Reply to: Interesting 'recruitment' process

[psychocandy]

Same thing happened to a mate of mine. It does happen.

Maybe I'm soft or not cut out for business but how do people do it? Do they sit down in a meeting room and say, we need some work done. Tell you what we'll piss a few people about and get them to do the work for free. Sod them. Couldn't do it.

On a similar vein, went for permie interview years ago. After a bit bloke said, to be honest, we never planned to employ you from day 1 - we know we can't afford your salary but we just wanted to interview you to see what was out there and then get someone cheaper. WTF! I was not impressed.

[northernladuk]

I'm going to write an NLUK comment generator. It will randomly produce one the following statements:-

1. Are you sure you're cut out for contracting.
2. Are you a real contractor.
3. Put it down to experience and move on.

I look forward to 15 threads on the problems you encounter while doing this.

[psychocandy]

NLUK. Can you name anything that you would actually recommend doing something about or should everyhing just be out down to experience and moved on from ???

You would make a really crap newspaper agony aunt

Dear NLUK,

I have been seeing my boyfriend for four years and everything has been great until last night when he cam home drink and took an enormous great tulip on the birthday cake i'd been baking for him. Should I bake him another one ?

Dear Reader,

A real girlfriend wouldn't waste her time worrying about this. She's just move on to the next cake and put this down to experience.

I'm going to write an NLUK comment generator. It will randomly produce one the following statements:-

1. Are you sure you're cut out for contracting.
2. Are you a real contractor.
3. Put it down to experience and move on.

[SussexSeagull]

Yes, maybe, but I wouldn't just on simple commercial grounds. The agent found (at least) 7 qualified people for a role, got them to turn up and made nothing from it. That's not good business, even if he is blameless he he still gets blamed.

I'd love to know the name of the firm.

The first time round the agent was as wound up as I was.

For all the agent bashing on here (some of it justified), the end clients are the problem a lot of the time.

Throw in contractors applying for jobs they are obviously not qualified for or jumping ship when a better offer comes, I wonder at times how any of us ever get any work at times!

[Dominic Connor]

Hi and welsome!
Sorry to hear you got messed about - it happens from time to time.
I'll bet you they will be straight back in there if they think they can make a buck.

Yes, maybe, but I wouldn't just on simple commercial grounds. The agent found (at least) 7 qualified people for a role, got them to turn up and made nothing from it. That's not good business, even if he is blameless he he still gets blamed.

I'd love to know the name of the firm.

[SussexSeagull]

The first one mentioned above was a start up, the second is a household name and should know better.

[flipFlop]

I purely put this up as a warning that if you are invited to a apply for a 'contract' for a start up company by some very tall buildings by a river in London, I urge caution!

Start-ups and educational institutes are the worst for interviewing candidates solely to extract information from them.

[SussexSeagull]

Some further misadventures:

Was put forward for a supposed contract in the mobile sector. Was told this would involve a on-line 'tech test' with a follow up phone interview. The agent (who has found me several contracts before) gave them my details. Firstly the guy annoyed me by ringing me up to an hour late (I am in a contract at the moment so quite busy) a couple of times and not engaging in much conversation other than pushing me to do the test.

I am on site at the moment so had to rush back to the hotel to do he test (puzzled me why they couldn't just send me the link and let me do it at my leisure) then are nearly an hour late ringing me again, by wish time I had given up and gone for a run.

He then leaves a voicemail telling me he will mail the test over, which arrives an hour later (so starting two hours late). By now I had e-mailed the agent to tell him to drop me out of the process but out of curiosity I open the test up.

Not dissimilar to my original experience, it involved looking at a 'test' version of their website and writing a test plan, test it and produce a test report. To me this sounds like free consulting.

Anyway, I didn't do it so no harm done but be careful out there.

I fancy a piece of fruit now.

[SussexSeagull]

Genius

Can you imagine trying to implement a 10% across the board rate cut with Monsieur Cantona?

[NervousRexx]

It's because when the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.

Genius

[nomadd]

It's because when the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.

Ah, a quote from a true poet. And he goes on to day:

"My best moment? I have a lot of good moments but the one I prefer it when I kicked the hooligan."

That quote is probably best applied when managing agents.

[Wanderer]

Ah, agencies are referred to as 'Trawlermen'. I'm new to posting and it's all a bit confusing!

It's because when the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.

[SussexSeagull]

Because neither you nor NervousRexx can use the quote facility correctly?

To paraphrase John Cleese 'he started it'.

[TheFaQQer]

I am not sure why the quote you referenced was given as mine as I didn't say it!

Because neither you nor NervousRexx can use the quote facility correctly?

[NervousRexx]

Ah, agencies are referred to as 'Trawlermen'. I'm new to posting and it's all a bit confusing!