Good or bad recruitment agencies?
 

Well, cant name and shame these days but what's general sense of opinion on agencies? I think they're getting worse as credit crunch hits...when will they start loosing jobs like we are (unemployed as of today :( )? There's hundreds of them out there, mostly pushy in trying get you take a job you dont want, always trying to under cut your salary and yet I've been told they take a percentage of your salary figure, dont make sense!:wonder:

Anyone know decent agencies (and do mean decent) in South West area?

I hear you on the pushy part. Obviosuly their bonus depends on you taking a job and staying there for a set period of time. (seems to be 8 weeks) The problems Ive experienced of late are threefold.

1) They simply dont have the jobs availiable. And the stuff they do have is rubbish because, lets face it. If the job was any good it would fill itself and not require a company to give a recruitment agency around a grand.

2) They seem to have no concept of travelling time. Would it kill them to put my postcode into Google Earth before phoning me about a crap job 150 miles away?

3) If you're offered a job and subsequently turn it down. They tend not to call again obviously branding you a "timewaster"

Saying that as my friend said to me "100 monkeys with a 100 type writers is better than nothing. Though Id supplement any applications with ones you send yourself. Some companies have a no Agency rule so it doesnt matter if you are perfect for the job. They simply wont see your Cv. I'd would also be inclined to look for Agencies within your market sector. IT, Motor Trade, Phamaceuticals etc

I'll be looking out myself, sending CV's in post with current climate, plus now feel dead set against another agency getting money off the back of my skills for their lack of.

Only thing I dont get is where's all the jobs gone that used to be in the local rag, etc even before the crunch#?

be aware that in my experience, the vast majority advertise jobs which don't exist. when you call, all they want to know is who you have already been interviewed by (obviously so they can call and try to get appointed to find the right person for that employer)

tell them nothing. most are timewasters IMHO and i don;t trust any of them - the above info has come to me from a friend who works in recruitment (and no, i don't trust him either!!:lol1: )

what i did was register myself with as many relevant agencies and like has already been said, supplement everything with applications i have applied for. i found total jobs and monster 2 very good job sites