The view from the other side

Continuing this theme of recruitment consultant hatred here is a view from an acquaintance from the other side:

It was the worst job I have ever had in my life.

Not only do you have to be professionally two-faced, lie on a daily basis to both clients and candidates but you also have to be completely cold-blooded and uncaring.
I worked in quite a small market placing people into Social Housing positions. The jobs weren't particularly well paid in the first place, and then you had to take a cut of it - so a £10 an hour placement quickly became a £6 an hour job for the candidate.

I went home thoroughly demotivated every day. The culture is competative and the majority of recruitment consultants only cared about how big a margin they could negotiate and how much money they earned. Very, very few actually had anything interesting about them.

What has happened over the last few days

I got caught in the fake job bullshit again, in that normally big recruitment agency firms like Reed or Man power rarely have fake jobs, but quite recently even they have been putting up fake jobs and just lying through their teeth. I was told by Reed Manchester that there would be a job at Cowgill Holloway in Manchester. But I know the HR person there, and know of a couple of people who have survived the chop. I phoned them up immediately after the call with the agent, no such vacancy existed. Same thing happened with CLB coopers.

Some recruitment firms are even worse in that they simply make up a name of an accountancy firm, they thing we are stupid or something? In that we can't search the ACCA or ACA or CIMA lists if these companies exist or not? Or even just go through Yell?.

I've always hated people who have given false hope to others as it would be better to have not given them hope in the first place.

How wide spread is this?

A quick search revealed lots of these scams:

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: NPS/40698


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


NOTTINGHAM, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE


06/08/2009
............

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BTR/17661


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BURTON-ON-TRENT, STAFFORDSHIRE


18/01/2010
............................

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: CRY/67747


MEETS NAT MIN WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: ROI/72250


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


ROTHERHAM, SOUTH YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
..........................

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: CHL/65855


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE


18/01/2010
...........................................

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BAL/67828


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BARNSLEY, SOUTH YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
CROYDON, SURREY


25/01/2010
...................................

WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: CVD/71725


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


SHEFFIELD, SOUTH YORKSHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: ROI/72250


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


ROTHERHAM, SOUTH YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: CHL/65855


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BAL/67828


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BARNSLEY, SOUTH YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: DCG/30621


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKSHIRE.


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: MHH/15262


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


MANSFIELD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: RET/24937


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE


20/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: HUD/87506


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


HUDDERSFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: MAC/50174


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PER ANNUM


MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE


18/02/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: OLH/75310


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PER ANNUM


OLDHAM, LANCASHIRE


18/02/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: HAF/57244


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


HALIFAX, WEST YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: LPP/43459


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE


06/08/2009


WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: ROC/63531


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PER ANNUM


ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE


18/02/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: FTS/131763


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PA


MANCHESTER, LANCASHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: NPS/40698


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


NOTTINGHAM, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BDC/129220


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


BRADFORD, WEST YORKSHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: SCN/11981


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


SCUNTHORPE, SOUTH HUMBERSIDE


20/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: LOS/32064


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


LINCOLN, LINCOLNSHIRE


20/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BTR/17661


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BURTON-ON-TRENT, STAFFORDSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: NOR/32172


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PER ANNUM


NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE


18/02/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: YOR/142611


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PA


YORK, NORTH YORKSHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: GNT/11459


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


GRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE


11/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BOL/99226


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BOLTON, LANCASHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: SKP/32569


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


SKIPTON, NORTH YORKSHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: HUW/34304


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


HULL, NORTH HUMBERSIDE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: WBA/26668


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


WIGAN, LANCASHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: MEL/22103


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


MELTON MOWBRAY, LEICESTERSHIRE


11/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: BCK/33771


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


BLACKBURN, LANCASHIRE


18/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: PRS/112945


ON TARGET EARNINGS OF £30,000 PA


PRESTON, LANCASHIRE


06/08/2009
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: LCR/46340


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OTE £30,000 PER ANNUM


LEICESTER, LEICESTERSHIRE


11/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: GTT/24529


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


GRIMSBY, SOUTH HUMBERSIDE


20/01/2010
WEB OPTIMISATION CONSULTANT

Permanent

Job No: WSQ/123249


MEETS NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE


LIVERPOOL, MERSEYSIDE

Revenge of the Job scam

Looks like a job initially doesn't it 30K 40 hours per week Monday to Friday, but look at the detail, this is actually an advert for a training scheme which YOU pay them £2500. Sooo uh how is this a job then? In that if YOU pay them 9/10 it is a scam, but you are buying a service to them and not selling your services to them therefore it isn't employment. Quite frankly it isn't a job it is an advert for training.

Bizarrely enough this IS still counted on the government statistics on their jobs available for people to apply to, the job centre website is littered with examples of these kinds of 'jobs' it again makes the government statistics not particularly credible. Oh there is loads of work out here, but when 1/4 of the 'jobs' are these then if the government claims there to be 100,000 jobs then 25,000 are not jobs. a good 1/4 jobs are scams and the other 2/4 are a combination of fake internships and or apprenticeships, with the few real jobs not working out (the pay is impossibly low) then where are all these jobs people scowl the unemployed for?

The most depressing thing is

The most depressing thing is about all this is the feeling of helplessness, next to this is probably the fact that people who are under or unemployed suffer a feeling of confirmation bias. In that being unemployed is a depressing experience motivation can only last so long before it starts to crumble horribly.

In that you may spend half an hour an hour perhaps longer adjusting your CV, then typing out and spell checking then either emailing it to sending it via post to the supposed employer. That is IF the job exists in the first place, when quite often it does not (agencies are particularly guilty of this).

In that you spend all that time applying for the job doing all of the above. However the potential employer can’t take the time out to send a simple no email back. Granted there are two problems with this in that if it is a postal application then it would require them to post something back. Although many people will attach email addresses to their CVs and covering letters as a method of being in touch in more ways than one.

Also that there may well be a huge number of applicants to the job meaning replying simply isn’t feasible as they have other things to be doing.

Such as money making activities. 3 Workplaces ago I remember Trevor who worked in payroll for both the company itself and for a stack of clients. He also did the HR work filtering the work applications for potential new hires.

However here is where the confirmation bias comes in, in that people are already low in morale and not being worth a few seconds of somebody’s time confirms that they are unwanted or un-needed leading to a greater loss of morale and makes it harder to motivate and apply for jobs in the first place.

Way back in 2004 I remember one of the firms I applied for, he took the time to write back to me stating that there were no vacancies and he was very sorry. He did however write some advice for me and give me some hints. I put those into action and got my very first accounting job (the pay cheque a photocopy is on my wall to this day). This encouraged me and made me feel better, I wonder what employers have to gain from lower morale?.

This is of course not inclusive of several nasty return letters I received more than once from potential employers. One particular one from Stockport sent back a lengthy reply giving a sentence by sentence point by point of my CV and covering letter knocking each and every point. She had nothing positive to say and seemed to revel in great delight at belittling me.

So I suppose not getting replies sometimes is a good thing.

More fake jobs

I recieved a glowing email offering me a job (in accountancy as I am underemployed there is a big difference) £19,000 a year not bad 32 hours a week. I was invited to attend an interview but on the morning of the said interview the job was mysteriously withdrawn. Which dashed my hopes, less than 3 hours later the same job identical in wording was readvertised online.

Surely there must be something against this sort of insidious practice in getting peoples' hopes up about getting out of their current situation?


Although I complain about it now this isn't new, when I first started out in 2004, I was asked to attend an actual interview in Cornwall just off Penzance from Manchester in the winter. Thats 373 miles away. I used to ride a motorbike at the time as it was cheap effective transport. I rode 359 miles in the rain and cold on mind numbing motorway costing me 6 gallons of petrol in and 6 gallons of petrol out £61 each way.

As I left the seemingly positive interview I felt rather happy about being given a chance, how wrong and naive I was then. I was told by SMS message that sorry the job did not actually exist they just wanted to interview graduates to see how much they should increase the pay of their current staff. Had I not been travelling up the A38 towards another fake job in Edinburgh I'd have probably been angry and broken something. It pains me now and I get chest pains considering the anger and betrayal I felt at that.

20 hours later I had gone to Edinburgh and attended a similar fake job, I was £200 down from my megre savings and had nothing to show for it.

Fake jobs

These are a bane on the jobseeker, there are actually several kinds of fake jobs and I'll detail them here:


#1 Is a real job but advertised in such a manner that NOBODY can get that job. You might ask why on earth do people put these jobs up then if they do not want anybody. Well UK and French laws state that you can only hire people from outside the EU if you have advertised the job here for a certain period of time. Then you can give it to somebody outside the EU, in effect it is going through the motions.

#1.1 This can also exist as an internal job, this is somewhat normal in council jobs where the job description is so incredibly narrow somebody who already works in a lower job has been groomed to do this job. Hence this isn't really a job open to the market as it is again going through the motions.


#2 Is a more insidious kind of fake job, in that there is no actual job but jobs are advertised under vague terms. The client does not exist, the above jobs in the picture are all fake, out of about 40 or so jobs they are fake. But comes the decry but these sites charge money to post adverts, they do, but not always...

In that if you go to a jobsite and find no jobs what do you think?, its not a very good jobs website is it?. Hence certain jobs websites allow agencies to put up fake jobs for a lower or lesser fee so that it LOOKS as if there are plenty of jobs. I have questioned directors of such agencies before and they always deny that this is the case. Here is an example
Looks pretty convincing doesn't it? , however make a few mockups of your CV and post them, universally you will be invited to an interview, and yet all of a sudden the job is withdrawn mysteriously. The agencies always hide behind the wall of client priviledge so that there is no employer and people think that it is just their bad luck, but when this occurs constantly then your suspicions start getting aroused in that surely there cannot be so many withdrawn jobs and or filled vacancies?