Using recruitment agencies

Ficheall

I've only very recently started applying for any jobs that advertised via a recruitment agency, so I'm not sure what is and is not reasonable.



On Wednesday, I applied for a job on a recruiter's website, for a suitable role within a "STM publisher", sending my cover letter addressing the qualification criteria etc to the recruiter.
She got back to me on Thursday morning and it turned out that the company was actually a mathematical one (which my phd is in), and further, the main software I would be using is actually developed by the company I am currently working for, so I am already familiar with it.


She then sent me the actual application form for the job, which, while obviously the same job, had slightly different criteria in the person spec, laid out differently, etc. I am very tired of writing and tailoring cover letters for every individual job, and writing two different cover letters for the same job felt a bridge too far.



I queried the discrepancy with her, and she said by way of explanation that the company had tweaked the job description that afternoon (and thus, after she'd sent me the application form). Uninspired, I thanked her for her time, and just shot a speculative CV to the publishing company itself (to the person whose email was given on the application form which was provided).


So.. I guess I'm wondering...
A) Why can't recruiters just post the actual person criteria? I guess they are trying to encourage more people to apply, but.. ugh..

If a company only uses a recruiter for job applications (as far as I can tell, there is no other recommended avenue), are speculative CVs ill-advised?
C) Am I likely to have burnt my bridges for any further jobs advertised by this recruiter?
D) Did I do the wrong thing?

seamus

Ficheall wrote: »

A) Why can't recruiters just post the actual person criteria? I guess they are trying to encourage more people to apply, but.. ugh..

Yeah, they may be. She may also be telling the truth that the spec was changed after she got the application form. Or it may simply be an out-of-date application form and she wasn't bothered getting a new one.

I generally at this stage refuse to engage in this cover letter/questionnaire stuff through recruiters anymore. It's their job to sell me, that's how they earn their money. Writing covers letters and application forms is me doing their job for them. Take my CV, go to the company and convince them to give me an interview.

If a company only uses a recruiter for job applications (as far as I can tell, there is no other recommended avenue), are speculative CVs ill-advised?

No, with a "but". Where a company has exclusively engaged a recruitment company to fill a role, that contract often comes with a clause that the recruiter gets paid a commission when the role is filled, regardless of whether the CV came from the recruiter or another source.

Where there is no exclusivity contract and the recruiter sends a CV in, the recruiter is entitled to get paid if the company hires that person, even if it's for a different role. So if the recruiter has already sent your CV in, and then you send it in through a different avenue, then you may be putting the company in a difficult spot.

That said, I would expect the company to understand that you're not aware of this, and sort it out themselves.

C) Am I likely to have burnt my bridges for any further jobs advertised by this recruiter?

You can never really burn your bridges with a recruiter. You are a commodity to them. If they see a potential commission cheque in you, then they will deal with you, even if you once had sex with their mother.

D) Did I do the wrong thing?

I don't think so. I've done the same thing before; had a recruiter contact me about a role, I told them I wasn't interested and then had a friend refer me into the company instead.

Ficheall

Thank you



To A) She said the application form had changed in the afternoon, which would have been after both me emailing the recruiter and her emailing me, so I'm skeptical.


And recruiters' ads were not my first choice, I can assure you. Fair point on just sending them CVs in future though, thanks.