Do Agencies rule your project?

[malvolio]

See, you do agree with me. Most agents don't actually do the job most clients think they do...


To be fair I know half a dozen agents reasonably well - certainly well enough to call up on spec - but if they ain't got the work, they're no use to me. Then again, I'm usually looking at the senior end of the market these days, I knew I should have stuck to sysadmin work!

[DodgyAgent]

The art of networking

It is astonishing that so many agents are so complacent as to not try and meet contractors. Networking is the single most effective way of getting business. One solid week of going out and spending as much time as possible with contractors would yield huge amounts of information and opportunities (unless you are a complete jerk of course which is probably why agents do not do this).

The cynical use of totty to do this is probably the most effective way of doing business there is. If the totty has brains or works with someone with the better communication skills then even better.

The problem is that recruitment agents are made to make 50 calls a day to gain references and information without properly working on developing relationships with people. They end up bludgeoning their way to get business and thus p*****g people off on the way. Instead they should be looking to build relationships with as many people as possible before blagging the information.

It is hard work and I do not do it anymore, but I am sure that if I got myself out into the bars around canary wharf and other contractor hotspots (armed with cash of course ) my time would be better spent than sitting here writing (and reading ) crap on this board.

[minsky1]

I have never used an agency in the past to recruit, and will never use one in the future to recruit.

Saw how bad the whole experience is from being pimped by them........

Anyway, why use a middle man when you can open up your own jobswerve account and post your own adverts?

[Let-Me-In]

Not always, I have a large memory bank of my own of contractors that I have met over the years who I just know will do a good job. I also know that they will come to me if they have requirements. Anyway I am busy working on Churchill's requirements

I have never met any of my pimps...I admit that one guy was killed in a hit and run but that ad nothing to do with my rate...honest!!!

[DodgyAgent]

Dress it how you like, agences see contractors as a commodity, not a service provider.

Not always, I have a large memory bank of my own of contractors that I have met over the years who I just know will do a good job. I also know that they will come to me if they have requirements. Anyway I am busy working on Churchill's requirements

[malvolio]

Ok, so as a hiring manager that must stick to the PSL, who has control over what CV's are put forward to me?

I agree totally. DA may be the shining exception, but 90% of the CVs that come my way are the first three that meet the criteria: I've even been in the position where I've asked someone to apply for a role that I know they can do through the PSL route and not seen his CV on my desk although I've have seen a dozen inferior ones.

The problem is that there are always too many applicants, and despite everyone's best efforts, good CVs will get lost in the noise. Secondly most agents don't know their contractors and don't actively sell them - although I've been approached for roles by agencies, it's always been on the back of a CV search rather than any knowledge that Malvolio is the right man for the job.

Dress it how you like, agences see contractors as a commodity, not a service provider.

[Let-Me-In]

Not called "DA enterprises" are they perchance?

If they are then I have allowed standards to slip

No, I would never trust an agency that had DA at the start.....

[DodgyAgent]

I have to admit that I have come across 1 very good agency. Although a small outfit Fuel Recruitment were very good and, dare I say, honest...

There are probably more but the names escape me at the mo...

Not called "DA enterprises" are they perchance?

If they are then I have allowed standards to slip

[Let-Me-In]

I have to admit that I have come across 1 very good agency. Although a small outfit Fuel Recruitment were very good and, dare I say, honest...

There are probably more but the names escape me at the mo...

[Old Greg]

They cause no trouble to my end client here. Some of the worse ones cause trouble for the contractors, but I've got myself a good agency.

[Let-Me-In]

OK let us put this to the test. Much of the whingeing that goes off on this site suggests that agencies are all powerful and control the decisions that hiring managers make with regards to the sort of contractors that they hire.

My own view is that we are just not that important.

Ok, so as a hiring manager that must stick to the PSL, who has control over what CV's are put forward to me?

[DodgyAgent]

OK let us put this to the test. Much of the whingeing that goes off on this site suggests that agencies are all powerful and control the decisions that hiring managers make with regards to the sort of contractors that they hire.

My own view is that we are just not that important.