Dealing with recruitment agencies.

[MichaelM]

I've seen a couple of jobs advertised which I believe would suit me perfectly. I've e-mailed the recruiters with CV and covering letter (different jobs, different recruiters) to be met with silence.

If I phone them up, how do I say (in a more polite way):

Oi twat, have you looked at my CV/letter, if so what do you think, if not why not?

I don't think that would go down to well, but it I need to be polite to someone who can't be bothered getting back to me.

Michael

 

[Fnaar]

Phone up and explain in a calm and resoned manner that you have applied, and have been surprised that no-one's got back to you. Ask person to check aspplic has been received, and ask what's going on. If no joy, as to speak to manager... if no joy, blow a raspberry down the phone

 

[domtyler]

Definitely give them a call, there is nothing to be lost by befriending an agent, it will almost certainly put you way ahead of the pack (who just bulk email their CV and never follow up).

Just be aware that not all advertised jobs actually exist!

 

[alecstilleyedye]

be reasonably pally with them and be sure to chase them up on applications submitted and the outcome of any interviews.

 

[spandex]

Just phone then and tell them just do you job and give me thet job!!!

 

[MichaelM]

Just phone then and tell them just do you job and give me thet job!!!

Although I like your answer the most, I've decided to follow the advice of the others and call up and be polite.

Thanks for the replies.

Michael

 

[Night Train]

Follow up calls are important. Sometimes an agent will phone you to discuss your CV but if not then it is always worth a follow up call to make sure that your CV has been received and by the right person in the right department.

It also gives you a chance to show something of yourself to the agent. If the agent 'knows' you they they are more likely to put you forward for a position.
Also talking to the agent will allow you to clear up what sort of jobs they have to offer and also what you are looking for in particular. A good agent will use their knowledge of you to find jobs that suit your skills, knowledge and abilities before they go public.

So it is well worth setting up a good relationship with your agent. They are much more likely to find a job for someone who is proactive and pleasent to talk to rather then someone who gives them a hard time over not getting the first job they saw.

 

[yenrod]

Job agencies irritate the hell outta me.

And if you actually do temping the employer mostly approaches you mostly with the attitude of 'and I'm paying 15 quid an hr to have you'....

 

[Globalti]

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.

 

[Night Train]

Job agencies irritate the hell outta me.

And if you actually do temping the employer mostly approaches you mostly with the attitude of 'and I'm paying 15 quid an hr to have you'....

I quite like them, if they are good. I work on the basis of the agency working for me.
I pay a percentage of my earnings to an agent who hunts down jobs, sorts out my cv and arranges interviews for me. The agent sells and markets my abilities to the prospective client and gets my foot in the door. I then do the work.

 

[yenrod]

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.

Obviously an 'out of the backwoods Lancastrian accent' is fine Rhythm

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

"Hi, I know you are busy trying to hit your call target KPI this week, so I thought I'd call you (before you called me) and help you out with that a bit...it's about the XYZ job I am ideally suited for and you haven't noticed yet. "

 

[bonj2]

Obviously for this specific application, do as already said call them, continue to hassle them in a 'pally' way.
But more generally, get recruitment agencies to call you, rather than you call them.
Put your CV on websites, there are several - monster.co.uk, fish4jobs.co.uk, but the one I have found to generate by FAR the most leads (to the extent it's the only one I bother using) is www.jobsite.co.uk. Agents basically spend their day combing it for CVs of candidates to send on interviews for jobs that they are paid to fill. BUT - there is one thing that you have to watch with them - they often phone you up and want to chat for ages and ages about your experience and aspirations and what not, and after all that it turns out they haven't actually got a role they're recruiting for at the present time at all, they just want to get more details about you for their own database. So it's a good idea to try to ascertain from them quite early on in the call the details of a job they've got that you might be interested in - by all means be friendly and answer non-open-ended questions, but don't waste too much of your time chatting to them until you know at least, say, the location, salary and industry sector of the job. Otherwise that's half an hour of your life you'll never get back and chances are you'll never hear from them again. If they are cagey, then chances are they haven't got a specific job lined up for you.

 

[bof]

I think it is worth remembering that with the internet agencies now get bombarded with huge numbers of CVs in a way they never used to, so if you're way off beam you won't get much of a response.

I find its best to try and find some recruiters who are specialists in your niche - they'll try harder and, secondly, invest the effort in jobs you've a real chance of winning, rather than scattergun.

 

[Cee Jay]

Good luck! I hated employment agencies. I had numerous dealings with them that seemed to go -

1. Email CV for job
2. Get phone call for interview at Agency
3. Do pointless Word / XL test
4. Do pointless interview, discover position applied for is filled, get offered something unsuitable.
5. Leave in high dudgeon...

A good agency is hard to find but when you do (and I'm sure you will!) you're laughing. As others have said, keep in contact with the agency.

All the best!