Agency or direct?
Discussion
Whats the best way to go about getting a new job? Through a recruitment agency or applying directly? I struggle to see the advantage of using an agency as it must result in less pay after they take their percentage....yet they must be good for something otherwise there wouldn't be so many of them to choose from...
budgets for recruitment are built in to projected expenditure as an expense so I doubt that it would result in lower pay than if you went direct..
currently I am going through an agency but the chap is a friend of mine but i'd have no problems going through either frankly if it gets you the interview who gives a stuff?
currently I am going through an agency but the chap is a friend of mine but i'd have no problems going through either frankly if it gets you the interview who gives a stuff?
In the past I have used an agency to get work.
No problem getting a job through them at all - I had to go through a raft of panel interviews for one, but I don't think I've been out of work for more than 4 days with them.
The only problem was the level of pay - I left all the posts purely because the amount paid via the agency was far below the market level. I always gave notice (having somewhere else to go to) but despite being offered extra money from the companies directly they were still below par. I'm not sure if this is down to the amount that the agencies are charging for their services, but it seems a common problem.
The upshot as I see it is that if you're stuck for work, get into an agency and take what they have, but keep on looking.
Good luck.
No problem getting a job through them at all - I had to go through a raft of panel interviews for one, but I don't think I've been out of work for more than 4 days with them.
The only problem was the level of pay - I left all the posts purely because the amount paid via the agency was far below the market level. I always gave notice (having somewhere else to go to) but despite being offered extra money from the companies directly they were still below par. I'm not sure if this is down to the amount that the agencies are charging for their services, but it seems a common problem.
The upshot as I see it is that if you're stuck for work, get into an agency and take what they have, but keep on looking.
Good luck.
Does anybody know what the typical percentage cut the agency gets? And wether that actually does affect your wages or not? (I'm guessing it must)
What I don't like about agencies is that you don't know exactly where your CV is going. Plus you don't know if they are purposefully not submitting it for jobs you would otherwise apply for because they have a friend applying or whatever the reason might be.
Tricky.
What I don't like about agencies is that you don't know exactly where your CV is going. Plus you don't know if they are purposefully not submitting it for jobs you would otherwise apply for because they have a friend applying or whatever the reason might be.
Tricky.
J1mmyD said:
The only problem was the level of pay - I left all the posts purely because the amount paid via the agency was far below the market level. I always gave notice (having somewhere else to go to) but despite being offered extra money from the companies directly they were still below par. I'm not sure if this is down to the amount that the agencies are charging for their services, but it seems a common problem.
oh I get it, you mean places like adecco and such like?
I thought you were referring to recruitment consultants who place you with companies...much like less glorified headhunters
xiphias said:
Recruitment agencies may take a cut, but if you're employed direct, the company will have to pay your pension scheme, ni etc, so it probably doesn't make a difference to the company!
The company would have to pay my pension etc regardless, as I'd be a full-time employee. I don't mean the manual labour type recruiment agencies
I'm talking about agencies for proffessional jobs who simply send your CV out to places they know are employing and basically get paid a couple of grand for sticking a stamp on your CV to save you the bother.se6b said:
Does anybody know what the typical percentage cut the agency gets? And wether that actually does affect your wages or not? (I'm guessing it must)
No it doesn't, the agency are paid a fee from the client on success, they fill the vacancy they have been asked to fill. The fee paid is very similar to the costs involved with clients finding their own people, (time, advertising, dealing with idiots who clearly don't have the skills asked for).
Without exception every single one i have tried has been a total waste of effort.
They simply are only interested in getting your details so they can crow about how many clients they currently have.
Theyre uninterested in the individual and make a good living out of other peoples hardship.
Bad idea, dont use em.
They simply are only interested in getting your details so they can crow about how many clients they currently have.
Theyre uninterested in the individual and make a good living out of other peoples hardship.
Bad idea, dont use em.
As an ex contractor agencies felt like a necessary evil. They would take a cut for just passing on your CV and adding little value (usually). But I needed them, didnt always feel that they felt they needed me. Their cut wasnt too bad eg between 10% and 20% (going back 5 yrs I reckon that equated to £600 a week to them ie £30K pa).
I now use agencies to find people and they tend to give me cr@p CVs that dont meet my needs, they tend to want a shed load of dosh to fill more snr positions ie an executive search/head hunt - normally though you get a premium service at that level and get great CVs. At the sub £60K a year jobs the agencies tend to just farm me CVs as the profit margins are lower so they tend to get poorer (literally) agents involved. I dont think they really add much value and I am pretty sure we could probably place our own ads in trade press , online etc and do better ourselves. BUT we dont have the time or inclanation to do so and so their value is probably marginal at best.
I now use agencies to find people and they tend to give me cr@p CVs that dont meet my needs, they tend to want a shed load of dosh to fill more snr positions ie an executive search/head hunt - normally though you get a premium service at that level and get great CVs. At the sub £60K a year jobs the agencies tend to just farm me CVs as the profit margins are lower so they tend to get poorer (literally) agents involved. I dont think they really add much value and I am pretty sure we could probably place our own ads in trade press , online etc and do better ourselves. BUT we dont have the time or inclanation to do so and so their value is probably marginal at best.
personally i have always worked via an agency, and when employing perm or contract staff have also always used an agent. Last thing i would want is 3,000 CV's in my inbox - thats what the agent is for, to sort through that and to be a buffer between the nutters and me.
(its also a buffer for a prospective employer and a nutter like me!!)
Most large companies use recruiters and have a preferred supplier that they deal with.
Agency comissions start at about 10 - 15% for the 5 - 10 / hour and drop to 2 - 3% for 50+ per hour.
(its also a buffer for a prospective employer and a nutter like me!!)
Most large companies use recruiters and have a preferred supplier that they deal with.
Agency comissions start at about 10 - 15% for the 5 - 10 / hour and drop to 2 - 3% for 50+ per hour.
se6b said:
Whats the best way to go about getting a new job? Through a recruitment agency or applying directly? I struggle to see the advantage of using an agency as it must result in less pay after they take their percentage....yet they must be good for something otherwise there wouldn't be so many of them to choose from...
In short the answer is yes, however I'm bias because I am an agent. As you can see from this thread there is a very negative perception of the industry, and rightly so in a lot of cases. My view (as with most companies / industries) is that the service is only as good as the person you engage with.
Personally I specialise in a very niche market - contract Project / Programme Management. I'm honest with the candidates / clients I can't help so they don't have a perception that their details have gone into a black hole. The candidates I do choose to work with (and I turn a lot away) give me outstanding testimonials. I've kept people in interesting, well paid work for several years, bouncing them from one assignment to another.
If you treat an agent with the disdain and / or apathy that's been reflected on this thread, then you're likely to get the level of service you deserve. (And that comment is also reversable to how some agents treat their candidates / clients)
Find a good agent, build a relationship with them and stick with them!
FourWheelDrift said:
I think this chap is looking for a permanent job not contract so best not put him off by the dark side. Since they do it differently.
damn,
and there was me trying to turn another 
I dont know about other industries but i know that my area (oil & IT / Communications) perm and contract recruitment is all done via agency (or word of mouth, but still through a preferred agent)
know it varies from industry to industry
flyingjase said:
Whats the best way to go about getting a new job? Through a recruitment agency or applying directly? I struggle to see the advantage of using an agency as it must result in less pay after they take their percentage....yet they must be good for something otherwise there wouldn't be so many of them to choose from...
In short the answer is yes, however I'm bias because I am an agent. As you can see from this thread there is a very negative perception of the industry, and rightly so in a lot of cases. My view (as with most companies / industries) is that the service is only as good as the person you engage with.
Personally I specialise in a very niche market - contract Project / Programme Management. I'm honest with the candidates / clients I can't help so they don't have a perception that their details have gone into a black hole. The candidates I do choose to work with (and I turn a lot away) give me outstanding testimonials. I've kept people in interesting, well paid work for several years, bouncing them from one assignment to another.
If you treat an agent with the disdain and / or apathy that's been reflected on this thread, then you're likely to get the level of service you deserve. (And that comment is also reversable to how some agents treat their candidates / clients)
Find a good agent, build a relationship with them and stick with them!
Yes, I used to use one particular agency but the guy behind it must have retired and its gone to pot.
In my experience, agencies haven't been too much of a problem when going for permanent jobs. Going through one on a permie basis doesn't carry the same risks in terms of nasty tax legislation as it does for contractors, and many large companies don't do the initial candidate sourcing themselves anyway (so you might not have much choice).
The only drawback is that 99.999% of them seem to suddenly forget where their phone is once they've got your CV......to that majority, feedback is only something that happens in audio systems.
The only drawback is that 99.999% of them seem to suddenly forget where their phone is once they've got your CV......to that majority, feedback is only something that happens in audio systems.
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