Dealing with recruitment agencies.

[alecstilleyedye]

i actually got my current job through an agency (aquent). anyone else?

 

[bonj2]

I've got all my jobs since my first one out of uni (5 including current) through agencies.

 

[Trillian]

I don't like agencys (i mainly deal with temp agencys) for a couple of reasons:

firstly, i've had them ask for my CV as a word document on disk, they've then completely changed it and sent me somewhere i've not got skills for so now i annoy them by giving them it as a PDF or Pages file and when they ask for it in word I tell them thats not possible due to my professions industry standard regarding computers (mac).

seccondly:

i've now been refused three jobs, last year due to saying i'd ride to and from work and they said the company would find it too greater liability
my responce was, well, ask them, i'm off their premises so its not their responsibility for what happens outside thier gate.

an agency has refused to even have me on its books as when asked about getting to places i said i could get as far as warwick or rugby, they asked if i was planning on using public transport, when i said i'd bike and it'd only take just under an hour for warwick they said they couldn't, cos what happened if i got knocked off or the bike broke

well what happens if i'm in a car crash? its my risk, its not happened in the last decade so why now?

they refused to discuss it after that, apparently i'm hostile.

 

[bonj2]

regarding the old adage of do you tell them you cycle to work: no, lie. But then do. Just say "Yes, I've got my own transport". If they press you on what it is, lie and say car. But then when you get the job, cycle - they won't then sack you for the method you choose to get to work as long as you do get there.

 

[Trillian]

it went:
"how will you be getting to places?"
"i have my own transport"
"how far are you willing to drive"
"rugby is the furthest, warwick is a more comfortable distance tho"
"you've got a car, can't you do....?"

at which point its hard not to admit to biking.

 

[Noodley]

it went:
"how will you be getting to places?"
"i have my own transport"
"how far are you willing to drive"
"rugby is the furthest, warwick is a more comfortable distance tho"
"you've got a car, can't you do....?"

at which point its hard not to admit to biking.

You could claim you can't travel further as you want to save fuel...and the planet. Then offer them a nut roast and a cardigan knitted from lentils.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

regarding the old adage of do you tell them you cycle to work: no, lie. But then do. Just say "Yes, I've got my own transport". If they press you on what it is, lie and say car. But then when you get the job, cycle - they won't then sack you for the method you choose to get to work as long as you do get there.

probably good advice. i mentioned that i might ride to work, and it got a good response, possibly it helps "tick a box" of some sort (green travel plans etc).

 

[bonj2]

probably good advice. i mentioned that i might ride to work, and it got a good response, possibly it helps "tick a box" of some sort (green travel plans etc).

Nah. They don't care about 'green travel plans' as a company, either the agency or the recruiter themselves. It doesn't 'tick a box'. The only way in which teling them you cycle would help your chances is if the recruiter is a cyclist themselves. Which is by no means beyond the bounds of possibility, but in terms of statistical probability, unlikely - so probably only mention it when/if you know they are.
I'm afraid it has to be said that if you consider the views of non-cyclists towards cyclists, then even the most open-minded people have prejudices about cycling, that it's dangerous, you 'might not make it', etc. I think for a lot of people, if they didn't have any prejudices about cycling, then they'd cycle themselves. That's just the way it is.

 

[simonali]

Just be aware that not all advertised jobs actually exist!

This is the truest part about agencies. If you see a job advertised always ring first and ask them about it. Chances are that particular vacancy will have already been filled! Ask 'em what they have got and then email your CV to a specific person, who will hopefully sort you out with something.

In my own personal experience, most of the jobs on agency books are a bit rubbish and when you go to an interview and then don't take the job when it's offered you never hear from the agency again! The finders fee they charge is around 25-30% of your proposed salary, so that's why the get the 'ump when you don't accept.

 

[Keith Oates]

In any job application situation whether through an agency or directly answering an advert a polite phone call can be the thing that raises an interest with the agent/potential employer. Being polite costs nothing but can be very rewarding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[domtyler]

If I was a recruitment agent trying to whittle 100 applications down to 10, I would certainly favour the application from the candidate who telephoned me and asked me in a pleasant, businesslike manner with an acceptable accent (no whining Scousers or moaning Brummies) how their application was going.

I personally think it is more than acceptable to go one or two steps further than this and ask the agent if you can come over and buy them a sandwich at lunchtime to talk over your CV and any suitable roles they may have on their books in more detail.

Anything you do to put yourself in front of the pack is likely to pay very big dividends. Let's face it, its not hard when the most effort the majority of people do is to fire off standard, untailored CV's to anyone with an email address!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Oh, the joys of being a lorry driver ... I worked for a few agencies over the years. The interviews went something like:

"Have you got your licence?"
"Yes, here it is"
"Hmmmm." <peruses licence> "Are you free this afternoon?"

Followed by reasonably regular work.

 

[Fnaar]

I used an agency once in 1986... spent a week working at the (then) new stand at Lord's cricket ground, during the mcc bicentenary (?) matches... fun, but I have no real interest in cricket at all! And all we had to do was show the corporate braying donkeys to their seats and boxes (and point out the bar, though most made a beeline for there anyway). One fellow-temp borrowed a tenner off me, and I never saw him again. And a woman taught me to tap-dance. But I never got a sh@g out of it.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

You never got a shag out of being able to Tap Dance???

You do surprise me...

 

[Fnaar]

You never got a shag out of being able to Tap Dance???

You do surprise me...

No, I mean, there was some spark of attraction, some sexual chemistry in the air, etc, and her teaching me to tap dance was a kind of displacement activity, I guess. Perhaps me explaining this to her with diagrams and mime led to the eventual non-outcome...