Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!news
From: sosman@terratron.com (Steven Osman)
Newsgroups: scee.yaroze.freetalk.english
Subject: Re: Work in the UK.
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 16:29:37 GMT
Organization: PlayStation Net Yaroze (SCEE)
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On Tue, 22 Feb 2000 09:44:33 GMT, Robert_Swan@scee.net (Robert Swan)
wrote:

>A bit of a warning - I haven't had any personal experience with using
>the specialised programmer agencies but a lot of people here have and
>it is quite common for them to either misrepresent you or basically to
>send out your cv to jobs you dont want - mind you thats probably a
>risk with every agency. :)

Robert,

I'd like to elaborate on this point, because it's worrisome sometimes.

American agencies are often like that.  It is important to really try
and get an impression of the agency before you ask them to send out
your resume.  As a rule of thumb, you should *insist* that they
contact you before sending your resume to any company, unless you
really trust their judgement.  They aren't all bad, but those that do
send out resumes everywhere cause two severe problems to look out for:

1.  They blast resumes to give employers the impression that they are
"on the ball" as far as sending candidates over.  Ultimately, if you
get sent on an interview you stand no chance of passing, you've wasted
your time, and so has the employer.
2.  (and this is why you should INSIST on permission in advance) - if
they send your resume to a company you're already talking to (perhaps,
through another recruiter), they may insist on payment.  Granted the
company is not going to pay two recruiters for the same one employer,
but it will certainly become quite a headache.  They make their
commission by introducing you to employers.  When they send your
resume out -- that's exactly what they are doing.  I wouldn't want my
employer to start out with a bad taste in their mouth because they had
to fight with some recruiter over me.

...on the other hand, recruiters are a GODSEND.  It is big business,
in the US, for instance, to introduce people to jobs where they'd have
to relocate.

People generally read the local newspaper to find work...  Little do
they know how many jobs are out there in some other town if they'd be
willing to move.  With Toby considering a move to the UK, he should
conceivably be able to have his job offer before he even gets there,
if not a choice of offers in different locations.

Steven