I'm easily impressed). Had a bad experience with Harvey Nash, so I will personally stay clear of them in the future.

[gtr]

I've had good and bad experiences but the two that really stand out are - Opus Recruitment Solutions down in Bristol and Intapeople in Cardiff. Top guys.

[Sausage Surprise]

Max 20 were very good with me. Weekly payments on time and plenty of contact when needed. No fishing trips or tulipe like that to deal with. Even told me what their margin was (although I took that with a pinch of salt)

I'm on first name terms with a couple of the girls at LA International and they seem a good bunch. At least they seem genuine.

[The Lone Gunman]

Both of them are good, though I've only met Tony in the flesh. As ex-contractors themselves, they understand what makes a good and bad agent, and are trying their best to be 'good guys'. Can't recommend them highly enough.

I can only agree with you there. Though I have only met Patrick.

[TheBigYinJames]

Never met Tony. I deal with the Bram half.

Both of them are good, though I've only met Tony in the flesh. As ex-contractors themselves, they understand what makes a good and bad agent, and are trying their best to be 'good guys'. Can't recommend them highly enough.