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I tried going through several employment/staffing agencies and while many refused to contact me back, a couple did end up showing interest in working with me.
However, 2-3 weeks after coming on board with the employment/staffing agencies, I sent them E-Mails telling them I was cutting my ties with them. Between both agencies, there were 4 jobs I was fully qualified for (a dental office receptionist, 2 medical office receptionists, and a pharmaceutical company receptionist) and could've been sent out on to do or, in the very least, be interviewed for. I was NEVER sent out for any of them.
The guy at the one agency told me they only send out the best of the best, as not to waste anyone's time. I told him that if they didn't consider me the best of the best for the dental reception job, then I wouldn't be considered the best of the best when other such reception jobs in healthcare came across their desk so it was better to cut ties 2-3 weeks into it than to sit around waiting for what will never actually happen: them placing me.
Personally, I think employment/staffing agencies are a bunch of hot air in today's society.
I think that the vast majority of the jobs they post/advertise, don't even exist and they simply post them to lure job candidates in and to sign on with them. And once there, they relish in finding out what other temp assignments you've been on, with what other agencies, and where so they can then contact that company and try to underbid for services. This way, even if they never send you on an assignment, they still benefit from interviewing job candidates.
I think most of the time you spend interviewing at employment/staffing agencies is time wasted, but is very beneficial for them in the long run.
They don't personally care about you or whether you ever get hired. IMHO, employment/staffing agencies have NEVER existed for for the benefit of people who are unemployed. We don't pay their bills, the client does.
I tried going through several employment/staffing agencies and while many refused to contact me back, a couple did end up showing interest in working with me.
However, 2-3 weeks after coming on board with the employment/staffing agencies, I sent them E-Mails telling them I was cutting my ties with them. Between both agencies, there were 4 jobs I was fully qualified for (a dental office receptionist, 2 medical office receptionists, and a pharmaceutical company receptionist) and could've been sent out on to do or, in the very least, be interviewed for. I was NEVER sent out for any of them.
The guy at the one agency told me they only send out the best of the best, as not to waste anyone's time. I told him that if they didn't consider me the best of the best for the dental reception job, then I wouldn't be considered the best of the best when other such reception jobs in healthcare came across their desk so it was better to cut ties 2-3 weeks into it than to sit around waiting for what will never actually happen: them placing me.
Personally, I think employment/staffing agencies are a bunch of hot air in today's society.
I think that the vast majority of the jobs they post/advertise, don't even exist and they simply post them to lure job candidates in and to sign on with them. And once there, they relish in finding out what other temp assignments you've been on, with what other agencies, and where so they can then contact that company and try to underbid for services. This way, even if they never send you on an assignment, they still benefit from interviewing job candidates.
I think most of the time you spend interviewing at employment/staffing agencies is time wasted, but is very beneficial for them in the long run.
They don't personally care about you or whether you ever get hired. IMHO, employment/staffing agencies have NEVER existed for for the benefit of people who are unemployed. We don't pay their bills, the client does.
it depends on the firm. I have worked both in-house and outside. Some are better than others.
No, the staffing firm doesn't care about you personally, in the same way that an employer interviewing you doesn't. They are looking for the best fit. And, yes, the client does pay their bills...but most are only paid when they fill the position and are given a percentage of the salary paid. So, they are motivated to fill the positon.
As for the guy who commented the best of the best. Sounds like a cretin. if you are on staff with them, you should be being considered when a requisition comes in. If you are not sent out, it is possible the client had something specific in their requirements (length of experience) etc that you did not meet. However, that should have been disclosed, at least within reason. Some want people with less experience, some want more...etc. I can tell my people "they were looking for a different length of experience than you have" without breaking confidentiality.
They don't personally care about you or whether you ever get hired. IMHO, employment/staffing agencies have NEVER existed for for the benefit of people who are unemployed. We don't pay their bills, the client does.
Which makes the client the customer, so they focus 100% on pleasing the customer.
Personally, I've been much better off on my own. I've gotten a lot farther along myself than I did with any employment/staffing agency.
Did you stop trying on your own or reduce your effort? Decades ago, I used these firms and was placed twice, but NEVER did I reduce my own effort, which was going on simultaneously. I'd advise no one to rely 100% on any single method of job-hunting.
So what exactly did you gain by cutting ties with these agencies? Even if there was a 1% chance of them finding you a job isn't that better than nothing?
I posted this following response in another thread a few weeks ago on this kind of topic, so I thought I'd just copy and paste it here since it fits the topic at hand:
Recruiters have been a waste of time for me and thankfully I'm in the interview process with a company about a position I came across on my own.
I've driven to different cities to meet with recruiters and it's been nothing but a waste. I came across a position on a website for what looked like a legitimate staffing place. I applied and the next day the head recruiter lady called me saying I look like a fit for the position and need to come down for an interview with them and to fill out paper work. Okay, so I drive 2 hours for all of this. Everything went great and I thought I had a good lead.
The following week, she calls to say that their client has found someone and I am not going to be considered. I was upset, but accepted it. A month later, I check their website and the position is STILL posted. So, I emailed her and asked her if it was re-open and she said "oh no, we need to update that, thanks for letting me know". For ****s and giggles, I checked their website today....seven months later, and lo and behold, the position is still posted under "open positions" on their website. They've added a few more positions and took off others, but that one is still posted.
It leads me to believe that position is fake. It doesn't exist. It's only posted on their website to get peoples resumes and references. The position says "client is willing to train" so it probably attracts a lot of people to apply hoping they can get into a job where someone will train them.
I've had other encounters with recruiters and staffing agencies and wonder why lawyers get hell for their profession when you have recruiters out there doing worse. Out of all the recruiters I've dealt with, I've walked away with nothing but wasted time and irritation. In fact, everyone I know whose dealt with a recruiter feels the same way. Maybe back in the day they were useful and respected, but now they just seem like con artists who are a big waste of time.
Personally, I think employment/staffing agencies are a bunch of hot air in today's society.
They don't personally care about you or whether you ever get hired. IMHO, employment/staffing agencies have NEVER existed for for the benefit of people who are unemployed. We don't pay their bills, the client does.
They are a business like any other.
My job is going great... on pace to gross $70k with great benefits including 3 weeks vacation... 1 week sick time... monthly bonuses that so far have ranged from $300-$600 a month... year end profit sharing bonuses and medical/dental as well.
I started the job 5/27/11 working for a employment agency called Aerotek... I was SOOOOO glad when I went permanent on Oct. 17th and got my benefits and bonuses.
As for the guy who commented the best of the best. Sounds like a cretin. if you are on staff with them, you should be being considered when a requisition comes in.
He said with every job posting they [the employment/staffing agencies] do, they average around 10 applicants per posting. That's why, as he put it, only the best are selected to be sent out as they don't wish to waste the candidate's time on unproductive company runs nor do they want to waste the their client's time by just throwing bodies at them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebunny
If you are not sent out, it is possible the client had something specific in their requirements (length of experience) etc that you did not meet. However, that should have been disclosed, at least within reason.
Never was.
I even remember E-Mailing the recruiter I was working with twice and never hearing anything back from her either time. Supposedly, she was ALWAYS supposed to get back, and quickly, but that didn't seem to be the case with me.
Did you stop trying on your own or reduce your effort?
Neither.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobtn
Did Decades ago, I used these firms and was placed twice, but NEVER did I reduce my own effort, which was going on simultaneously. I'd advise no one to rely 100% on any single method of job-hunting.
And that was decades again. Times have changed. 10, 15, 20 years ago one could walk through a staffing/employment agency door, fill out an application, and, in many cases, be sent out the very same day and if not the same day then within the first week of walking through the door. Back then, it was easy to be placed and multiple times because they didn't have the same volume of people beating down their door as they do now. Competition for jobs has been at an all time high since the onset of the Great Recession in the summer of 2007 and tremedous downturn of jobs. There's so many more people than there are jobs.
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