Agents Reluctance to put stuff in writing

[Manz]

Had you not agreed a rate do you think it would have been more likely, or less likely, to receive a follow up email?

Less Likely, I got an email from her in the afternoon yesterday saying "apologies for the delay" and then she said "You don't have enough years experience, so I'm not sure if you will fit the amount of experience they are seeking" WTF, could she not have checked it when its clearly written in my CV before calling me?

[sgxluk]

Ah well yes, they're quite happy sending out emails with gigs that dont even match ones skillset & being over-familiar.On the rare occasion you reply saying "Yes, lets do it" then they're not to fond of email. Strange beings!

[Contreras]

Is it just me, or have agents become more reluctant recently to deal with everyone by email & put things in writing?

It must be just you. Today's total here was 10 unsolicited emails* for new contract roles, 1 missed phone call and a follow up text message. They must all be just waking up after the New Year.

* personalised with first name in the email body (except the one below), I do wonder if they have automated spam engines to take care of that now as it seems more common.

This was my fav.:

Subject: CV through LinkedIn

Hello

I found your CV through LinkedIn but unfortunately I am unable to load a PDF on to are database, would it be possible for you to send me a word doc?

Kind Regards
Natalie

Miss, excuse me? Do I know you?

[Contreras]

I agree. They always call me, I even got a phone call from one last night at 9PM telling me about a role, I agreed a rate with them and asked them to send me the Job spec, they said they sent it but I didn't receive it. I also prefer being contacted via email rather than phone as they call at odd times.

Had you not agreed a rate do you think it would have been more likely, or less likely, to receive a follow up email?

[Zero Liability]

It's because they're all congenital liars.

And/or stupid.

[DirtyDog]

I suppose this proves they don't read the bloody CV either because in big red letters at the top under the phone number it says "Please email in the first instance"! OK we're assuming they can read I guess....

Maybe they just ignore bad grammar?

[sgxluk]

Sure as hell glad I'm not the only one who this really gets up the nose of!

Yeah, its difficult getting any *.agent to commit to writing & the more you deal with them by email the more upset they seem to get.

I suppose this proves they don't read the bloody CV either because in big red letters at the top under the phone number it says "Please email in the first instance"! OK we're assuming they can read I guess....

[quackhandle]

In writing? You ask too much, getting a call after submitting CV is difficult enough.

qh

[GillsMan]

It's because they're all congenital liars.

Same with anyone with the word "agent" in their job title - see estate agents, letting agents as well as recruitment agents. Trying to get any of them to back up the bs they spout in writing is often an exercise in futility.

NB - this is a huge generalisation, and I have worked with lots of decent recruitment agents, a handful of decent estate agents, and an even smaller proportion of decent letting agents.

[GreyWolf]

It's because they're all congenital liars.

[Old Greg]

But the agent now knows the going rate for that role so not totally pointless.

And he's phoned the OP's current client to say he understands the OP is leaving and he has some cracking CVs for the new vacancy.

[cojak]

I agree. They always call me, I even got a phone call from one last night at 9PM telling me about a role, I agreed a rate with them and asked them to send me the Job spec, they said they sent it but I didn't receive it. I also prefer being contacted via email rather than phone as they call at odd times.

But the agent now knows the going rate for that role so not totally pointless.

[Manz]

I agree. They always call me, I even got a phone call from one last night at 9PM telling me about a role, I agreed a rate with them and asked them to send me the Job spec, they said they sent it but I didn't receive it. I also prefer being contacted via email rather than phone as they call at odd times.

[sgxluk]

Is it just me, or have agents become more reluctant recently to deal with everyone by email & put things in writing?

Not sure about anyone else but I find that email is a more efficient way of dealing with them because I dont have to stop my day for a phone call (a mono task), the contents of which could, invariably, have been imparted just as effectively by email (which I can check when I am free).