Reply to: Is it wrong to discriminate against Indian Recruitment Agents?

[SueEllen]

SB have you ever tried to interract with another human outside of the internet? Give it a try and ruin someone's day

Don't be cruel.

Mind you I know a few kids he could look after

[DodgyAgent]

Oh stop it....stop it!!!!!

SB have you ever tried to interract with another human outside of the internet? Give it a try and ruin someone's day

[shaunbhoy]

I don't think that the subtleties of human interraction in the negotiating process

Oh stop it....stop it!!!!!

[DodgyAgent]

What can you do that one of AtW's agent bots couldn't?

It's rare, in my industry at least, that extensive negotiation is required to secure a contract as most (if not all) of the terms are set in stone and only the rate is negotiable. If the contractor doesn't agree/fit the terms the agent finds someone else instead of negotiating term changes that involve/affect the client.

As for the rate, usually the client has a price they're willing to pay and the contractor has a price they're willing to work for. The primary role of the agent is to prise apart those two figures as much as possible and call it their hard earned cut.

It is not really as simple as that. For a start if the agent tries to screw the contractor too hard and the contractor walks away from the deal it is most unlikely that the "alternative contractor" will be from the same agency. So the agent needs to be careful.

[PAH]

There are a lot of idiots out there that seem to think that recruitment can be turned into a process.

What can you do that one of AtW's agent bots couldn't?

It's rare, in my industry at least, that extensive negotiation is required to secure a contract as most (if not all) of the terms are set in stone and only the rate is negotiable. If the contractor doesn't agree/fit the terms the agent finds someone else instead of negotiating term changes that involve/affect the client.

As for the rate, usually the client has a price they're willing to pay and the contractor has a price they're willing to work for. The primary role of the agent is to prise apart those two figures as much as possible and call it their hard earned cut.

[2BIT]

I once took a call from an Indian agent and quoted my lowest rate for a job; £300/day. They said their client would pay up to £200/day, yet they really sounded crestfallen.
I almost felt sorry for them.

It's almost like a schoolkid who phones up a TV company wanting them to put an advert on for a tenner, only to be told it'll cost something like £20000...

well they've tried to undercut the market rate and failed so they would be crestfallen, the only way they are going to get these contracts in the first place is telling the clients they can get the work done for £x which is always under the market rate - I wouldn't feel sorry for them though

[DodgyAgent]

So look forward to 'Tatty Recruitment agents' taking most of the market.

We perform all your recruitment doings!

The fortresses that are going up to "protect" HR, managers and executives from being called by recruitment agencies are formidable. Agencies on the BP PSL are not allowed to have any direct contact with line managers and there are many more large companies doing likewise. Business units at companies such as National Grid are forbidden from saying anything to a recruitment agent. So the suppliers might as well be in Timbuktu. Of course this only works when there is a plentiful supply, but the market for contractors has been so heavily weighted in favour of the clients now for so long we have to roll with it.

[vetran]

So look forward to 'Tatty Recruitment agents' taking most of the market.

We perform all your recruitment doings!

[DodgyAgent]

I ignore all agents that I'm not in a current contract with, whether it be by fax, email, or phone call.

If I'm looking for work I'll contact them. They soon forget how evasive I've been when they have a suitable vacancy on their books for me.

Experience has taught me that in at least 90% of cases being cold contacted by an agent is a waste of my time. Usually they are on CV harvesting or lead generating fishing trips. Then you've got those thinking I'd be interested in jumping ship for no significant advantage.

Only time a cold contact from an agent is worthwhile is when I'm between contracts and actively looking for a new one.

There are a lot of idiots out there that seem to think that recruitment can be turned into a process. It is true that certain functions in the recruitment process can be outsourced efficiently but I don't think that the subtleties of human interraction in the negotiating process can be as effective if they are being partly conducted from another country with an entirely different culture. Unless the market is very much a buyers market, or the home grown recruitment agents are absolutely crap

[PAH]

I ignore all agents that I'm not in a current contract with, whether it be by fax, email, or phone call.

If I'm looking for work I'll contact them. They soon forget how evasive I've been when they have a suitable vacancy on their books for me.

Experience has taught me that in at least 90% of cases being cold contacted by an agent is a waste of my time. Usually they are on CV harvesting or lead generating fishing trips. Then you've got those thinking I'd be interested in jumping ship for no significant advantage.

Only time a cold contact from an agent is worthwhile is when I'm between contracts and actively looking for a new one.

[KentPhilip]

I once took a call from an Indian agent and quoted my lowest rate for a job; £300/day. They said their client would pay up to £200/day, yet they really sounded crestfallen.
I almost felt sorry for them.

It's almost like a schoolkid who phones up a TV company wanting them to put an advert on for a tenner, only to be told it'll cost something like £20000...

[Troll]

if an agent with a proper indian accent calls me I put the phone down

why,

do I seriously believe they will pay or there won't be further problems down the line - no

having worked with them, I wouldn't trust them as an agency

Milan.

WMS+1

[shaunbhoy]

Is it wrong to discriminate against Indian Recruitment Agents?

Yes.
That is why I ignore all Indian Recruitment Agents, lock, stock, and barrel.
Can't be accused of discrimination then.

HTH

[milanbenes]

if an agent with a proper indian accent calls me I put the phone down

why,

do I seriously believe they will pay or there won't be further problems down the line - no

having worked with them, I wouldn't trust them as an agency

Milan.

[pmeswani]

I think that would be 'discrimination against crap rates' would it not ?

The discrimination against crap rates appear to occur before they tell me the rate. I have also identified that if some agent calls from an 0203 number, the chances are that they are calling from a Skype Number and are more likely to be an Indian Agent.... not necessarily from the same agency. Often or not, I appear to be right.