Reply to: Dodgy Agency Practices

[privateeye]

You sound like a mighty powerful person

You are always welcome to send me a PM of the things that bad contractors do or even clients for that matter. There may be time left for these issues to be addressed too - if not now they will be.

[DodgyAgent]

Agents will be included - it is their chance to get rid of those who have given them a bad name.

You sound like a mighty powerful person

[privateeye]

Yes we will, we are in the dock

Agents will be included - it is their chance to get rid of those who have given them a bad name.

[DodgyAgent]

I take it that agents won't be included in these trials?

Yes we will, we are in the dock

[jonhoops]

I take it that agents won't be included in these trials?

Thanks Arun I may well take you up on that at a later date, we have some people to trial already but may up the numbers.

[privateeye]

If u want any guinea pigs for ur trial - just ask

Thanks Arun I may well take you up on that at a later date, we have some people to trial already but may up the numbers.

[privateeye]

My goodness it sounds important! Shall we hold our breath? as long as it is not some really stupid idea like setting up your own recruitment agency and doing the job properly

DodgyAgent - We are not an agency so don't have any stupid ideas - meant in jest of course. It is definately not a Recruitment Consultancy.

[DodgyAgent]

Early Spring but there may be an announcement prior to this for consultancy reasons. There will also be a trial prior to this.

My goodness it sounds important! Shall we hold our breath? as long as it is not some really stupid idea like setting up your own recruitment agency and doing the job properly

[Arun V]

If u want any guinea pigs for ur trial - just ask

Early Spring but there may be an announcement prior to this for consultancy reasons. There will also be a trial prior to this.

[privateeye]

Is there a rough timetable for when this may be announced ?

Early Spring but there may be an announcement prior to this for consultancy reasons. There will also be a trial prior to this.

[Arun V]

timetable ?

Is there a rough timetable for when this may be announced ?

You may just get a chance to do that - I'm working with people from all sides effected by bad recruitment practices - rather than just moaning about it we've got ourselves actively involved in finding/working the solution. I can't give any more away than that but I do see light at the end of the tunnel with what is being proposed.

[Denny]

You may just get a chance to do that - I'm working with people from all sides effected by bad recruitment practices - rather than just moaning about it we've got ourselves actively involved in finding/working the solution. I can't give any more away than that but I do see light at the end of the tunnel with what is being proposed.

I don't think all recruiters are lying thieving scum but many contractors have to assume that they are initially until a working relationship is built up. Its the only way that contractors can protect themselves against the bad ones. Its a great shame because this makes us both victims.

This board has been superb research for what we are trying to achieve - hope we get many more discussions like this.

So am I. Why don't you PM me and join forces?

[privateeye]

Perhaps agents and contractors could negotiate a truce? I'd sign....

You may just get a chance to do that - I'm working with people from all sides effected by bad recruitment practices - rather than just moaning about it we've got ourselves actively involved in finding/working the solution. I can't give any more away than that but I do see light at the end of the tunnel with what is being proposed.

I don't think all recruiters are lying thieving scum but many contractors have to assume that they are initially until a working relationship is built up. Its the only way that contractors can protect themselves against the bad ones. Its a great shame because this makes us both victims.

This board has been superb research for what we are trying to achieve - hope we get many more discussions like this.

[Denny]

Beware fellas , it seems that agents are desparate for reference farming. I am getting one call everyday for some fantastic contract paying 400 a day but the catch is provide 2 references. You could hear the frustration in their voice when you say i can not give reference without interview.
please suggest how to deal with these

There is a way round this. Unfortunately, references are sometimes required up front to meet the agency standards requirements to ensure suitability before someone is put forward for a job. Luckily most agencies don't bother.

What I do, if an agent insists I provide references before putting me forward (very rare, but it does happen) is give them a written reference with only a mobile number on it and forbid them to contact that person until I've spoken to them and set up an interview time. I tell them this is their own personal policy too with me to ensure that their time isn't wasted talking to sales pushers with another agenda. I stay in control all the time. I tell them that if they do contact beforehand without my permission I would defnitely be notified of such a call because I know my referees very well and it would be in breach of their terms with me. If they insist on speaking beforehand to verify the letter details, I just tell them to get lost and will only grant permission once the gig is in the bag. A good written reference with reassurances that such a references wouldn't be forwarded unless it could be backed up with verbals when the time was right should be sufficient enough for any agent. On sending the letter, I then get them to send me a written confirmation (which is what I do with all roles now) stating that my CV HAS now been sent off to the client.

This normally satisfies a bona fide agent that actually does require refs but stops any lead poaching or timewasters who daren't upset a 'potential client' with sales pushing under the guise of reference gathering. The other thing you can do is to opt out at the earliest time so that the agency don't need to check refs beforehand, but I wouldn't recommend that.

I am a contractor, not an agent.

[jonhoops]

Quite possibily. I understand that the antics of recruiters in general lead contractors to the conclusion that we are all lying thieving scum. But we're really not.

If I mess with a contractor and play games, I expect him to do the same. In general, i don't have any problems with 99% of the contractors I deal with.
However, there are a few who for no reason will try and screw me. I've got real jobs with skill sets, rates and dates and in several cases clients crying out for contractors. I don't mess around with fake jobs, reference gathering etc, so why are people messing with me? I had a guy recently who was so intent with being difficult that I just didn't want to represent the guy, and spent ages finding a candidate that was friendly and decent. And the joy of placing this genuinely nice guy far outweighed any potential loss of commmission that I risked.

Perhaps agents and contractors could negotiate a truce? I'd sign....

Agency bad practice is rife. Probably the worst I've come across is an agent knowing that I had a telephone interview during a half-hour time slot kept on phoning me during this time with stupid questions. He wanted to prevent the client calling me and destroy my chances as I also had a good chance of landing a contract with his agency. Two can play at that game when I had an offer from the telephone interview I messed around with the agent who tried to destroy my chances - he was livid but I couldn't care less. Those agents who moan about bad contractors - I wonder if it is because they messed the contractors around or their reputation or the agency they work for has got around.