Interview with SAONGROUP this week

MarkHobBray1977

Anyone working there or know of the company ...?

AARRRGH

I know them quite well. They own Irishjobs.ie and Jobs.ie, as well as things like "Candidate Manager" and international recruitment sites.

Owned by Denis O'Brien.

Is it a sales type position you're going for?

MarkHobBray1977

hi there.....Its a sales manager role

AARRRGH

For one of their Irish recruitment websites?

They use a cold calling operation, where they go through adverts in the newspaper, and adverts on rival job websites trying to sign up new customers.

They have people assigned to different industries, e.g. two sales people who only handle hotels, one sales person who handles the health industry (gyms/beauticians) etc.

They each have a daily target for the amount of calls they make, and a monthly sales target.

The recruitment industry is currently dead, HOWEVER the selling point of Jobs.ie/Irishjobs.ie etc. is they are much cheaper to use than a recruitment agency. For example, hiring one software developer via a recruitment agency might cost you 25k, whereas having a job advert for a software developer on Jobs.ie for one year might only cost you 1k. So in these recessionary times, using a jobsite makes a lot more sense than using a recruitment agency.

If you want to PM me the name of the particular website you'll be the manager for, I might be able to tell you more specific information.

MarkHobBray1977

Thats fantastic....thank you for the insight....Its actually for one of their foreign call centres ..... Really appreciate that reply !!!!

syncrosystem

I worked with IrishJobs.ie until last year. It's a good place to work - friendly and open people and a lot of laughs. But they work very hard. Is the job you are going for in Ireland or abroad?

MarkHobBray1977

its abroad ...

AARRRGH

No prob.

Note the sales people are actally "account managers" so they manage their existing customers as well, whether that be renewing contracts, helping them write better job adverts, or placing their job adverts online for them. (The employers can place the job adverts online themselves too.)

Read up on candidate manager and things like http://www.erecruit.ie/

MarkHobBray1977

again , much obliged ...... very helpful....

Ill drop a line tomorrow after the interview as some " feedback" to how it went

syncrosystem

Just had a look at their website. China?

It will be intense, but they have been operating in China for a couple of years and I think they are pretty well established there by now. Not an easy role, but could be exciting

MarkHobBray1977

yeah ... I have been let go , and thinking of taking the opportunity to work and see other countries..... Looking forward to the interview

flash harry

AARRRGH wrote: »

The recruitment industry is currently dead, HOWEVER the selling point of Jobs.ie/Irishjobs.ie etc. is they are much cheaper to use than a recruitment agency. For example, hiring one software developer via a recruitment agency might cost you 25k, whereas having a job advert for a software developer on Jobs.ie for one year might only cost you 1k. So in these recessionary times, using a jobsite makes a lot more sense than using a recruitment agency.

ah come on now - up to €25K for a SW developer, jeez dont send they guy to an interview with that BS cause it suits your side of the recruitment fence. Your implying a €250K plus salary there........(and Im being conservative with my 10%)

AARRRGH

flash harry wrote: »

ah come on now - up to €25K for a SW developer, jeez dont send they guy to an interview with that BS cause it suits your side of the recruitment fence. Your implying a €250K plus salary there........(and Im being conservative with my 10%)

Agencies were quoting me 30%. That can easily be 25k for a developer.

I'm not anti recruitment agency, I'm just telling you what I've been quoted.

flash harry

AARRRGH wrote: »

Agencies were quoting me 30%. That can easily be 25k for a developer.

I'm not anti recruitment agency, I'm just telling you what I've been quoted.

why are you using recruitment agencies?

AARRRGH

flash harry wrote: »

why are you using recruitment agencies?

I have a day job. I can't force them to use job boards.

MarkHobBray1977

Interview went fine...Apart from my CV dates being messed up ...schoolboy error , but it happens

Strangely though , the interviewer knew I had been on Boards.ie asking about the role ??? ,....... Not really too happy about that , and am emailing the boards.ie team........

mad eh?

herya

MarkHobBray1977 wrote: »

Interview went fine...Apart from my CV dates being messed up ...schoolboy error , but it happens

Strangely though , the interviewer knew I had been on Boards.ie asking about the role ??? ,....... Not really too happy about that , and am emailing the boards.ie team........

mad eh?

Well you've basically given your first and possibly second name as well as your DOB and address in your username... still surprised?

MarkHobBray1977

if they were my real names and DOB , no......

flash harry

MarkHobBray1977 wrote: »

if they were my real names and DOB , no......

well at least you were researching them.....

and come on now you gave this morning, the china market, the job - hardly Sherlock Holmes your interviewer, max they'd be doin 4 IVs and may have said it to all.........and thats before we go with more than likely a Mark somewhere in your name and bray someowhere in an address or school address

would not see it as a problem

MarkHobBray1977

ah i agree,,,by no means the end of the earth at all

i just found it quite unprofessional on their part....literally 1st thing said to me " see you were on boards.ie asking about us"...

It made me feel uneasy even though I had no reason too..

suppose its funny now I look at it

anyway....just thought Id share

flash harry

i take it you didnt get it OR dont want it from that reply - keeping in mind they may also read that?

MarkHobBray1977

not at all...very interested...I havent written anything I would not say in person to them.....

Apart from that , a great interview and company too

Otis Driftwood

TBH if that happened to me Id be fcuking raging.Very unprofessional of the interviewer to mention anything to you that has no bearing on your application,the job or your ability to do the job.

EORaghallaigh

i would say the fact that you were doing research on the company prior to the interview would have made a very good impression on the interviewer - shows initiative...