Reply to: Agency Interviews

[The Agents View]

This is spiv speak for liking someone who in return cannot stand you.

Now there is a subject you'll know alot about by now.

No reason a contractor can't be friends with an agent - when you've been doing this for a length of time, advising on the best way forwards rather than the way which will make you the most money, you stop being a commodity, and turn into someone the person turns to for advice.

Although I guess if you're a dodgy agent, you're all about the low level transaction tulip.

HIIIII YAAAHHHH

[DodgyAgent]

I stopped believing it when TAV implied that an agent had mates who weren't other agents.

They were not mates, they were "like mates". This is spiv speak for liking someone who in return cannot stand you.

[TheFaQQer]

Isnt it funny how all people in sales have anecdotes that are so over the top in proving their point.

Anyone with half a brain could work out that someone with this amount of material wealth would need to be earning at least £1 million a year and not a lousy £1450 per day

I stopped believing it when TAV implied that an agent had mates who weren't other agents.

[DodgyAgent]

Hahaha - I did that once - met one of my contractors at his house (we've become like mates over the years). I turned up in his road, found his house, drove past his 2 brand new Range Rovers, and his double garage (containing DB7 and a Cobra with the biggest blower I've seen on one of those, and a massive NOS kit). When I got to his door, I walked into the marble clad hall way, and into his kitchen with him for a coffee (naturally from a full scale espresso machine). He then proceeded to show me his unbelievable networked home, plasmas everywhere, hot tub in the garden etc etc.

He ended the conversation with "I'm really skint, and I need you to get going with finding me something". I looked around, and considered the idea of clocking him on the nose. Alas, I placed him at £1450 per day, with naff all margin, increasing his wealth day on day.

So - consider whether your agent would have their feathers ruffled by your posh houses before inviting them into your homes

Isnt it funny how all people in sales have anecdotes that are so over the top in proving their point.

Anyone with half a brain could work out that someone with this amount of material wealth would need to be earning at least £1 million a year and not a lousy £1450 per day

[MaryPoppins]

Hahaha - I did that once - met one of my contractors at his house (we've become like mates over the years). I turned up in his road, found his house, drove past his 2 brand new Range Rovers, and his double garage (containing DB7 and a Cobra with the biggest blower I've seen on one of those, and a massive NOS kit). When I got to his door, I walked into the marble clad hall way, and into his kitchen with him for a coffee (naturally from a full scale espresso machine). He then proceeded to show me his unbelievable networked home, plasmas everywhere, hot tub in the garden etc etc.

He ended the conversation with "I'm really skint, and I need you to get going with finding me something". I looked around, and considered the idea of clocking him on the nose. Alas, I placed him at £1450 per day, with naff all margin, increasing his wealth day on day.

So - consider whether your agent would have their feathers ruffled by your posh houses before inviting them into your homes

[The Agents View]

I'm 99% certain it will be a waste of time by some spotty little oink who knew b*ugger all about anything. I have attended one of these and yes it was a waste of my time and yes the agent was young and did wear a shiny suit.
On the other hand I did have to go to London anyway that week to pick up something that I bought on eBay so I did the trip, put the cost of the travel through my company and thanked the agent while giving him two dodgy references.
If you are bored or are going to that area of the country anyway then go. If not then tell the agent that you would be happy to meet them at your company offices - i.e. home.

Hahaha - I did that once - met one of my contractors at his house (we've become like mates over the years). I turned up in his road, found his house, drove past his 2 brand new Range Rovers, and his double garage (containing DB7 and a Cobra with the biggest blower I've seen on one of those, and a massive NOS kit). When I got to his door, I walked into the marble clad hall way, and into his kitchen with him for a coffee (naturally from a full scale espresso machine). He then proceeded to show me his unbelievable networked home, plasmas everywhere, hot tub in the garden etc etc.

He ended the conversation with "I'm really skint, and I need you to get going with finding me something". I looked around, and considered the idea of clocking him on the nose. Alas, I placed him at £1450 per day, with naff all margin, increasing his wealth day on day.

So - consider whether your agent would have their feathers ruffled by your posh houses before inviting them into your homes

[kaiser78]

The one or two decent agents (yes, there are a few) that I deal with will sometimes ring me and openly ask if I can help them with certain information.

You said it, out of how many 100s though ? Herein lies the problem.

[Fred Bloggs]

So why dont they just admit what they are doing? If it is a positive thing for them to fish for leads then they should say so. Coercing leads out of people under false pretences is what contractors really object to.

The one or two decent agents (yes, there are a few) that I deal with will sometimes ring me and openly ask if I can help them with certain information. To which I will help where ever I can. This is by far the best approach, but it isn't in all agents make up to be this straight forward, I suspect.

[s2budd]

I'm 99% certain it will be a waste of time by some spotty little oink who knew b*ugger all about anything. I have attended one of these and yes it was a waste of my time and yes the agent was young and did wear a shiny suit.
On the other hand I did have to go to London anyway that week to pick up something that I bought on eBay so I did the trip, put the cost of the travel through my company and thanked the agent while giving him two dodgy references.
If you are bored or are going to that area of the country anyway then go. If not then tell the agent that you would be happy to meet them at your company offices - i.e. home.

[The Agents View]

Agreed DA.

It hacks me off too - I think people try and complicate this job too much - contractors see through the "subtle" methods used by agents - The quicker we learn that, and don't pretend to be the source of all knowledge (I know my sector very well, but from a high level perspective - not into the nitty gritty technicals). I personally believe you gain a lot more credibility from saying "look - I need this to be a two way transaction, I need you to help me, and in return, I will help you"

Fishing for leads? Leave that to the cowboys.......

[DodgyAgent]

The Reality is that job hunting is a two way process.

Think of it as a Rubix puzzle - the one with one missing bit, which means you can slide it all around. If, as an agent, you can extract roles which are unsuitable for the candidate you are speaking with, you can then move your candidates around until you find a match. The beauty of this, is that you will give a little information, and in theory see a tangiable return from one of the other fishing trips - ie, you will be the piece of the puzzle slotted into place at some point.

I know you don't like it, but actually, alot of the time, the best agents will fish and fill - you might complain when you're giving up information, but will you complain if the agent who calls you, is the one you met, who has fished with a lot of others, and picked up suitable opportunities?

So why dont they just admit what they are doing? If it is a positive thing for them to fish for leads then they should say so. Coercing leads out of people under false pretences is what contractors really object to.

[The Agents View]

The Reality is that job hunting is a two way process.

Think of it as a Rubix puzzle - the one with one missing bit, which means you can slide it all around. If, as an agent, you can extract roles which are unsuitable for the candidate you are speaking with, you can then move your candidates around until you find a match. The beauty of this, is that you will give a little information, and in theory see a tangiable return from one of the other fishing trips - ie, you will be the piece of the puzzle slotted into place at some point.

I know you don't like it, but actually, alot of the time, the best agents will fish and fill - you might complain when you're giving up information, but will you complain if the agent who calls you, is the one you met, who has fished with a lot of others, and picked up suitable opportunities?

[Mozart]

I think you should go. In the US and Australia it is pretty normal, and expected, for agencies to do face to face interviews first because that is their job: to filter out the dross properly. In this country agents are lazy. So either this is a reputable agency trying to do a good job for their clients or others have said, they are fishing. Perhaps to find out if its the latter, call them and ask what the format of the interview will take and what preparation you are expected to do, that may make it clearer. In my experience, you may be lucky and really impress the agent and build a rapport with him, I have done this with one of my agents and he realised my employability and is often calling me about new jobs he thinks I would find interesting and has helped secure a couple of great contracts.

[DodgyAgent]

I've met up with Dodgy, does that count? (he really does look like Arthur Daley)

[norrahe]

I've been asked to meet up by two agents, and said no both times.

If an agent has a decent role, which is a decent match to my CV, they will put me forward for it - end of.

I'm not a temp.

I've met up with Dodgy, does that count? (he really does look like Arthur Daley)