query - agency roles and contacting the employer directly
Discussion
Hi all,
My current situation is that my employer [contracted role via own Ltd.] is shedding staff and temp. personnel will be first to go. I am therefore looking for other contract or suitable perm. roles but they are thin on the ground in my region.
It seems that 99% of roles in my field [design/mech. engineering] are agency advertised, so apart from a fairly generic job description I don't get told the company name until my CV is with them. Sometimes I find this is a firm I'm really interested in working for, other times I do not.
My query relates to the fact that in applying via an agency I have no dialogue with the hiring manager, all they have are the facts from my CV to go on. With contract roles this is fair enough, but as I'm trying to get into a particular niche area on a permanent basis [OG/energy/offshore] I feel I'm at a disadvantage for the CV cull.
I am willing to take a cut in seniority and pay to facilitate this change, and am way more enthuastic about this move than my CV can portray.
So, if I put my CV in for a role and I'm told the name of the company that I'm interested in, what would the implications be if I rang them and asked to speak to the relevant manager. I wouldn't be trying to circumvent the agency, my aim would be to pique the guy's interest and give him more of an incentive to meet face to face.
If you were that hiring manager, what would you think of this approach?
Similarly, if you were my agency, how would you react when you found out?
My current situation is that my employer [contracted role via own Ltd.] is shedding staff and temp. personnel will be first to go. I am therefore looking for other contract or suitable perm. roles but they are thin on the ground in my region.
It seems that 99% of roles in my field [design/mech. engineering] are agency advertised, so apart from a fairly generic job description I don't get told the company name until my CV is with them. Sometimes I find this is a firm I'm really interested in working for, other times I do not.
My query relates to the fact that in applying via an agency I have no dialogue with the hiring manager, all they have are the facts from my CV to go on. With contract roles this is fair enough, but as I'm trying to get into a particular niche area on a permanent basis [OG/energy/offshore] I feel I'm at a disadvantage for the CV cull.
I am willing to take a cut in seniority and pay to facilitate this change, and am way more enthuastic about this move than my CV can portray.
So, if I put my CV in for a role and I'm told the name of the company that I'm interested in, what would the implications be if I rang them and asked to speak to the relevant manager. I wouldn't be trying to circumvent the agency, my aim would be to pique the guy's interest and give him more of an incentive to meet face to face.
If you were that hiring manager, what would you think of this approach?
Similarly, if you were my agency, how would you react when you found out?
As an agency and and employer I see nothing wrong with that at all.
From an employer point of view I would think it a very positive move and make you stand out.
From an agency point of view, all I care about is that one of my people get the job so anything they can to to enhance this can only be a positive.
Go for it, just make sure you do it in a professional manner i.e. "Sorry to contact you directly. I'm not trying to cut out the agency there are just oen or two things I wanted you to know that my CV can't portray"
good luck!
From an employer point of view I would think it a very positive move and make you stand out.
From an agency point of view, all I care about is that one of my people get the job so anything they can to to enhance this can only be a positive.
Go for it, just make sure you do it in a professional manner i.e. "Sorry to contact you directly. I'm not trying to cut out the agency there are just oen or two things I wanted you to know that my CV can't portray"
good luck!
Edited by blindswelledrat on Thursday 2nd December 13:15
Again, from my opinion (own an agency) I would have no problem with the candidate ringing them employer, although I would like to know about it.
The only problem you may have is if the decision maker isn't too keen on it, they are using an agency in the first place to save time so you may piss him/her off slightly but that totally depends on the specific decision maker/hiring manager.
I say go for it.
The only problem you may have is if the decision maker isn't too keen on it, they are using an agency in the first place to save time so you may piss him/her off slightly but that totally depends on the specific decision maker/hiring manager.
I say go for it.
dontfollowme said:
What is the etiquette in checking an agency has passed my CV to the company recruiting? I'm a bit cynical they have dangled a job that doesn't exist. It would be nice if they returned calls too 
Once the CV is in the hands of the agent you should follow up with a call after a day to check the situation and then move on to the next job.There is nothing more disheartening than waiting by the phone to only discover a week later that the job has gone (perhaps your agent did not have exclusivity) or the job did not quite match your spec (maybe the agent did not interpret your skills) etc.
Don't think about calling the company. They are likely to be annoyed by this. (Remember why they appoint agents in the first place).
An agent will push it as much as he can so he earns commission. If the company advertise the job directly and you don't hear back from the agent within say a week, submit directly.
shirt said:
Hi all,
My current situation is that my employer [contracted role via own Ltd.] is shedding staff and temp. personnel will be first to go. I am therefore looking for other contract or suitable perm. roles but they are thin on the ground in my region.
It seems that 99% of roles in my field [design/mech. engineering] are agency advertised, so apart from a fairly generic job description I don't get told the company name until my CV is with them. Sometimes I find this is a firm I'm really interested in working for, other times I do not.
My query relates to the fact that in applying via an agency I have no dialogue with the hiring manager, all they have are the facts from my CV to go on. With contract roles this is fair enough, but as I'm trying to get into a particular niche area on a permanent basis [OG/energy/offshore] I feel I'm at a disadvantage for the CV cull.
I am willing to take a cut in seniority and pay to facilitate this change, and am way more enthuastic about this move than my CV can portray.
So, if I put my CV in for a role and I'm told the name of the company that I'm interested in, what would the implications be if I rang them and asked to speak to the relevant manager. I wouldn't be trying to circumvent the agency, my aim would be to pique the guy's interest and give him more of an incentive to meet face to face.
If you were that hiring manager, what would you think of this approach?
Similarly, if you were my agency, how would you react when you found out?
Are you an employee?My current situation is that my employer [contracted role via own Ltd.] is shedding staff and temp. personnel will be first to go. I am therefore looking for other contract or suitable perm. roles but they are thin on the ground in my region.
It seems that 99% of roles in my field [design/mech. engineering] are agency advertised, so apart from a fairly generic job description I don't get told the company name until my CV is with them. Sometimes I find this is a firm I'm really interested in working for, other times I do not.
My query relates to the fact that in applying via an agency I have no dialogue with the hiring manager, all they have are the facts from my CV to go on. With contract roles this is fair enough, but as I'm trying to get into a particular niche area on a permanent basis [OG/energy/offshore] I feel I'm at a disadvantage for the CV cull.
I am willing to take a cut in seniority and pay to facilitate this change, and am way more enthuastic about this move than my CV can portray.
So, if I put my CV in for a role and I'm told the name of the company that I'm interested in, what would the implications be if I rang them and asked to speak to the relevant manager. I wouldn't be trying to circumvent the agency, my aim would be to pique the guy's interest and give him more of an incentive to meet face to face.
If you were that hiring manager, what would you think of this approach?
Similarly, if you were my agency, how would you react when you found out?
If so, who are you an employee of?
How do you manage your tax affairs?
Is IR35 an issue?
i have my own ltd. co. as a payment vehicle.
IR35 may be an issue, but i don't intend to contract long term, maybe even putting the company down before the 12mths is up.
the other conntractors at my current place of work are all ltd, been working there 2-3years and contracting 10+yrs and none have had ir35 issues.
IR35 may be an issue, but i don't intend to contract long term, maybe even putting the company down before the 12mths is up.
the other conntractors at my current place of work are all ltd, been working there 2-3years and contracting 10+yrs and none have had ir35 issues.
Have you mentioned this to the agencies you work with? I would.
As an agent, I would positively want you to speak to potential clients - as you say, you can sell yourself a lot better than I or your CV can. I would be happy to set up such a meeting, and if I already have access to the decision maker probably stand a better chance of making it happen.
Good luck.
As an agent, I would positively want you to speak to potential clients - as you say, you can sell yourself a lot better than I or your CV can. I would be happy to set up such a meeting, and if I already have access to the decision maker probably stand a better chance of making it happen.
Good luck.
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