Recruitment Agencies: Experiences

th3 s1aught3r

I am dealing with some agencies at the moment and have dealt with them in the past. I have to say I have rarely had a positive experience with them. I find that they try to push jobs that may not suit me and often advertise non existant jobs to harvest CV's . At the end of the day they are paid by the recruiter and work on commission so why would they have any interest in my needs ?
I would also question the knowledge of the 'recruitment specialists' you deal with about the particular skills and expertise of your industry
I am wondering if ye guys have had good experiences with them and maybe I have just been unlucky ??

Biggins

I generally found that a lot of them suck big time.

alwaysadub

I got a job out of one about 9 years ago, but after another sending me to a interview for the wrong career, and me not realising till half way through the interview,making me look like a complete fool, i give them a wide berth now.
Most of them are only in it for the money and don't give a fcuk where you end up or what type of job you actually want or are qualified for.

flyton5

They promised me and my family a better life in Ireland. I should've realised something was up when they put me in the container.

Anyway I pole dance from 10.20 to 10.30 and 11.00 to 11.10. I'm available for private dances...

CreepingDeath

It's been a while since I used them, but you have to realise that their client is the employer and not you. Each job they force someone into is another commission for them.

They view people looking for jobs as tetris pieces and try throwing them into positions as quickly as possible.

Biggins

flyton5 wrote: »

...Anyway I pole dance from 10.20 to 10.30 and 11.00 to 11.10. I'm available for private dances...

Your Tina Turner? Aren't you a bit old to be still doing that?

prinz

After getting sent to a number of interviews, all of which turned out to be for a 'job' in some sort of pyramid scheme in the 'marketing' industry, I swore of agencies.

flyton5

Biggins wrote: »

Your Tina Turner? Aren't you a bit old to be still doing that?

Тина Тернер is my dancing name actually...

Mr Benevolent

I actually have an interview tomorrow. Not a recruitment agency interview either. Can't believe it, a real job exists!

thebigbiffo

Confab wrote: »

I actually have an interview tomorrow. Not a recruitment agency interview either. Can't believe it, a real job exists!

get in there, beat the recession!

Tranceypoo

Recruitment agencies & HR depts/people are right up there on my list of pointless things in life

Sykk

Confab wrote: »

I actually have an interview tomorrow. Not a recruitment agency interview either. Can't believe it, a real job exists!

Good luck!

starbelgrade

Confab wrote: »

I actually have an interview tomorrow. Not a recruitment agency interview either. Can't believe it, a real job exists!

There's jobs out there... I know a few people who are having serious hassle trying to get people to work for them - OK, so they aren't the best, or best paid jobs in the world, but there's a lot of people passing up on jobs because they couldn't be arsed working.

(I don't mean you!)

thebigbiffo

starbelgrade wrote: »

There's jobs out there... I know a few people who are having serious hassle trying to get people to work for them - OK, so they aren't the best, or best paid jobs in the world, but there's a lot of people passing up on jobs because they couldn't be arsed working.

(I don't mean you!)

i recently told a mate of mine who's on the dole that my dad's company got a contract for a job and would probably be hiring lads with experience like his of he wanted me to have a word. that piece of wonderul news was greeted with a non-commital shrug of the shoudlers and a barely audible grunt as he continued washing glasses in the pub he's working in (for cash) while beginning to complain about how little sleep he'll get that night as he's up to go working on a site (for cash) in the morning...

this, ladies and gentlemen, is why the country's ****ed.

orourkeda

They're ok when things are going fantastically but absolutely sh*te when you need them the most

Luxie

I've met very few, if any, that weren't all about the commission.

ClutchIt

alwaysadub wrote: »

I got a job out of one about 9 years ago, but after another sending me to a interview for the wrong career, and me not realising till half way through the interview,making me look like a complete fool, i give them a wide berth now.
All of them are only in it for the money and don't give a fcuk where you end up or what type of job you actually want or are qualified for.

FYP!

Can't stand recruitment companies

Sheeps

Wow its almost as if there's a specific forum and thread for this somewhere else on this website.

Sean^DCT4

Based on my experiences with them I consider any of the ones I have dealt with completely rubbish.

Their method towards recruits seems to be quantity not quality. i.e. sending completely under experienced candidates for more experienced roles.

I don't know of anyone in line of work (software development) that has had good experiences dealing with them.

Luxie

An exflatmate of mine used to work in recruitment agencies. From her experience at least, it seems it's a b1tchy line of work.

biko

I've only used two, both were good imo.

bonerm

They are probably the most useless shower of shysters out there. A completely irrelevant industry who no doubt could have single handedly filled Golgafrinchan Ark Fleet Ship B.

Parasites on your paycheck.

Sykk

thebigbiffo wrote: »

i recently told a mate of mine who's on the dole that my dad's company got a contract for a job and would probably be hiring lads with experience like his of he wanted me to have a word. that piece of wonderul news was greeted with a non-commital shrug of the shoudlers and a barely audible grunt as he continued washing glasses in the pub he's working in (for cash) while beginning to complain about how little sleep he'll get that night as he's up to go working on a site (for cash) in the morning...

this, ladies and gentlemen, is why the country's ****ed.

Just because your mate is a dumb ass doesn't mean everyone else is. There have always been people like this, even when the celtic tiger was in full swing.

readyletsgo

During the boom years I went to them and got loads of jobs because I just wanted any type of job and didnt mind what it was, some I stayed with after a 2 week contract finished for a year or so, others I left and went back to the agency for another job. Agencies were great back then then, but now.... A friend of mine is lookin for work the past few weeks, she doesnt mind what job she gets but she finds the agenicies are being extremely picky/pushy and sending her to any aul interview just to see if she will take it so thay can get their commission really.

So in the boom they were great but now, i wouldn't think so.

starlit

I've only ever had negative experiences with them. Nothing good has come of them when it has come to job hunting for me. Its a pure marketing ploy and often wonder do they know anything about the industry you are trying to find work in. Its a pain trying to deal with them at all. They never do anything in good faith if you ask me. I've tried to ignore them as best I can, I think getting in contact directly with a company you are interested in job with that the company itself adverstise is the way to go, at least you know when it comes to recruitment they are more genuine!

longhalloween

While I was in college I got a call from one of them who saw my cv online (looking for part-time work).

Went all the way to Sandyford to meet with them and they told me that they didnt actually take students and was shown the door.

Useless for me...

th3 s1aught3r

I cannot understand why any company with a HR department would want to use a recruitment agency. It seems like a pointless waste of money unless you need something very specific and are finding it hard to find them

PeterIanStaker

thebigbiffo wrote: »

get in there, beat the recession!

Good luck hope u get it.

PeterIanStaker

I'm signed up to a few of them, and they send me non - matching and possibly nonexistent jobs.

Luxie

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

I cannot understand why any company with a HR department would want to use a recruitment agency. It seems like a pointless waste of money unless you need something very specific and are finding it hard to find them

Well I'm merely in admin, but it seemed an expensive way of ascertaining if I could type/use a computer and such like.

NothingMan

Used one once, set up 2 interviews, went for the first, got the job, there over 4 years. Can't complain.

Jumpy

biko wrote: »

I've only used two, both were good imo.

This thread is about Recruitment Agencies, not condoms.


OH YEAH.


*high fives*

Son Of A Vidic

Generally sh1te talking gob$hites!

fontanalis

They really are only as good as the jobs they have on offer. i've met a mixture, some good who ahve actually read your cv and listen to what you're looking for and won't pester you with sh1t and others whoa sk questions they should have known the answer to if they read your cv and annoy you with jobs you said you wanted to avoid. I'd say some people made a killing int he recruitment industry for a while but I heard it can turn people into d1cks overnight.

fat__tony

Waste.of space. 99% of them

I have got more success in the past year applying to companies direct.

1≠1

Just out of college and I get this agents contact off a friend who had already found a job saying that she needs people from my area so I email her and she contacts me straight away which was near 7pm asking me if I was interested in a job I had already applied for. Cant remember what exactly she said to me but it was something like oh if I had applied for you I could of gotten it straight to the person doing the recruiting. Obviously that would have happened with or with out her ended up having an interview with that company without her help but didnt get the job.

She rang me up with another job asking if I was interested and I was so she asked me to come down and see her (costing me €25) only for her to say that I wouldnt be getting an interview with that place. Think she felt bad for making me travel all that way so she gave me a list of companies to apply to.

I gave her one of my friends details who has better grades then me and she has gotten him 6 interviews to date while I havent heard from her in weeks and I never got one interview off her.

Had one agent ring me up after finding my CV online and asking me if I was interested in a role that I have some experience in so apply only to find the job on a website saying no recruitment agents, that I need a cover letter which I didnt have and I need 5 years experience :rolleyes:

Shenshen

th3 s1aught3r wrote: »

I am dealing with some agencies at the moment and have dealt with them in the past. I have to say I have rarely had a positive experience with them. I find that they try to push jobs that may not suit me and often advertise non existant jobs to harvest CV's . At the end of the day they are paid by the recruiter and work on commission so why would they have any interest in my needs ?
I would also question the knowledge of the 'recruitment specialists' you deal with about the particular skills and expertise of your industry
I am wondering if ye guys have had good experiences with them and maybe I have just been unlucky ??

I've had different experiences with different agencies.
I worked for one temping for a big company in Dublin, and they started out ok. they turned into an absolute nightmare when they outsourced their payroll department... the hassle I had with them was utterly unbelievable.

I temped with another one when I first came to Cork, and they were very decent indeed, professional, timely and helpful.

Right now, I'm slightly annoyed with a lot of them since I keep receiving job offers on the phone and via email, despite taking my CV off all online job sites, and telling them at every call that I don't want any further calls from them....

ToxicPaddy

99% are a joke.. they are a complete waste of time and really dont know how to do their job correctly, its a type of sales job and nothing else despite what most tell you..

They place people, the company get a fee for doing this, the agent get a commission if they meet their targets..

A certain type of person is required to do that job and if you find the right one, they do it well.. and there are a few good ones out there..

The latest is a job I saw advertised online, it stated the country it was located in and nothing more, I called the agent, asked if he could narrow it down a little as to what part of the country, it doesn't have to be the exact location, just a region and explained my reason as I had friends living there and somewhere near that area would be preferred.. he refused.. unless I send in a CV he won't give me any details. I tried to explain again, he just blanked me on the phone..

Grand so, gave him a brief description of my experience, 90% of what was in the job spec and then informed I wont be sending you in my CV.. makes me wonder if the job really exists in the first place :rolleyes:

Great first impression mate, I certainly wont be recommending you to anyone.. idiot :rolleyes:

jackal

As an IT graduate I signed up with a recruitment agent to find me a first "proper" job. Went in, had the chat, blah blah, they had a good idea what I was looking for.

Got a call a week later. Would you like to come in, we might have something for you. Brilliant! Threw on the suit and headed down there.

When I got in it turned out the job they had in mind was standing in the Dart station at rush hour handing out flyers for the recruitment agency. Talk about crushing a guys ego. I was too young to have had the balls to tell them to go f*ck themselves in plain english, so I politely declined and never darkened their doors again.

Ironman76

This time last year I was starting my last year of my honours degree (part time). I sent my CV into an agency (November 2009) and then got a call (December) basically asking me questions about the type of role I want etc and when do I finish college etc. I was working at the time but very unhappy in my job.

Four months later (April 2010) got a call out of the blue from same agent saying he has found a suitable role for me if I am interested and asking how I was getting on in college etc. Got put forward for the interview. I didnt have any experience for the type of role but I was given great coaching beforehand by the agent. Got called to second interview and got the job. Over the moon etc. Two months into the role I got a call asking how I was getting on etc. Have to say it changed my whole perspective of recruitment agents. Used to think they were nothing but a shower of scumbags (from experience).

I think it all boils down to quality. A generally good agency will have good recruitment agents. I had dealings with them before and although they had nothing for me they did always keep in touch to see what I was up to and updating my details etc. They did send me to one or two interviews over the years, and though I didnt get the jobs they were jobs I was suited for at least (instead of just sending me to any interview they could find).

5 months here now and I like my job and getting great experience.