Recruitment agencies
January 26th, 2011
https://careers.guardian.co.uk/careers-blog/recruitment-consultant
alternageek
26 January 2011 9:59AM
I would just like to know why agencies post jobs that don’t exist so people will feed them their CV? – I’ve had this happen to me numerous times since I first moved to the UK and makes job hunting so depressing. I actually stayed in a job that was making me ill, because it was better than having to weed through fake ads and being disappointed that the job never existed.
Also how come when you tell an agency I don’t want to do X, Y & Z – that’s all they offer you? Or they send you on interviews saying the role is what you want, but when you get there, its actually for the opposite of what you’re looking for.
I’m about to go back into the job market (Customer Admin/Service background) and totally petrified about finding real work and going on interviews where I’m not wasting anyone’s time.
Mysticfred
26 January 2011 12:07PM
Agencies are just sales reps, not a bad thing in itself by the way. I have several friends who are successful agents.
One explained it to me like this, ” We have a bucket of shit (people) if we sling it at a wall some of it will stick, the bigger my bucket of shit (ie more temps on the books) the greater the chances of some of that shit sticking”
Agents are driven by targets, they must place 2 or 3 candidates a month. Sadly that care very little for the type of job they are sending you to or if it is what you have requested.
As long as you are aware of their agenda they can be useful tools for getting a job, depends on how desperate you are.
Piecesofeight
26 January 2011 12:22PM
‘the agent is not there to find you a job’
The best advice I’ve ever seen written down for those seeking work through agencies is what follows below:-
There do seem to be some misconceptions about agents.
The agent is *not* there to find you a job. In theory the agent is there to find the best staff for the employer – it’s the employer they’re working for, you can tell this by the fact that it’s the employer that pays them, not the candidate.
This theory rarely plays out in practice however. In practice the agent is working for himself. He does *not* try to find the best staff for the employer, he tries instead to make the most profit for himself, which is *not* always the same thing.
Whatever, the concept of “finding you a job” never enters an agent’s brain for a nanosecond, it’s simply not what they do.
In my experience it is far too easy to be taken in by agents on the phone who would appear to have your best interests at heart, some do, most do not.
DMorrison
26 January 2011 1:25PM
@alisonwhite
Hi All
As succinctly as possible here goes,
The process obviously varies depending on whether you work in an interim or permanent capacity and whether you handle senior or junior level recruitment.
Broadly speaking it is a simple process but not so easy to deliver well. The client will have a requirement for a staff member (interim or permanent) with a role that needs completing and the consultant will take a detailed brief of what is needed in the role, from previous experience to personality type and any qualifications. The consultant then acts on the clients behalf using the criteria dictated by the hiring company/line manager to find the relevant candidates.
The candidates will be sourced from new adverts, the consultant’s network, referrals and candidates that may exist on the database (depending on the recruitment firm’s methodology).
From a CV and covering letter highlighting the key areas of the candidates’ experience they would then be in touch with the consultant to discuss the role in more depth, assuming interest from both sides they should then be met by the consultant. Together the candidate and consultant can pull out all the relevant and suitable experience for the clients role and submit their CV with accompanying notes that further develop points on the CV and experience that may not be reflected on the CV (including character, personality and style) to the client.
Archer Mathieson works on assignments that are management level and above so my outline reflects generally how we operate.
glearny
26 January 2011 1:33PM
My understanding from two good friends who work in recruitment is that:
1. recruitment agencies spend most of their time moving people around the various companies on their books like a big roundabout. They’re not interested in placing the unemployed.
2. the consultant doesn’t care who they place where so long as they get their commission. They are not there to help you get a job.
The panel are going to have to do a very good job to convince otherwise.
[This ties in with what Tim Ward said – Ed.]
KevinStep
26 January 2011 1:44PM
@AlisonWhite
Panel – I think it would be really useful if you could outline how the process typically works, both in terms of the client and the potential employee.
I note that there are a large number of negative comments so I wanted to take the chance, as Alison requests, to outline the process.
At Step we take the management of candidate’s expectations and the management of the flow of information seriously. We do advertise our vacancies online and, of course, receive a significant number of applications. We cannot speak to all applicants, there is simply not the time, so we have to follow a process.
Initial sift
In our case looking for graduates that match the requirements of our programme and have the necessary academic background and experience for the role (at this point we inform all unsuccessful candidates)
Interview
We speak to those candidates that might be suitable looking to confirm the information on their CV (at this point we may still have to let some candidates down as they do not meet the requirements of the role)
CV Submission
We send the CVs of the candidates we feel are appropriate for the client’s requirements for the client to review
At this point we are in the hands of the client, the timeframe is dependent upon their ability to review and respond, and this can be as quick as 5 to 10 minutes; however think more like 3 to 5 working days.
Interview
Not everyone gets an interview, so we let those candidates that are unsuccessful know, and arrange interviews for those candidates that the client feels are right. We prepare our candidates with a telephone prep session and send them some information on interviews, what to wear, what you might be asked, how to make a good impression etc.
Feedback
Once the interviews are over the client decides who they want to appoint, so we contact the candidates to give them the good and bad news.
We will also let all applicants that have not yet been informed know that the role has been filled and we will not progress their application.
Usually at this point Recruitment Consultants would deal with the offer management for the successful candidate, looking to ensure that the candidate’s salary expectations and the clients budget are matched as closely as possible; in our case all candidates receive a training allowance (the same figure for all placements) so this does not apply.
Usually the poor impression candidates have of Consultants comes from the lack of communication. You apply to a role and don’t hear back. You speak to someone and then they don’t let you know if you are being considered or not. The important thing to note here is that Recruitment is a ‘sales environment’ like any other sales environment, with the same pressures, and Consultants are only human. It is certain that a role that interests you will possibly interest hundreds of other people that feel they are just perfect for it. It can be difficult to keep that many people ‘in the loop’.
recruitment123
26 January 2011 1:46PM
I have been a recruitment consultant for a number of years specialising in the IT industry and i understand that recruitment consultants can get a bad name but i find this completely unfair. I, and a huge number of my colleagues, provide a very helpful, free of charge service to candidates by providing them with guidance and actively seeking and opening up career oportunities on their behalf whilst also representing demanding clients in a highly competitive and target driven environment. A lot of people seem to be very naive and forget that we are sales people and we earn our living through commission by placing a small minority of candidates we represent. I have no duty to spend time or to help candidates who i consider not to be of the highest quality. I find people for jobs, not jobs for people. Recruitment consultant, not career guidance counsellor..
If you do not like to use a recruitment onsultant then don’t. There is no company in the world that won’t accept a direct applicant. If though you want someone to represent you, promote your application, organise interviews, provide feedback, negotiate salary and benefits and then remain in contact up to your first day then speak to a recruitment consultant from a recogniced, REC affilitaed firm.
Customer service may sometimes be lacking but we work in a very dificult, competitive and sales focussed environment.
[Again this reinforces what Tim Ward said – I find people for jobs, not jobs for people. – Ed.]
bovine26 January 2011 2:06PM
@Pixie25
This may have already been brought up but how do consultants decide who to contact and how do you make your CV stand out?
I worked in recruitment for 18 months before getting out of it. I’m not speaking for the Panel’s methods, but I would imagine the reason your fiance had such a different experience is because your experience / salary requirements were sellable and your fiance’s not.
Put simply my colleagues trawled the various ‘sources’ of CVs of people looking for work. They select the ones that will land the biggest fees (and therefore pay cheque) and they’re the CVs they work, delivering those CVs to their clients to gauge interest. If they get nowhere they drop it and find the next juicy candidate.
So your CV was worth pushing, your fiance not. Rec Cons are pushed hard by activity and billing targets so everything is about hitting those targets. So yeah its a lack of basic courtesy to not let your fiance know either way, especially when you provided them with two fees. But the bottom line is calling a low value CV to let them know you can’t do anything for them is not a profitable activity.
In this respect the word “consultant” is a bit of a generous title as no consultation happens if you’re not deemed worthy of the consultant’s efforts.
To all the people who say Rec Cons would sell their granny for an extra £1 an hour etc – see above. People in the Recruitment industry don’t have low moral character any more or less than people in other industries. The nature of the job (and threat of losing it when you’re on a bad streak) dictates your decisions and conduct.
peterrussell26 January 2011 2:27PM
I can appreciate why many of you are cynical about recruitment consultants only being interested if you as a saleable commodity. In some agencies, this is the case – their clients are looking for candidates that meet strict criteria, so if you do not fit their needs, then they do not have the time to take an interest.
in other boutique agencies, they work on a very narrow field of activity. There are many who work across a broad section of the market, but if your CV goes to the wrong consultant, it will likely be ignored.
Do not deal with these agencies, unless you’re exactly what they need!
AGAIN, chose your agency carefully. Get refferals from friends.
In terms of the CV, and I’ve dealt with millions over the years, as an employer, recruiter and a career coach, then if you consider that the recipient is handling many in a short timescale, yours has to get noticed. So:-
Make sure that you can meet the job / person requirements
Ideally 2-3 pages maximum
Easy to read / well laid out / not too cramped – nor print too small
Up to date / truthful / interesting / makes you stand out – be innovative and bold
Key information on first page:-
• Name / location / current status
• Education / Qualifications
• Personal Profile
• Key Skills / Experience
• Career History ( reverse order )
If that ‘hits the spot – page 2-3 should contain :-
• Details of key jobs roles / employers / dates / reason for change
• Identification of key achievements
If these demonstrate what’s needed in the prospective employer’s business, you’ll get an interview! If your CV fails to meet all the advetised requirements, then deal with these areas in a covering letter.
EASY BIT OVER
Peter Russell
Russell Taylor Associates
s1syphus26 January 2011 2:49PM
Having worked in an IT/Engineering recruitment agency as an Ops Manager I might be able to shed a bit of light on some of your questions (in a way that the panel, given that their businesses are dependent on you registering your CV with them, may not.)
Recruitment agencies want round-pegs in round-holes. Recruitment works on either commission (90% of recruitment, and the most popular method of recruiting fr single roles) or retainer (10%, normally used for high-volume recruitment), payable by the business that employs the candidate the agency provides. Commission to the agency is anywhere between 10% and 25% of that employees annual salary, depending on the role. So, if you’re around the £30-40k bracket, as I imagine many of you are, an agency is probably on a fee of 15-20%. When you get placed that agency makes a gross of £4.5-6k. So, as an agent, what is my incentive to try and break down doors for trying to get an experienced Credit Controller into a Finance role (like you AnnieAAT2ACA)? There isn’t one. Furthermore, as an agent, if I spend my time doing this and not ‘fitting round-pegs in round-holes’ I’m not placing enough people to justify my basic salary, never mind my commission, and my boss will be dragging me over the coals. My agents never tried to send a square-peg to a client because a.) they wouldn’t make much money, b.) I would tear them a new one(!) because if they aren’t making money, I’m not making money.
So my advice to you Annie, and others who are looking for a change in career path, use the recruitment agencies to pay your bills with the Credit Control roles, go direct to employers for your push into accountancy. Register your CV with as many internet jobsites as you can (General jobsites and specialist financial – I’m not sure if I should mention them here, I don’t want to be seen as an advertiser. Can anyone clarify this?). Set up automatic search updates based on the job you’re looking for, and do regular searches of the sites. Obviously, normal cover letter/CV rules apply. Check local company websites too, many companies don’t use jobsites.
With the advent of the internet, recruitment companies only rely on professional networks when the job demands it. Again, internet jobsites are full of CVs, and my agency paid for access to the top 20 jobsites in the UK. The last role I remember struggling on was for a Technical Author. Sounds simple? The TA needed to have MoD clearance. For this, I had two agents contacting all the TAs in the UK by phone and generating more contacts. In 2008, when we had this requirement, there were 7 TAs with MoD clearance that we heard of, 1 was ambivalent about the job and we convinced him to take it. £80k for him, £20k for us for about 40 man-hours of work (between the three of us). To get to the point, the internet has superseded the supply-side of the recruitment professional network. Recruiters use their networks for business-development rather than business-fulfillment. This example also puts some flesh on the bones of the ’round-peg’ issue. The desire for exact job-matches is driven by companies, because they’re paying very big fees in some cases, and recruiters must respond.
@StanMarsh and others continuing in the same vein. Couldn’t agree with you more. Most recruiters are ‘salespeople’ and business development forms a massive part of most of an agents work except in the largest agencies. Even then, an agents role outside of business development is a ‘soft sell’ anyway. I fell into recruitment when, after a relocation (for a girl) I was looking for anything that would pay the bills. I was in the industry for 3 years and I don’t count a single recruitment agent as a friend. There are obviously some nice ones out there, but in my experience, I would suggest that they are the exceptions that prove the rule.
The best piece of advice I can give on working with recruitment companies? Remember that you are a means to their fee, and play on it. If you are a ’round-peg’ and you’re looking for a ’round-hole’, any agent worth their salt will find it for you, and quickly. When the offer for you is on the table, the agent’s fee is hanging by a thread – they are desperate for you to take that job. My agents took a 30% cut of our fee (which is a bloody good deal – £2k to the agent on a £5k fee, on top of their basic salary). Use their desperation to negotiate a better salary, more holiday, car, other benefits for you. Meanwhile, while you’re still looking for your new role, don’t just rely on the agent. If you’re whipping out 30 CVs a week and getting interviews and your agent is offering nothing, they’re not doing their job. This is the only way you can find this out. Also, the best position to be in with an employer is with them having your CV in their one hand, and a recruiter sending your CV down for the other. This way, the employer has a 2nd opinion on your quality and is thinking “I won’t have to pay a recruitment fee!!”
Best of luck!
WoodsH
26 January 2011 3:07PM
Clearly there is frustration out there for candidates, as the market is highly competitve, some tips on how to get the best out of your recruitment consultant might be:
Working with recruitment consultancies can save you a lot of time in your job search as they can reach a wider range of clients on your behalf.
Do your research on the most appropriate consultancies to approach based on your technical skill sets and the sector you are focusing your job search on.
The REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) is a good starting point as it has a listing of all its accredited members by sector.
As mentioned by Kim earlier, shortlist three or four agents. This way you can build stronger relationships and keep tighter control of where your CV is being sent.
Visit each website to double-check they have the right sort of jobs on offer. This will also enable you to learn about the geographies they cover, ways of working, major clients and registration process.
Value the relationship with the recruitment consultant and establish a rapport early in the process. Where possible meet with your consultant and be honest with them. It will definitely help them to get to know you and your experience, your motivation, and represent you more effectively to their clients.
Sell yourself. Write your own elevator pitch to give to your recruiter. Not only will it help your recruiter to position you, but it will also help when you are talking to people in your own job search.
Listen to the advice consultants offer. Working with clients and jobs every day, they have an excellent insight into what roles your experience will suit.
Ask for an overview of the current trends in the sector you are targeting (prevailing salary rates, volume of live roles, typical recruitment process).
Utilise their expertise. Ask for feedback on your CV -are there any refinements you can make? Ask about transferable skills -what other industries or positions could they recommend?
If you are serious about finding a new job, specify the notice you will need to attend interviews and then make yourself available accordingly. Cancelling at the last minute or not turning up affects the reputation of both you and the consultant and they may be reluctant to work with you as a result.
Make regular contact with your consultant, and provide updates on how your personal job search is going.
This is a free service they are providing, so be realistic about the results you expect. It is just one route to market to complement others that you may be pursuing of your own accord.