Reply to: Agencies to avoid....

[Eirikur]

Yes, I can add Washington Frank to that list.

Avoid any agency from the Frank group like the plague, total time wasters. Demand that they remove you from their contact list and never call you again.

[rocktronAMP]

Pontoon - An agent once told me to go to a first stage interview in Welwyn Garden City way back in the day. On the day of the interview, I drove 45 miles to the site. I arrived well before the time. Car parking was nightmare even for guests/visitors. I turned up in the morning expecting to be interviewed. I signed in the reception desk and asked for said person and then sat down. 20 minutes later, another staff member eventually came down and said that they had no idea of who I was, and an interview date and time had never been agreed between them and the agency. The contact person was not in the office that day and they were no expecting me. She asked who was the agency, I told her. I was absolutely p*****d and I said never again. Losers.

Fazit: Precovid, it sounded like a nice digital agile client with a 6 month contract. Since then I learnt that this client is not really that digital and agile from other contractors who had experience working there.

[SussexSeagull]

Practically all the agencies I have gone on to get a contract through are fine. It's the ones that send me generic e-mails for roles that I am plainly not qualified for that are the problem.

[PerfectStorm]

Opus is the only one I had terrible experience of, a year ago but they're probably still the same way.

[eek]

I assumed that this thread was about agencies that you have contracted with.


If the criteria is agencies that have harvested CVs by advertising non existent roles, reneged on rate offers or ghosted you somewhere in the process then doesn't that include every single agency in the UK and beyond?

I think everyone's criteria is different.

Mine boils down to is the agency ok to work with on both an end client and contractor level? - the Frank groups continual calling end clients about whether they have any vacancies puts me off them.

[TheDude]

I assumed that this thread was about agencies that you have contracted with.


If the criteria is agencies that have harvested CVs by advertising non existent roles, reneged on rate offers or ghosted you somewhere in the process then doesn't that include every single agency in the UK and beyond?

[hungry_hog]

Bruin send me a "cookie cutter" spec for RBC every 6 months.... regulatory business analyst
Sent my CV a few times, time wasters.

Must have had about 20 calls with them last 4 years and not one interview

[quackhandle]

Venturi, without doubt the very worst of all Rec agencies I had the misfortune to use.

They used to be good when they first started out but they spent most of lockdown chasing me for some non-existent Platform Engineer role that I had to change my CV for.


Could to add Sanderson to this list after a few weeks ago, had interview, all went well, client wanted me, then delays, more delays, no paperwork produced.

Told the pimp, this isn't going to happen, l'll move on.

"No no, I promise you 100% that this role will go ahead they totally want you to start next week. I promise you it's definitely happening."



Spoiler: It didn't happen.



qh

[PCTNN]

I've got a few I avoid at all costs:

- Salt, lots of ghosting or chasing me for jobs that had nothing to do with my skillset

- Zeus talent, these clowns may be the worst of them all. Sent my CV through for a role (permanent) with Atos, never told me that from the start Atos said my salary expectations were too high. I went through 2 interviews and when I got the offer the agent said "not sure what happened but now the client is only willing to offer you this salary (20k less than what I wanted)". I contacted the hiring manager from Atos, kicked up a big fuss and explained what Zeus Talent did and it would seem that Atos dropped the recruitment agency.

- Lorien, again too much dodgy stuff going on. They pestered me on the phone, said they'd send me the job spec for this role that apparently was the perfect fit for me. I'm still waiting for that job spec.


On the other hand, there are some big agencies that have a bad rep but so far have always treated well so I want to give credit where credit is due:

- Harvey Nash

- Hays

[GregRickshaw]

Venturi, without doubt the very worst of all Rec agencies I had the misfortune to use.

[TheDude]

TEK Systems. Payroll dept were straight out of clown college.

[WTFH]

Yes, I can add Washington Frank to that list.

[suityou01]

Noted

[eek]

Jefferson Frank

See also Nigel Frank and every other part of the Frank Group.

[Guy Incognito]

Salt. Cancelled my interview without telling me - luckily remote but I was still sat there on Zoom like a melon for twenty minutes on my own. Then blanked me completely.

One year later same plum contacted me about the same role as if nothing had happened.