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Original poster

How do recruitment agencies work?

39 replies

KristinaM · 08/08/2008 23:42

DD has just finished university and is looking for her first job. She doesn't have a clue what she wants to do but has registered with a number of recruitment agencies. Instead of finding her her interviews with other companies they have all tried to persuade her to work for them instead.

We are a bit but we don't know this business at all and just wonder what is going on? Can anyone enlighten us please?

OP posts:
Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 09:16

I should add that all these recruitment agencies have apparently told her that she is such a good candidate they want to keep her for themselves! We don't know who is B* S*ing here, DD or the agencies

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bran · 09/08/2008 09:26

It happens, I know my dh's company has hired someone who registered with them looking (his isn't a recruitment company but it has a recruitment arm).

It seems unusual that they would all want to employ her, but if she doesn't want to do it then just tell them so and they will try to place her somewhere else.

Why do you think your DD might be bullshitting? Do you think she might be making something up to explain why she's not getting interviews?

TattyCatty · 09/08/2008 09:26

Has your DD registered with the agencies to look for temporary or permanent work? It can be hard to place a recent graduate if they don't know what they want to do long term, but it's not clear if the agencies are asking her to go out on temporary assignment through them (to get more experience) or if they want them to work in the branch itself. Not unusual for an agency to recruit bright, articulate graduates to work in branch (have done it myself in the past - yes, I do work in Recruitment!). I think you need to find out in more detail what your daughter means by "working for them". HTH.

Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 10:41

bran - we have had a lot of BS from her in the past. despite being extremely bright she has struggled through uni - it took her 4 years to get through a 3 year degree. Too much partying and practically no work . She has graduated in the bottom 10% of her class but is madly trying to convince us how well she has done

she doesn't have a clue what she wants to do - except she wants to do a fun fab job with a cool stylish young fun company where everyone is creative media types and she can be creative and meet famous people.....

OP posts:
Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 10:50

apparently all the recruitment agencies have told her that recruitment is THE field where she can do all this. Except Robert Walters who told her she would have to work EXTREMELY hard for clients and wear a suit. So she has struck them off her list...............

IMO she would do well in sales as she is attractive, has a good memory, is very motivated by money , and is very articulate and brimming with confidence. But if she is such a great candidate, why are they not putting her up for any jobs with their clients? Are there no graduate trainee jobs out there? Is her poor degree ( from a good university) a problem?

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Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 10:56

sorry Tattycatty , I understand that they are offering her a job in branch.She tells us that she has had offers from three ( named) companies and she is bidding them off against each other for a higher salary

We are very worried that none of these offers are in writing yet, as we are concerned that her reference from uni will be less than glowing. She, however, has no worries as she believes that the college would be breaching her confidentiality if they wrote anything bad about her

you will understand why we are a bit {hmm]

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Mamazon · 09/08/2008 10:57

my friend run's a recruitment agency for teh cinstruction field.
he is absolutly minted!

the way it works is simple, a complany need a position filling but can't be bothered to go through teh interview process themselves so they pay an agency to fill teh position. the agency charge them say £10 per hour to fill the position. the agency then go and find an employee for that position and pay themn £7 per hour.

the agency then get £3 per hour for teh entire term of teh contract for doing very little.
if the person wants to leave they just bung in someone else from tehir books.

employers are happy as they dont have the stress.

As for whether they want her to work for them, its common placve for them to recruit from the people who apply to them for a position. they get to see a great number of CV's every day so when one is good they can spot it a mile off and will offer them a position.

recruitment is a growing industry. if the pay is good the hours aren't bad then tell her to take it.
what has she got to lose?

Mamazon · 09/08/2008 10:58

the typo's in that post are shocking even for me! very sorry, i had DD on my lap and she was being very fidgety

Samantha28 · 09/08/2008 11:01

Surely her college will have to give an honest reference for her? Or are they too worried about being sued?

TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 11:02

I worked in Recruitment for 6 years and that is exactly how I got started - by sending in a CV for them and they rang me asking me to go and work for them!

I loved it but it is a very demanding and stressful industry. The pay is usually good and there is also usually bonus paid on top of basic depending on if targets etc are hit.

There is quite a bit of Sales involved and also HR type work depending on which agency it is she will be working for.

I have to say, I absolutely loved it and if she doesnt mind the sales aspect involved then I'd tell her to go for it!

TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 11:03

IIRC employers arent allowed to give 'bad' references - not sure if this also applies to colleges or not.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 09/08/2008 11:07

I worked it IT recruitment for a while.

It IS hard work and long hours, or it was then - no-one left the office at 5.30.

It was alot of fun though, and the money can be fantastic if you are good at it. I was doing temp contract staff, and it really was a sales job.

Samantha28 · 09/08/2008 11:10

Tequilemockingbird - I thought they could if they were factual, is that not correct?

TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 11:18

Actually, scrap that - Samantha is right see here

I think I'm getting my wires crossed slightly, I know that the company I worked for would never allow us to provide bad references. We always had to provide a reference but if the employee's conduct had been less than satisfactory (i.e. not turning up for temping assignments etc.) then we would only confirm that they did work for us and give the dates of employment. Rather than give a 'bad' reference IYSWIM.

This was probably just to stop any legal cases for discrimination etc. Obviously a recruitment agency has hundreds of temps working for them or on their books and so references are sent out by the dozen!

Samantha28 · 09/08/2008 11:37

So a student might just get a reference stating factual information, such as the dates she attended and the subjects studied, but not saying that she had (for example) resits every year or had to repeat a year?

Anna8888 · 09/08/2008 11:43

KristinaM - it sounds from your posts as if your DD is not remotely intellectually inclined but has a fab bubbly outgoing personality and wants a fun life and knows she needs money to have it.

Trading in people (which is what "recruitment" sales is) might be just her thing . The company won't give a monkey's about her academic results - they are interested in her personality.

TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 11:52

Yes Samantha I think you're right. IME, references which came from colleges/schools/universities only ever confirmed that the student was there from X date to Y date and that the subject studied was Z.

They didnt even give or confirm grades. Usually they would be sent to the office at the college and not to an individual tutor anyway.

Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 11:54

Anna8888 - you are ABSOLUTELY right!!

"it sounds from your posts as if your DD is not remotely intellectually inclined but has a fab bubbly outgoing personality and wants a fun life and knows she needs money to have it"

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TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 11:57

I also agree with Norma about the long hours. I quite often worked way past 5.30pm and also on some occassions (sp?) worked weekends.

I didnt get any extra pay for this but knew that I would make my bonus by doing it. The clients are usually quite demanding and when you receive a large order for say 40 staff, you usually receive it on a Friday and they want the staff to start on a Monday!

Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 12:26

So as long as she worked hard it could be that fun, cool, fab, stylish, creative, exciting, well paid job she has always wanted????

And if she gets to work in their media section she could even meet celebrities too?

Sounds perfect....now all she needs is a written offer

Thank you all so much, what you have written has been extremely reassuring. DH and I were up late talking/ worrying about her

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Anna8888 · 09/08/2008 12:28

On another positive note - if she develops a great career in sales, it will be relatively easy to return to after a career break having children. Good sales people always find work.

Original poster
KristinaM · 09/08/2008 12:37

she doesn't want to have a baby in case it spoils her figure. she is going to adopt ( as its so easy) and get a nanny (as she finds children too tiring)

no seriously, thats what she tells us

Maybe she is Xenia reincarnated??

Anna, you hit the nail in the head. its hard for us to accept that she is not intellectual at all, as we have both been academics and work in similar professional jobs now. But its her life and she needs to do what makes her happy, not us

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Anna8888 · 09/08/2008 12:40

I think it's often difficult for parents with intellectual leanings to accept that their children might not have them .

But I'm afraid to say, as an intellectually-leaning sort myself, that the less intellectually-inclined women of my own age that I know are on average more contented with life than the intellectually-inclined ones. It seems easier for them to combine work and domesticity than for the more cerebral-agonising-over-every-decision sorts

TequilaMockinBird · 09/08/2008 12:42

Kristina, yes I think it could be the career she's looking for - as long as she's prepared for the hard work and the pressure.

I was 20 when I was went into it and it was all a bit of a culture shock at first, but once I'd got into the swing of it, I loved every minute.

I also made some very good friends whilst there, and learned a lot from it.

Lizzylou · 09/08/2008 12:46

I was a "naughty girl" through Uni, despite being a good student prior to this.
I worked in Legal recruitment for years prior to DC and absolutely loved it, earnt great money, had great social life and thoroughly enjoyed the work. It is constant pressure but good rewards.
Your DD needs to make sure that she researchs the agency prior to joining, there are some sharks, but she sounds like she'll love it!