Recruitment agency recommendations

[biometrics]

If you've used recruitment agencies, who would you recommend?

Agencies I would dismiss are the types that want you to fill in a skills matrix without reading your CV, agencies that only seek keywords rather than read and understand your CV, agencies that do nothing other than try to copy and paste your CV onto their letterhead. You know what I mean ...

I'm looking for an agency that will appreciate the experience complexity of someone that's been in the industry for many years. Preferably an agency with people that come from the ICT sector themselves. An agency that has a personal touch. They need to be looking out for you and not just shovel CVs.

Recommendations?

 

[crackersa]

Let me know if you find one. It seems to be an industry standard for them to ask you to write the cv to their format

 

[supersunbird]

PM sent biometrics

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

Use LinkedIn!

 

[battmann]

Gumtree

 

[DA-LION-619]

Use LinkedIn!

+1

or http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/member.php/359264-WhiteRaven

 

[biometrics]

Use LinkedIn!

+1

I have an account but never used it. So how do you use it?

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

I have an account but never used it. So how do you use it?

Get your profile complete, publish some articles. Get your network going and connect with co-workers and people you have worked/known in the industry. From previous engagements get recommendations from co-workers/customers. List projects. I get several InMails per week from headhunters.

 

[Hamster]

E-merge used to be good

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

E-merge used to be good

They have never been good. In my opinion, they (and many other agencies) post fake jobs with enticing salaries to gather as many CVs as possible and then shotgun them to employers without the consent of the candidate.

And if Garth from e-merge comes in here now to debate this, he should be reminded that his company dropped my CV years back with Discovery and even arranged an interview without my consent. When a headhunter wanted to place me with Discovery some time later, they were told that I am an unreliable candidate. There are two other agencies which will sell off their candidate lists to email marketers as well. I personally have not used an agency since 2003 and all my engagements are either through headhunters or companies finding my CV online.

In one case I contacted the a manager of a company I really wanted to work with directly via LinkedIn and told him "My CV is good and fits your job-profile, take me in for an interview and you will save yourself the agency fee" - got the interview and the job...

 

[Hamster]

They have never been good. In my opinion, they (and many other agencies) post fake jobs with enticing salaries to gather as many CVs as possible and then shotgun them to employers without the consent of the candidate.

And if Garth from e-merge comes in here now to debate this, he should be reminded that his company dropped my CV years back with Discovery and even arranged an interview without my consent. When a headhunter wanted to place me with Discovery some time later, they were told that I am an unreliable candidate. There are two other agencies which will sell off their candidate lists to email marketers as well. I personally have not used an agency since 2003 and all my engagements are either through headhunters or companies finding my CV online.

In one case I contacted the a manager of a company I really wanted to work with directly via LinkedIn and told him "My CV is good and fits your job-profile, take me in for an interview and you will save yourself the agency fee" - got the interview and the job...

Ok, well in my case and one or two other people I know they've been pretty good. My experience with them being back in 2010.

 

[Tman*]

Something you need to keep in mind when dealing with recruitment agencies....

95% of them are like your average estate agents, and used car salesmen.

Why? Well, every bored housewife that thinks she knows a thing or two about HR, starts up an agency in her garage, because you need minimum startup capital (basically a phone and an internet connection), and potential profit is great.

Finding the 5% is tricky, but they do exist. Normally they are the not the run of the mill contingency agency competing for one single roll together with 10 other agencies. They are the type of agency that has exclusivity on the roll, and they work on a retainer.

Next time you work with an agency, ask them if they have exclusivity on the roll. Ask them about their relationship with their client, and what their fee is, and how they get paid (contingency vs retainer).

 

[Drifter]

They have never been good. In my opinion, they (and many other agencies) post fake jobs with enticing salaries to gather as many CVs as possible and then shotgun them to employers without the consent of the candidate.

And if Garth from e-merge comes in here now to debate this, he should be reminded that his company dropped my CV years back with Discovery and even arranged an interview without my consent. When a headhunter wanted to place me with Discovery some time later, they were told that I am an unreliable candidate. There are two other agencies which will sell off their candidate lists to email marketers as well. I personally have not used an agency since 2003 and all my engagements are either through headhunters or companies finding my CV online.

In one case I contacted the a manager of a company I really wanted to work with directly via LinkedIn and told him "My CV is good and fits your job-profile, take me in for an interview and you will save yourself the agency fee" - got the interview and the job...

So 1 000 000% behind you on this one. I have had nothing but bad experiences with E-Merge.

 

[icyrus]

In my experience there aren't any competent agencies in South Africa.

LinkedIn is a useful tool if you can make a lot of connections. Unfortunately their job section gets less and less useful by the day for local tech jobs as it is getting completely spammed by recruitment agents.

 

[Sodan]

Try Whiteraven if you're in Gauteng. A cut above the rest, she is.

 

[WhiteRaven]

+1

or http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/member.php/359264-WhiteRaven

Thank you

 

[WhiteRaven]

Try Whiteraven if you're in Gauteng. A cut above the rest, she is.

You making me blush thanks Sodan

 

[WhiteRaven]

So for Cape Town without a doubt I would recommend Nu-Beginnings, Sam is the owner and is the only IT Recruiter in CT that I will network with. Her staff are very well trained, don't ask for unnecessary documentation up front and are very helpful.

http://www.nu-beginnings.co.za/

 

[WhiteRaven]

In one case I contacted the a manager of a company I really wanted to work with directly via LinkedIn and told him "My CV is good and fits your job-profile, take me in for an interview and you will save yourself the agency fee" - got the interview and the job...

This is IMO the best way to do it, companies are wanting to save on recruitment budget in a big way, I've seen some excellent agencies close down in the last 2 years because internal recruitment strategies are becoming the norm.

 

[AndromedaRecruitment]

Yes, I have noticed the same, especially the larger corporates, I do however find that the SME's are still very much reliant on their partnerships with agencies.

I would also recommend partnering with Recruiters who are transparent with you from the get go, no hidden agenda and who are not afraid to post salaries and divulge company details if asked, that is when you know that the specs they have are legit.

WhiteRaven, Nu-beginnings is definitely a leader for Recruitment in CT and I have seen them hitting the international spectrum too, I definitely look up to Sam and how she does things.

P.S Love the way you post adverts!