Employment Agency rant

[Didsbury Dave]

Recruitment consultancies are not there to find a job for a candidate, they are there to find candidates for employers. Because employers pay the bill.

I'm an employer and I'd look very cynically at your CV.

Good luck finding work, but don't shoot the messenger.

 

[peoffrey]

I found it frustrating that companies are only looking to employ people who are currently in employment but have suspected this for a while.

You see it in football. Many Managers join new Clubs after they've been poached from elsewhere as opposed to being plucked from Pundit Land. Being in Employment now makes you look employable! Your reasons are obviously valid but I understand their reasoning despite not agreeing with it.

Good luck with your job hunt.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I found it frustrating that companies are only looking to employ people who are currently in employment but have suspected this for a while.

You see it in football. Many Managers join new Clubs after they've been poached from elsewhere as opposed to being plucked from Pundit Land. Being in Employment now makes you look employable! Your reasons are obviously valid but I understand their reasoning despite not agreeing with it.

Good luck with your job hunt.

Truth is you would question the drive of someone who has been out of work for two years. And you'd wonder why noone has taken them on in that time.

Obviously there can be valid reasons, of course. If there are, bang them on the CV, that might help. Use the phone to approach employers directly too. Proactiveness looks good. Remember that a company will have to pay a recruiter thousands of pounds just to hire you through them. You will have more chance of being taken on if you've researched and approached companies yourself.

 

[tueartsboots]

Put on your CV that you have been a Househusband NOT unemployed for past 2 yrs. State keeping house/budgetry commitments etc etc, up sell what you have done

In your covering letter explain why it was better for you to stay home and wife to go working but keep it short !

 

[Bluemoon dan]

This is at least a new angle on the usual all recruitment agencies are shit argument. Normally its because they never phone you back / blatantly lie to you. This guy actually returned your call and was honest to you and is still getting abuse!
Unfortunately as other people have said its not the agency its the client of the agency and what they say goes. No matter how immoral or potentially illegal it may be.

 

[LittleStan]

I found it frustrating that companies are only looking to employ people who are currently in employment but have suspected this for a while.

I understand their reasoning despite not agreeing with it.

Good luck with your job hunt.

Truth is you would question the drive of someone who has been out of work for two years. And you'd wonder why noone has taken them on in that time.

Obviously there can be valid reasons, of course. If there are, bang them on the CV, that might help. Use the phone to approach employers directly too. Proactiveness looks good. Remember that a company will have to pay a recruiter thousands of pounds just to hire you through them. You will have more chance of being taken on if you've researched and approached companies yourself.

peoffrey
I can see where they are coming from but think in general they are unnecessarily cutting down their talent pool. I looked far and wide when I was looking for candidates in my last job. Unfortunately at the moment the pool is massive.

Dave,

Bit of a catch 22. I did the voluntary stuff to strengthen skills and stay up to date in my industry. Putting the reason for time off has also been advised and against.

Going direct is the only way and has got a number of jobs that I am working on, some of which have got a better chance of coming off than others. However as companies use agencies I would be missing possible opportunities by not applying for the jobs they post, if I can prove that they actually have a job as advertised.

 

[Manchester la la la la]

Agencies have been useless for me. I am hearing impaired and been out of work for 4 months. Applied for lots of jobs through agencies who seem keen until they ask me to phone in which i can't do. I do state that I can communicate fine in person and it isn't an issue but almost every agency gets cold feet upon finding out. (lost count of the number of times an agency has tried to bell my mobile to discuss a role within a few hours of me submitting an app before e-mailing to say get in touch. Which I do then it all goes quiet)

I know not all agencies are like this. But having only two decent agencies in 3 years (been in and out of work ad mainly on temp contracts that expire) is a bit of a pisstake

 

[4HeatonsBlue]

Recruitment consultancies are not there to find a job for a candidate, they are there to find candidates for employers. Because employers pay the bill.

I'm an employer and I'd look very cynically at your CV.

Good luck finding work, but don't shoot the messenger.

Exactly correct. I am a twat and work in recruitment for one of the worlds largest consultancies and I wouldnt touch someone with a barge pole who has been out of work for 2 years.

A couple of month to relax and refocus fine but 2 years shows a poor work ethic.

 

[tueartsboots]

Recruitment consultancies are not there to find a job for a candidate, they are there to find candidates for employers. Because employers pay the bill.

I'm an employer and I'd look very cynically at your CV.

Good luck finding work, but don't shoot the messenger.

Exactly correct. I am a twat and work in recruitment for one of the worlds largest consultancies and I wouldnt touch someone with a barge pole who has been out of work for 2 years.

A couple of month to relax and refocus fine but 2 years shows a poor work ethic.

Glad you said it ! Get me a job, you know I'm organised and forward thinking (pisshead admittedly)

 

[Dirty Harry]

Just out of interest, those work in this type of industry or hire people who appear to be saying ' a two year gap in a CV and no way' (or words to that effect, ie DD and 4HB) what about single parents (father as it was in my case) ?
Tueartsboots makes some good comments and I tried them myself years ago, but nobody and I mean nobody would have it coming out with all sorts of shit to justify not employing me because of it (my 'CV' previous jobs were well respected by employers and I had excellent references), the only black spot was having a sizeable gap in my employment history.

Not looking to have a go lads btw, just after some honest comments and possible feedback for the likes of Stan who have genuine gaps in their working life.

Cheers.