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My current job hunt has been an eye opener. I've been staggered by the appalling customer service (if you can call it that!) I've received from consultants at recruitment agencies.
The worst example came from an agency where I was actually being interviewed by one of their clients. The first inkling of a slack attitude was when the consultant told me I had a phone interview the next day. This was fine, I knew it was coming and was prepared. What I wasn't prepared for was the client actually expecting to meet me in person that day. The agent said he'd got confused between me and another candidate!
If it hadn't been for the client being snowed in and him calling me to apologise that he couldn't make it I would have been discredited in the eyes of the client. Luckily we talked on the phone and that counted as my interview. When I pointed this out to the agent he laughed and said he was glad it worked out OK!
Amazingly I got a second interview with the client (I only found out when I called the agency and the consultant admitted that he'd meant to phone two days before and tell me about it).
a week having my phone calls ignored
The interview went well and I was told I'd get feedback after the other interviews were completed. After a week or so of hearing nothing and having my phone calls ignored I finally got hold of my consultant. Again, he told me that he'd meant to get in touch with me a few days before! He then informed me that the client had taken an internal candidate for the position but would like to talk to me about another possible position available in the near future. I was staggered, was he really so busy every second of the day that he couldn't find a minute to pass that information on? It's hard enough looking for work without having your recruitment consultant making you look unprofessional.
Is this really the best level of customer service we can expect from agencies? I hope we will start to see more innovative recruitment practices. Maybe these practices will start to cut out the expensive and unprofessional recruitment agencies that seem to be everywhere. Agencies need to start to earn their money by offering a professional service to clients and the candidates they rely on. Otherwise their days maybe numbered.
By: Nichole Campbell
www.weprefer.wordpress.com
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You (candidates) do not pay a penny to Recruitment Agencies for their services, so you cannot expect them to spend their time working with you to find you a job. We find candidates for clients, not the other way around.
Yeah right, without us (candidates) you are nothing!! You want us to give you reasons why we don't want to proceed with a job, why should we, when you can't even be asked to provide feedback
26/11/13 Robbie
Yeah right, without us (candidates) you are nothing!! You want us to give you reasons why we don't want to proceed with a job, why should we, when you can't even be asked to provide feedback
0
Recruitment consultants just want sales leads when they ask for two references, before you have even secured an interview, never supply these. My other gripes are they expect you to justify why you should be put forward, I thought that was their job! The least they can do is provide feedback even if it is a straight no.
26/11/13 Tudo
0
There is a little 'scam' at play with recruitment agencies that you need to be aware of.
I have a couple of friends who are in recruitment who have let me in on their dirty little secret. If they have a role and a great candidate they will try and take other suitable candidates out of the market. They will ask you to confirm that they are the company to submit you for the role and then do nothing. You don't talk to other agencies about the role as you are led to believe that you have already been submitted and to be represented by somebody else is very bad. The problem is that you haven't been submitted at all but you are out of the market and their candidate is safe.
This is more prevelent than I thought so now I ask them first, in writing, to confirm that they will definitely be submitting me for the role. if they don't come back to you there is all probability that you have a scam at play. At random now I check with the end-client that my CV has been submitted and if not, the agency typically gets dropped.
04/09/13 HR-Scam-at-Play
I have a couple of friends who are in recruitment who have let me in on their dirty little secret. If they have a role and a great candidate they will try and take other suitable candidates out of the market. They will ask you to confirm that they are the company to submit you for the role and then do nothing. You don't talk to other agencies about the role as you are led to believe that you have already been submitted and to be represented by somebody else is very bad. The problem is that you haven't been submitted at all but you are out of the market and their candidate is safe.
This is more prevelent than I thought so now I ask them first, in writing, to confirm that they will definitely be submitting me for the role. if they don't come back to you there is all probability that you have a scam at play. At random now I check with the end-client that my CV has been submitted and if not, the agency typically gets dropped.
-3
Recruitment Consultants are not there to help the Jobseeker, they are essentially all businesses. If you say no to a role they think matches your skills, you will not hear from them again! Do not tell them all the other agencies you have applied to either. Believe it or not but I'll say it again . . . WE (the jobseeker) are NOT their client. If they do not get back to you, it is because they have got someone else in. In that respect, we will never have the level of professionalism we need from these people despite the fact that without candidates, they would not have a sodding job. I think the ''consultant'' part of the role needs to be dropped because they do NOT consult any sodding one!
22/02/13 sweet2def
-9
I am a recruitment consultant, I work independently. The reason for working independently is due to the fact that I was increasingly uncomfortable with the borderline unethical practices that I was asked to carry out; invent candidate profiles to win business, "spec out" (speculatively distribute) a candidates CV to various clients without their full knowledge, delay feedback to candidates etc etc. There was a massive emphasis on volume, which brings its obvious drawbacks, and of course, talking candidates in to jobs that you know are not going to be suitable.
I agree that the comment ''We find candidates for clients, not the other way around.'' is idiotic, it completely misses the point. You are supposed to consult with your candidate, why dismiss someone because they are not right for that specific job?! Where is the desire to help, where is the entrepreneurialism to network, go to your client base and find (shock horror) that person a job!!! It can only add to your credibility, you help someone, get paid for it and potentially open up a new opportunity with a new client. There is very little thought, very quick and often inaccurate judgement and an inability to look past the latest job when reviewing someone's CV. Also I reply to all applications that are made, even those that are not right for the job, and I am shocked at how many people actually write back and thank me for taking the time to do so – what does that say about the industry?
27/06/12 eck
I agree that the comment ''We find candidates for clients, not the other way around.'' is idiotic, it completely misses the point. You are supposed to consult with your candidate, why dismiss someone because they are not right for that specific job?! Where is the desire to help, where is the entrepreneurialism to network, go to your client base and find (shock horror) that person a job!!! It can only add to your credibility, you help someone, get paid for it and potentially open up a new opportunity with a new client. There is very little thought, very quick and often inaccurate judgement and an inability to look past the latest job when reviewing someone's CV. Also I reply to all applications that are made, even those that are not right for the job, and I am shocked at how many people actually write back and thank me for taking the time to do so – what does that say about the industry?
3
Regarding RECRUITER's comment ''We find candidates for clients, not the other way around.''
That's precisely the snotty unprofessional warped mindset of most recruiters out there and the reason why you have such a 'great' reputation.
It is of course true that the client pays your agency a percentage of the employee's annual and the recruiter gets a peanuts percentage cut of that.
But never forget that without the jobseeker you are nothing !
Get the client/candidate ballance right and start to care for both of them and your reputation might get better some day.
21/02/12 LondonJobHunter
That's precisely the snotty unprofessional warped mindset of most recruiters out there and the reason why you have such a 'great' reputation.
It is of course true that the client pays your agency a percentage of the employee's annual and the recruiter gets a peanuts percentage cut of that.
But never forget that without the jobseeker you are nothing !
Get the client/candidate ballance right and start to care for both of them and your reputation might get better some day.
3
I was made redundant in april 2011 and have had 3 experiences with recruitment agencies. the first one asked me for my referees contact details when I applied for a position. they then sent a large amount of cvs to my referees on my recommendation! when I tried to get hold of the agency the consutant was always in a meeting. then I was informed that I hadn't got an interview with said company. I decided to call the agencys bluff and contacted the client company to ask them not to keep my details on file, to my surprise they told me they never had them or that no vacancy existed. they also informed me that they had also had a few problems with the same agency. professional or what!
second agency again asked me to supply refs even though they couldn't supply me with a job spec. I refused so they didn't put me forward.
third agency gave me too many details about a post for a production manager in vaccine production, I told the consultant I wasn't interested and then just sent a cv to company on spec.
im now a production manager in vaccine production yes the job I wasn't interested in and I've even managed to convince my employer to stop using agencies anymore. I don't even take calls from them when they cold call. yes I know there are some very good agencies out there but not many! personally 90% of them are just a waste of sperm!
22/06/11 doc
second agency again asked me to supply refs even though they couldn't supply me with a job spec. I refused so they didn't put me forward.
third agency gave me too many details about a post for a production manager in vaccine production, I told the consultant I wasn't interested and then just sent a cv to company on spec.
im now a production manager in vaccine production yes the job I wasn't interested in and I've even managed to convince my employer to stop using agencies anymore. I don't even take calls from them when they cold call. yes I know there are some very good agencies out there but not many! personally 90% of them are just a waste of sperm!
-8
You (candidates) do not pay a penny to Recruitment Agencies for their services, so you cannot expect them to spend their time working with you to find you a job. We find candidates for clients, not the other way around.
I work in ski11ed permanent recruitment so cannot comment on the processes of fast-turnaround temp recruitment agencies but I find the arguments made below about unemployment being high equating to easy work for a recruiter completely ridiculous.
If someone is unemployed and has been for some time, chances are that they are unsuitably ski11ed for work in their desired industries, if the unemployed candidate is ski11ed, they are probably using the wrong agency (try using industry specific agencies instead of the generic high-street CV pushers).
I will make my main point again. We work for the client, not for you. This may sound harsh but that is how the industry work, providing a suitable client to satisfy the clients needs.
I can't think of any other free service (for candidates) that has a worse public image than the recruitment industry, I accept that there are a large number of bad agencies out there, the best way to avoid these is do some research and contact agencies that recruit specifically for your industry.
16/06/11 Recruiter
I work in ski11ed permanent recruitment so cannot comment on the processes of fast-turnaround temp recruitment agencies but I find the arguments made below about unemployment being high equating to easy work for a recruiter completely ridiculous.
If someone is unemployed and has been for some time, chances are that they are unsuitably ski11ed for work in their desired industries, if the unemployed candidate is ski11ed, they are probably using the wrong agency (try using industry specific agencies instead of the generic high-street CV pushers).
I will make my main point again. We work for the client, not for you. This may sound harsh but that is how the industry work, providing a suitable client to satisfy the clients needs.
I can't think of any other free service (for candidates) that has a worse public image than the recruitment industry, I accept that there are a large number of bad agencies out there, the best way to avoid these is do some research and contact agencies that recruit specifically for your industry.
17
Polster - that is a very good point, and one I totally agree with you on. the trouble with the Sales aspect of these agencies is that they have targets and targets is like war, it will have casualties - sadly agencies are geared toward the client and not candidate.
And MP once said to me that Recruitment agencies have done nothing to increase the amount of people into work, and this is due to cost - if anything recruitment agencies are replacing a function of HR.
The sales aspect of recruitment motivates agencies to fill the positions that can be resolved in hours if not days - Improving the service aspect of agencies will increase the amount of people they place as they can play the waiting game.
Service focused agencies will be better for the economy - and people opinion of a whole industry. IMHO.
21/03/11 Whistleblower
And MP once said to me that Recruitment agencies have done nothing to increase the amount of people into work, and this is due to cost - if anything recruitment agencies are replacing a function of HR.
The sales aspect of recruitment motivates agencies to fill the positions that can be resolved in hours if not days - Improving the service aspect of agencies will increase the amount of people they place as they can play the waiting game.
Service focused agencies will be better for the economy - and people opinion of a whole industry. IMHO.
-23
When you talk about "the best level of customer service we can expect from agencies" you have to remember you are not their customer. You don't pay anything for their services. The client/business is their customer.
Saying that I've dealt with some highly professional agencies and some unbelievably inept ones. I've also dealt with some professional plumbers and some inept ones, difference is I'm paying them so I expect a service. As it costs me nothing, I don't "expect" anything from an agency. When a consultant doesn't return your calls it's not because they don't care, it's simply because they have 100's of people on their books and do not physically have the time to speak to every candidate continually. They are commissionn based and focussed on making "sales". It's a business, not a service. All the best of good luck and don't ever take it personally. Ever.
17/03/11 Polster
Saying that I've dealt with some highly professional agencies and some unbelievably inept ones. I've also dealt with some professional plumbers and some inept ones, difference is I'm paying them so I expect a service. As it costs me nothing, I don't "expect" anything from an agency. When a consultant doesn't return your calls it's not because they don't care, it's simply because they have 100's of people on their books and do not physically have the time to speak to every candidate continually. They are commissionn based and focussed on making "sales". It's a business, not a service. All the best of good luck and don't ever take it personally. Ever.
-1
I feel sad that those in your shoes have had to go through what you did. It does not seem as if they cared a whit how you felt and whether you had been inconvenienced.
There has to be some sort of complaint bureau in the UK to shake these guys up, rattle them and get them in the media.
Too bad, too bad and I don't know what to say.
12/03/11 Sam, the Tiger
There has to be some sort of complaint bureau in the UK to shake these guys up, rattle them and get them in the media.
Too bad, too bad and I don't know what to say.
11
An agency once sent me to start a job that didn't exist, the employer told the agency they didn't want anyone to fill in whilst the full timer was away, but the agency tried their luck and sent me anyway, wasted my time and employers, I stormed back in their office and demanded my travel money back and told them what I thought of them. Never used them again.
11/03/11 Michelle
-2
Commendable, really, to be the modern Diogenes to honor the virtucratic principles of the protagonist. Yes, kudos to you.
I am like you for the proletariat of the masses in many ways but only to a point. I come first and my own family come first. We need the necessaries of life which some refer to as necessities.
It takes a heck of a lot to redress the failings of today's anomic society and every step up and forward is so Sisyphic as to be accompanied by five steps down and backward. Gawd, am I a cynic? Even Diogenes began to be contemptuous of human nature and motives in the end.
Seriously, WB, you have the physical and moral stamina to make a difference in someone's life now and then. Don't let me be a wet blanket. Whatever good you do, there will be just desserts at some point.
Good luck, and I mean the best of it too.
10/03/11 Sam, the Tiger
I am like you for the proletariat of the masses in many ways but only to a point. I come first and my own family come first. We need the necessaries of life which some refer to as necessities.
It takes a heck of a lot to redress the failings of today's anomic society and every step up and forward is so Sisyphic as to be accompanied by five steps down and backward. Gawd, am I a cynic? Even Diogenes began to be contemptuous of human nature and motives in the end.
Seriously, WB, you have the physical and moral stamina to make a difference in someone's life now and then. Don't let me be a wet blanket. Whatever good you do, there will be just desserts at some point.
Good luck, and I mean the best of it too.
-11
Hi Sam, the tiger. Interesting read, and that is the first time I have been called Altusitic.
I dont think I am giving a trade secret away, I feel I am making a stand point in an industry that weekly can make good things happen and infect a 10's of people from one person getting a job. But the sharkey shody practices of some recruitment firms - coupled with this "Wall Street" attitude is what takes away the service aspect, which I feel strongly about, as it gives you that Kudo's (American spelling) to grow a business.
For me personally I am going to focus on changing attitudes and minds in my industry - sadly I can't do it over night. Who knows, I may even start my own business and focus on service. Which I know for a fact makes 10 times more money and gives people what they want.
Sorry if that doesn't answer all your questions.
09/03/11 Whistle Blower
I dont think I am giving a trade secret away, I feel I am making a stand point in an industry that weekly can make good things happen and infect a 10's of people from one person getting a job. But the sharkey shody practices of some recruitment firms - coupled with this "Wall Street" attitude is what takes away the service aspect, which I feel strongly about, as it gives you that Kudo's (American spelling) to grow a business.
For me personally I am going to focus on changing attitudes and minds in my industry - sadly I can't do it over night. Who knows, I may even start my own business and focus on service. Which I know for a fact makes 10 times more money and gives people what they want.
Sorry if that doesn't answer all your questions.
-13
Robbie