Thoughts on agencies...

[VirtualMonkey]

You have to wonder what Huxley get up to or if any of their staff are actually "staff", hiding behind bogus Jobserve names. In other words any one asking for "David" is sussed as a contractor looking for a job and told that the person is "in a meeting".

Happens all the time in loads of places.
My first job was as a trace agent and debt collector for a bank.
We'd send out letters with a fake name at the bottom. The number was for a phone hunt group and as soon as the name was asked for we knew what it was about....."I'm sorry, X is away from her desk at the moment but I can help you. Ah..Here's your file"
Hated it...absolutley hated it. Fortunately that was where I got into the IT department and never looked back.

[Ignis Fatuus]

I applaud the article for naming names with direct criticism. A bit more of that might help new victims to avoid the traps.

But as for the idea that a vastly greater number of ads than there are jobs might mean that there is such a high demand that every job has to be advertised many times, that's a LOL. There are many more ads because the lying toerags make them up.

[TheScheduler]

Huxley

You have to wonder what Huxley get up to or if any of their staff are actually "staff", hiding behind bogus Jobserve names. In other words any one asking for "David" is sussed as a contractor looking for a job and told that the person is "in a meeting".
I regrettably sent my CV off for a "perfect match", I'll not mention the name as it may not be this poor chaps fault or they simply don't exist. Ringing a couple of times and of course the guy is "in a meeting" or "on another call". So of course I leave a couple messages and send an e-mail.
Any reply? Of course not.

A few days later I get a e-mail advertising the job again from the same guy.

Avoid this lousy organisation, what on earth must it be like if you have a problem with payroll?

[bobspud]

I think The Kernel is a bit crap really... In fact I would say as much as they are an inward facing bunch of self promoting twats that need to shut up or do something more productive with their column space... They seem to be about startups but I see more hatchet jobs than business insite... I dumped them from my flipbook feed months ago.

I saw nothing particularly revolutionary about the article but did notice a shameless plug for REC.

Roles go away? Really get used to it.
The candidate believed a twat that probably used to sell double glazing? (**** me how much did the idiot pay for his degree??)
Huxley Sniff dirty knickers because they are too lazy to find their own contacts and leads, or more likely, too ill regarded thanks to other far worse behaviour.
The agent attempted to improve there own margin? Yes its business there are no friends involved... Tell the agent you would accept the rate. Walk into the interview blow the interviewer away with your skills then tell them what you want from the rate and leave the agent to pick up the pieces. not that hard to achieve...

[Wanderer]

That seems to be at odds with most posters on here. Are we in demand?

Some of us are.

[Wils]

Adzuna’s conclusion is that while there are lots of tech jobs on offer, there are not enough quality candidates: “We need to train more programmers. If you are one, know your value and that you are in demand.”

That seems to be at odds with most posters on here. Are we in demand?

[Wanderer]

Agents will always talk about the "bad apples" but the fact is that the recruitment business will always be cut throat so you are going to get dodgy ones.

Even within a reputable agency they will have a front line of low lifes who are doing the dirty work. When something goes wrong they just sack them or more likely they can't live with their conscience/tulipty agency business and they move on of their own accord. When the agency gets caught out they just deny all knowledge of a "few bad apples" who have now left. Simples.

[downsouth]

indeed, although most of that is common knowledge,

just cleared a whole load of agency contacts on linkedin, sure feels good

[norrahe]

Interesting article.

[RasputinDude]

Tech Recruiters, Part II: ‘fear and loathing’ – Mic Wright – The Kernel