Any one who works as a freelance IT consultant usually has to use a recruitment agency and by association a recruitment consultant, they are a variable quality group to say the least. Do they try and find work for people, yes they do – but it’s quite often not relevant to your skill set. And almost invariably, when you tell them you’re not interested – they’ll ask you to do their job and recommend someone who is suitable. And this is where it gets to be a bit like dealing with a second hand car salesman, remember the “It sounds just like a Golf” advert. The salesman will make all sorts of “Of course there’s a referrers fee involved” noises, but usually it’s lie.
The latest disappointment is with Interquest Enterprise Service Management and John Watson, it went like this.
I’m looking for someone with these skills XXXXX and YYYY, do you know anyone?
Yes, I do – but I’ll have to contact them first before I pass details on!
Great, can you get in touch with them?
I’ll do that, is there a referrer’s fee?
Yes there is, but only if they are placed!
So after a couple of quick calls, people were put in touch and guess what – they were placed. So no further contact from Mr. Watson or ITQESM, a reminder prompted a reply in the affirmative to the referrer’s fee and a long silence. So if ITQESM contact me again I’ll be looking for a fee up front, or maybe the opportunity just to tell them to bugger off in a none too polite way.
One thing is sure I don’t think I’ll be likely to deal with them at any point in the future, where I can do them some reputation-al damage I will – it’s the very least I can do to a company that tells lies. I mean if it lies to the people who work for it, how much better do you think it’s customers will fare? So to start with, any of you guys looking for something – have a good look around when you find something and see if there is an other agency to go with.
Hey Beau,
Been a while since I’ve been here, still getting stiffed then? Still like you say there is always a get your own back day, just like you always said. These agents are just a bunch of parasites, just take money for doing sod all.
Will mail you soon,
Tons
Hi Tony,
I’m glad to find out that all your fingers work again and you can type! I wondered where you’ve been, you just dropped out of sight. Yes I’m still getting stiffed, but this one is a bit more of a pain in the ass – especially as he told me that there would be a fee payable. Anyway as far as I can see these guys are all the same, from now on I’m just going to ignore them.
Beauregarde
Thanks Beau,
They’ll be a good one to avoid, I’ll make a note of that then – might see you next time you’re in the northeast.
Geoff W
Beau,
Still out there I see, thanks for the heads up on this crowd – I’ll steer clear.
Jinty
Hi Beau,
Interesting article and I can certainly agree with a lot of what you say. As someone who has been an IT Recruiter for the last 9 years (please don’t all boo at once!) I have seen some of these things first hand and you are absolute right to be annoyed by this agency. Lying is unacceptable in any industry and unfortunately it does seem to be ever present in the recruitment market. I can honestly say that wherever I have offered a referral fee I have paid it 100% of the time.
One observation I have though – I don’t see the recruiter asking if you know anyone as “doing there job for them” although I concede there are far better ways of asking this question. If you have a friend who may be looking for a new job, wouldn’t you be doing them a good turn by passing the details on as well? I’ve never fully understood people that will only do this if there is a fee on offer. It takes very little effort on your part and helps out two other parties, if there’s a fee on offer then that should be the icing on the cake. If the agency has been rude or too pushy, then of course they do not deserve the referral, but there are a few good eggs out there!
Also if you have a niche skillset, the chances are that you have worked alongside others with similar skills. Given this fact I think it would be bad practice and a general lack of common sense if a Recruiter did not ask this question (or a variation of it). Growing a Network of contacts plays a big part in being a successful Recruiter, as long as this is done in an ethical way. I would hope that the “second hand car salesman” style of recruiter is gradually becoming extinct. In my view it is increasing important that a Recruiter offers a service, rather than just looking for quick wins. These, I hope, are the recruiters that will stand the test of time.
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
I’m in agreement with what you say Jamie, I know from experience that you deliver much better value than the average agent. I’ve spoken to several contractors that have had dealings with you, all of them speak very highly of you! We have spoken several times in the past, but as a contractor that’s only had four contracts in the last fifteen years there’s not been a lot of opportunity – you were at Optimum the last time I spoke to you in 2009 according to my diary.
I appreciate that the industry is almost incestuous, that you frequently share skill sets with colleagues and I’d be only too happy to point a friend in the right direction as far as a contract goes – without a fee. I have done that many times, I think I even sent a Mr Bussey your way once. But in many respects agents are like contractors, only as good as the last dealings that you had with them.
Beau
Hi Beau,
What a small world! I hope you have been keeping well and I’m sorry to hear we’ve not spoken in such a long time. Perhaps drop me a line if you’d like to catch up (I’m not quite 100% certain of your identity although I think I have an idea!)
Take care
Jamie