Job Agencies

[El Guepardo]

Total Danchevs!! I was actually turned down by a law agency, in spite of having recently graduated with a 2:2 LLB! Now, I could understand it if I had undertaken the degree by itself and only managed a 2:2 but I was working all throughout my study and so having managed to get a 2:2 and the significant amount of work that I undertook to achieve that grade is being mocked. tinkles me off!

Starting to wonder whether it wasn't a complete waste of my time doing a degree. And, to top it off, do you know why I only got a 2:2? Because over the years, I badly screwed up one exam and, according to the OU's way of looking at things, you get the lowest grade of either your essay average or your exam... one lousy exam and it goes down to a piece of paper that seems to be worth fudge all!

Not happy as no opportunities and now the agency just takes the tinkle! Also, why don't they tell you WHY it wasn't acceptable, not that you didn't meet their oh so wonderful criteria? Stupid!!

 

[BAE]

Sorry to hear that mate

I was just wondering, what type of jobs are you looking for with your LLB? To seek a position as a solicitor, you also need to do your LPC right?

 

[southstand1882]

Better off on the dole

 

[DHSF]

EL G

Look dude trust me on this, and you are right they are all ****s.

Apply to ALL the jobs you want through the agencies, or actually call them up. They will give you the Job Description and Person Specification and most importantly the name of the firm or company to which the role relates to. THEN you apply YOURSELF to these firms and companies, dont go through the agency. Firms and companies do not want to pay the agency so would rather have you straight through a normal recruitment process, granted some of them may not have an extensive HR Department etc but they will see your persistence for the role and that will get you an interview.

 

[El Guepardo]

Sorry to hear that mate

I was just wondering, what type of jobs are you looking for with your LLB? To seek a position as a solicitor, you also need to do your LPC right?

Yeah, I'd need to either do the LPC to become a solicitor or the BPTC to become a barrister. At the moment I'm looking to change jobs and so want to start working in a law graduate role to get that necessary experience before I undertake studying towards becoming a barrister.

 

[Fhtagn]

fudge them and fudge the system, go totally nuts, quit your job and suck dingdong for crack instead! You'll be your own man and on the streets LLB's are worth brick.

 

[THFC]

go direct to specific companies

 

[Bullet]

Yes, go direct so the company avoids the 15-20 percent agency fee for handing over a cv

 

[Leeds Spur]

Yes. That's exactly what agencies do.

 

[monkeybarry]

The countries reliance on finding employment for others as a business is a problem in this country IMHO (just as much as banking - just in a different way)

Agencies have become pretty savvy about NOT giving out the employer name these days - but quite often the job is which numerous agencies, so edge your bets and apply for it multiple times

Also, get your CV on Monster and Reed etc etc - recruiters are mostly styled as headhunters now and look for people to match their vacancies rather than looking at applications that come in

 

[DHSF]

The countries reliance on finding employment for others as a business is a problem in this country IMHO (just as much as banking - just in a different way)

Agencies have become pretty savvy about NOT giving out the employer name these days - but quite often the job is which numerous agencies, so edge your bets and apply for it multiple times

Also, get your CV on Monster and Reed etc etc - recruiters are mostly styled as headhunters now and look for people to match their vacancies rather than looking at applications that come in

Monkey boy

Job agencies as you say are savvy in not givin out the name of the employer HOWEVER if you tell them youre interested but want to know more they will happily tell you. Thats when you start your own process i.e. contact the employer, ask them to consider your CV, attach a great cover letter stating maybe how your skills will be applicable to the role and also it gives you an opportunity where your experience doesnt match to justify why YOU should be considered.

Employers now would rather save 10k by not using a recruitment agency. Recruitment agencies are happy to suck your dingdong until you dont get the job then they forget about you.

 

[monkeybarry]

Monkey boy

Job agencies as you say are savvy in not givin out the name of the employer HOWEVER if you tell them youre interested but want to know more they will happily tell you. Thats when you start your own process i.e. contact the employer, ask them to consider your CV, attach a great cover letter stating maybe how your skills will be applicable to the role and also it gives you an opportunity where your experience doesnt match to justify why YOU should be considered.

Employers now would rather save 10k by not using a recruitment agency. Recruitment agencies are happy to suck your dingdong until you dont get the job then they forget about you.

i think monkeyboy is a different poster dhsf

totally agree re; the above
i have a genuine, long standing, loathing for recruitment agencies
personally ive always found agencies will not get out company names until youve been shortlisted
had so many agencies call up over the last week to ask if im right for the job they have because they dont understand the terms in the spec - seriously cant stand them, and they drive down salaries imho

 

[DHSF]

they do drive down salaries because of the commission.

The way I view it a company will happily give you a bigger salary if you go through them as you arent going through the agency process. Hence why employers also offer referral fees for example I recently suggested a friend of mine should be interviewed, I used to work with him in previous employer. He got the job, I get 2k as a result but its tapered so over the next year I will get the 2k. Im sure 2k is cheaper than using an agency.

 

[T-C]

From my experience, going direct to the company isn't always the best route.

A lot of companies have a recruitment budget, so it's not as simple as thinking you'll get more money by cutting out the agent. Whether it goes to the agent or is paid as a referral fee budgets will often me managed separately.

Depends on the people involved, size of the company, type of role.

I hate consultants but over the years have learned how to use them, they're not your friend or doing you a favour they're working FOR you.

Always adds a bit more of an edge to salary negotiations too, once they know you have an offer they will work hard to get the salary I want because they know how close they could be to getting paid!

 

[P.D.]

Surely for a subject as specialist as law there will be a couple of agencies who specialise in recruiting in it. Would seem strange otherwise?

Also if you are after a grad position then they are usually dealt with in house.

Plus don't most big companies have dedicated in house teams nowadays?

I know where I am they prefer to not use agencies. They are always saying if you know people get the CVs in as they would rather pay us then some arrogant agency.

 

[Leeds Spur]

From my experience, going direct to the company isn't always the best route.

A lot of companies have a recruitment budget, so it's not as simple as thinking you'll get more money by cutting out the agent. Whether it goes to the agent or is paid as a referral fee budgets will often me managed separately.

Depends on the people involved, size of the company, type of role.

I hate consultants but over the years have learned how to use them, they're not your friend or doing you a favour they're working FOR you.

Always adds a bit more of an edge to salary negotiations too, once they know you have an offer they will work hard to get the salary I want because they know how close they could be to getting paid!

WOW!!!! Sense!!!

 

[Sheikh Ma Nuggets]

Monkey boy

Job agencies as you say are savvy in not givin out the name of the employer HOWEVER if you tell them youre interested but want to know more they will happily tell you. Thats when you start your own process i.e. contact the employer, ask them to consider your CV, attach a great cover letter stating maybe how your skills will be applicable to the role and also it gives you an opportunity where your experience doesnt match to justify why YOU should be considered.

Employers now would rather save 10k by not using a recruitment agency. Recruitment agencies are happy to suck your dingdong until you dont get the job then they forget about you.

Except that it's illegal, and the company lends itself to being sued for breach of contract.

 

[DHSF]

Except that it's illegal, and the company lends itself to being sued for breach of contract.

Really? Whats illegal? To go directly to the employer? Millions of people do it every day. You send companies your CV with a covering letter saying that if any positions are vacant then consider me etc.

 

[Sheikh Ma Nuggets]

Really? Whats illegal? To go directly to the employer? Millions of people do it every day. You send companies your CV with a covering letter saying that if any positions are vacant then consider me etc.

Oh I agree. That's not what you're suggesting though.

You're saying, to solicit client information from the agency, and then approach that client informally. If that client then acted on your advances, they would be in breach of contract with the agency. You can't circumvent a contract to supply. Well, you can - but you'll find yourself - rightly - sued for it.

 

[DHSF]

Oh I agree. That's not what you're suggesting though.

You're saying, to solicit client information from the agency, and then approach that client informally. If that client then acted on your advances, they would be in breach of contract with the agency. You can't circumvent a contract to supply. Well, you can - but you'll find yourself - rightly - sued for it.

Oh thats what I am doing yeah. What I was trying to get at is find out where the vacancies are as you cant go on to each employers websites (far too many).

I know some of these employers have contracts but the same job is advertised at many agencies, its very rare to have a job advertised at only one or two agencies.

I didnt know that it was illegal tho to 'solicit' client info. My way is just a shortcut to get a list of available jobs rather than spend hours and hours trawling through websites.