Dealing with recruitment consultants/Oscar
I am slightly ashamed to say I used to be a recruitment agent. It could be worse. I was never an estate agent, and I have never culled baby seals. But I know it's on that continuum. And, in all fairness, there are some good people doing this job. However, there are also some sharks. So, if you are ever jobhunting via an agency, here's some survival tips.
If they ask you where else you are interviewing DO NOT TELL THEM. They are looking for leads. Be vague. Tell them 'a big telco' or whatever but give them no clues - no matter WHAT they say - or they will be on the phone to that company trying to sell them other candidates in microseconds.
That said, DO make sure they know you are registerd elsewhere, and that you are interviewing, as that will make them work a lot harder to get you to take *their* job, for which they will get commission.
Turn up on time for the interview with the agency, and MAKE AN EFFORT. They are assessing how you would go down with their clients. If you turn up late they will not send you to any of their good clients (if any at all), because your tardiness will reflect on them. Same goes for your appearance and monosyllabic answers.
The mateyness may be real - a lot of people do this job because they like people - but it is just as likely to be fake. These people get training in phone manners. At the end of the day, you are a potential fee. Let's all be honest about this.
They hate being called 'agents.' They like 'consultants.' This is largely an ego thing. If you want to wind them up, bear this in mind.
If they do arrange you an interview with a company, GO TO IT. If you want/need to pull out, ring them. Why? Well, if they arrange an interview for which you stay in bed, the agent (see above, hoho) will get an irate HR director on the phone saying 'you have wasted my time.' And then, at that agency, you will get a big stamp on your file saying 'INT NO-SHOW' in red. Do you think the agency will ever send you to another interview again, and risk their reputation with another company? Exactly.
I no longer work in recruiting. Thank f*ck. But if anyone has any specific questions I am happy to answer them - comment-me-do, as ScaryDuck might say.
And, thanks to Oscar Wildebeest for his comments so far. But, Oscar, I don't seem to be able to reciprocate at your site, old son!
If they ask you where else you are interviewing DO NOT TELL THEM. They are looking for leads. Be vague. Tell them 'a big telco' or whatever but give them no clues - no matter WHAT they say - or they will be on the phone to that company trying to sell them other candidates in microseconds.
That said, DO make sure they know you are registerd elsewhere, and that you are interviewing, as that will make them work a lot harder to get you to take *their* job, for which they will get commission.
Turn up on time for the interview with the agency, and MAKE AN EFFORT. They are assessing how you would go down with their clients. If you turn up late they will not send you to any of their good clients (if any at all), because your tardiness will reflect on them. Same goes for your appearance and monosyllabic answers.
The mateyness may be real - a lot of people do this job because they like people - but it is just as likely to be fake. These people get training in phone manners. At the end of the day, you are a potential fee. Let's all be honest about this.
They hate being called 'agents.' They like 'consultants.' This is largely an ego thing. If you want to wind them up, bear this in mind.
If they do arrange you an interview with a company, GO TO IT. If you want/need to pull out, ring them. Why? Well, if they arrange an interview for which you stay in bed, the agent (see above, hoho) will get an irate HR director on the phone saying 'you have wasted my time.' And then, at that agency, you will get a big stamp on your file saying 'INT NO-SHOW' in red. Do you think the agency will ever send you to another interview again, and risk their reputation with another company? Exactly.
I no longer work in recruiting. Thank f*ck. But if anyone has any specific questions I am happy to answer them - comment-me-do, as ScaryDuck might say.
And, thanks to Oscar Wildebeest for his comments so far. But, Oscar, I don't seem to be able to reciprocate at your site, old son!
posted by The Moai at 8:49 AM
1 Comments:
Moai, don't know why (unintentional rhyme) you can't comment on my site, as I accept anyone. I'm a total comments whore. Do have another go, I'd love to hear from you.
I, too, have unhappy memories of dealing with recruitment types.
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