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I think when you go to an employment agency now, you are just taking a number. Too many unemployed, not enough jobs, the competition is getting worse, and tempers are rising. I wonder if anyone within these agencies really pays attention unless the job seeker has something that really stands out and matches up with an opening they have. They must get a boatload of resumes and the front lines just don't know how to handle it.
Networking and creative alternatives will probably offer more opportunities than employment agencies right now. Try walking down the street with a sign on your front and back that says, "Accountant needs job" or something similar. (my try at humor)
Drastic times, drastic measures. Get your name and face out there.
I think when you go to an employment agency now, you are just taking a number. Too many unemployed, not enough jobs, the competition is getting worse, and tempers are rising. I wonder if anyone within these agencies really pays attention unless the job seeker has something that really stands out and matches up with an opening they have. They must get a boatload of resumes and the front lines just don't know how to handle it.
Networking and creative alternatives will probably offer more opportunities than employment agencies right now. Try walking down the street with a sign on your front and back that says, "Accountant needs job" or something similar. (my try at humor)
Drastic times, drastic measures. Get your name and face out there.
The employment agency almost dealt with found me because they had a opening for a job that they had been trying to fill for weeks and saw my resume on craiglist. So that was part of my thinking outside the box" method by posting my resume so I can be found not the other way around. But I agree, unless you fit a certain job, the agencies won't be able to do much.
An agency called me yesterday about a job that came into them. It was a position in Purchasing that I do qualify for/have experience in. The lady that called, found my resume on a job website. We made an appointment for the next day (today). I got there looking good (shirt/tie/slacks) and filled out all the paperwork for Background Check, etc.. Was telling another interviewer (not the one who called me) about my experience and she looked at me and said, "Well, we will let you know when we have something come in that matches your experience." I looked at her and said, "Listen, you folks called me about a job opening that you have, I didn't just show up here to give you my resume!" I also said, "I didn't make this appointment just so I could have my resume put into your computer data base, I'm here because you folks called me about a job. So, please give my resume to the company that has the opening you called me about!"
I have no idea what this popular agency was trying to pull, but I "called them" on it!!
Actually, a similar situation happen to her with an agency, but she didn't think about saying anything to them about calling her about a job in the first place.
This happened to anyone else??? It really sort of pissed me off!
Not exactly the same experience but I have had agencies list a job online that I have all of the qualifications for. When I get there of course I have to fill out a stack of papers so they can create a file. Then they gave me the same line you got about letting me know when they have something. I put the question to them and asked what about the job you just listed online for this position. The answer I got opened my eyes and changed the way I looked at employment agencies. They told me that their corporate office requires them to list jobs because they have to get a certain amount of people signing up to their agency kind of like a quota. I could not believe I was hearing this. With this type of false advertising, who knows how many "real" job listings are out there.
A lot of times I have found agencies to be more of a roadblock than a help. I would so much rather deal directly with a company and save them the commission they would pay to the agency. I understand they pay the agency to be a filter. A lot of agencies are not familiar with the specific industries they place people in. Only the actual hiring company really knows what they need. A lot of agencies are like classified ad departments. They will take a printed job description directly from a company and then list it word for word. The only problem is when it comes time to talk to prospective candidates, they may not have a good feel for a potential fit and pass up a lot of good people. I find that to be a major drawback to working with these agencies.
Not exactly the same experience but I have had agencies list a job online that I have all of the qualifications for. When I get there of course I have to fill out a stack of papers so they can create a file. Then they gave me the same line you got about letting me know when they have something. I put the question to them and asked what about the job you just listed online for this position. The answer I got opened my eyes and changed the way I looked at employment agencies. They told me that their corporate office requires them to list jobs because they have to get a certain amount of people signing up to their agency kind of like a quota. I could not believe I was hearing this. With this type of false advertising, who knows how many "real" job listings are out there.
A lot of times I have found agencies to be more of a roadblock than a help. I would so much rather deal directly with a company and save them the commission they would pay to the agency. I understand they pay the agency to be a filter. A lot of agencies are not familiar with the specific industries they place people in. Only the actual hiring company really knows what they need. A lot of agencies are like classified ad departments. They will take a printed job description directly from a company and then list it word for word. The only problem is when it comes time to talk to prospective candidates, they may not have a good feel for a potential fit and pass up a lot of good people. I find that to be a major drawback to working with these agencies.
I know its an employment agency here in philly who has job openings on their website and it tells you who to email your resume to if you are interested in that position. So it was a real opening but maybe employment agencies in other cities are not like that.
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