Weird situation with recruitment agency.

[Beachbum1981]

Hi,

Wonder if anyone can tell me I did the right thing.

Recently offered a 3-month work-from-home opportunity which starts in a couple of weeks, subject to checks. I think I am excited about it, glad it uses the desk chair I'd brought for my last job so not totally wasted and reckon I could do well and I can handle it come new year 2024, I'm going to be looking for new job.

Got up this morning, and checked job boards which I wish I hadn't but only out of habit I guess, found a great perm job in my hometown. I did notice the set date for interviews was end of the month and decided no harm in putting in an application in as it may not go my way anyway train of thought.

Few hours later, I received a call from a temp recruitment agency around my way pressing me to start tomorrow no interview (with the very company I'd applied to) on a 'maybe' 4 week temp basis, (not long-term to me it just sounds like they wanted cover whilst they recruit, I did try to find out why such a rush to start and why post an advert for permanent role, but the agent shut me down and seemed a bit wishy washy saying maybe the company would take down the permanent job advert) as why would a company advertise a permanent role with a set interview date, then turn to an agency. I did try to rationale with the agency saying it was too late, I'd already made an application and in my mind no way is a company going to want to pay additional agency fees. Plus why would I want to risk 4 weeks for the company to turn around and tell me I cannot interview for the perm job.

Am I right, the company would be eligible for more fees should I have been appointed later down the line as a perm. Surely I would have been a bar to being progressed for permanancy. I did try and call the companies HR myself but can only email them.

Do you think the recruitment agency saw the company advertisement themselves and were trying to sell their service, influencing them on a 4 week period. Makes you wonder.

I don't the ins and outs regarding payments but how did the recruitment agency get your details?
Did you definitely apply directly to the company? I'm looking for jobs at the moment and am finding that a lot of ads are disguised as direct but you are actually applying to a recruitment agency.

In this case I'd wonder if it was a temp job advertised as permanent to get the interest flowing and you have unwittingly applied through an agency.

Hi,

Thanks for replying, I 100% applied to the company via Indeed. I can see how others have applied and it's got to 6-10 showing on indeed.

The recruitment agent is a pest but I do get your thinking, (caught out by an in administration co. posing on Indeed as if they are an agent of job on another occasion) This particular recruitment agency who phoned today phone every so often saying are you looking for work. (I must admit I've been on a few wild goose chases with the particular agent, a decade ago they sent me to an assignment lasting 1 week then the 2 months said, another time for a temp role they clicked their fingers that I would be available to interview with their client at 5 minutes notice and when I did I actually never heard back that I had been unsuccessful) I wonder how often these recruitment agents force themselves on the employers.

I don't know whether I should now withdraw my application for the perm opportunity knowing if Andy or Jane starts tomorrow it is worth it. I tried to ask why the immediate next day start, had someone walked but the agent was not willing to answer. But why could a company post an application deadline, an interview date if they needed someone asap.

I'd be totally suspicious of that. I had a similar situation a while ago where I saw a permanent job advertised through an agency. I applied and was offered the job. When I was offered the job the agency told me that the employer had changed their minds about the terms. Basically instead of employing me directly while
I was on probation they would employ me as a temp through the agency on an hourly rate. If I passed my probation they would then employ me directly on a permanent contract on a salaried basis. I was desperate so I said OK. When I started it was clear that a permanent job was never going to materialise, they just had a massive project that they needed a temp to finish off the admin for. I needed the money so just decided to go along with it. As soon as I'd finished all that work, about six weeks in, they sacked me.
The agency was furious as they were expecting their temp to perm fees. They just wanted a temp on the cheap.

It’s totally normal to advertise a permanent job and get a temp in in the meantime to cover it. For perm role they want time to get the best candidate - time to get CVs, interview, make offers and people may have a notice period. It could be several months before the perm person starts. So they want a temp in the meantime.

Personally I’d take the temp role and be so brilliant at it you’re a shoe-in for the perm job.