Dishonest Recruiters
Are there more honest recruiters or dishonest recruiters in the IT Contracting industry?
It looks like contractors are getting wise to the dirty tricks played on them by Agents. However, most have had to learn the hard way.
A number of readers gave their views on our article Confessions of an Agent – Obtaining Leads.
The article on dishonest recruiters was also published on Aussie contractor site Brainbox. Here are the Comments made on that site in response to the article.
Hang up on agents straight away
I am a contractor. Nowadays, whenever I receive any calls from any job agents about “updating their database”, I just say I’m busy now and can’t talk, then hang up the phone.
These people are just a waste of time and their phone calls are as irritating as spam emails.
Alex
Don’t Trust Recruiters
Being a contractor of long term I don’t trust recruiters, I can accept that they are in the game for a buck, but so am I. I’m always prepared to talk, however the confidence interval on what I’m telling them may be low, how are they to know?
Let’s face the contractor is the person on the inside.
Regards,
Deep-throat
Counter Agent,
Confessions of a dishonest agent more like
Well – I think all you’ve done is confirm in a lot of minds what contractors think of us! However – please don’t assume all recruiters are like this – me being one of them…
I think your comments are only hurting the honest recruiters out there and making it harder for contractors to trust/work with recruiters. This business relationship should be based on integrity and a genuine goal of making money for BOTH parties – not just the recruiter!
People like you who use dishonest techniques is just what brings disrespect to our industry. I call for a recruitment standard/certification – and also less-stress making commission structures from the bosses…
Steve
That’s the way of the world
I’m going to take a less traditional angle here and say good on you for being honest about the reality of the matter.
The world is a tough place and making money isn’t easy. It is all a bit of a game.
Like everything else, it sometimes takes people a while to figure out the rules.
Everyone has to put food on the table, and sales of any kind is a sink or swim game. It’s not what I’d want to do for a living, but if you’re skilled at it, why not?
Max
Relationship with Contractors
Like Steve, I get annoyed reading such articles as it further damages the relationship we have with our contractors and general candidates.
There are many good recruiters out there that put in a honest days work, try to always get a win/win result for all parties and base a lot of this on honesty and integrity.
Cities like Adelaide are such small places and if you do a good job you will get the rewards and if you burn people you may as well move to another city.
I strongly believe that Contractors are very astute and they/you know who is good and bad out there.
Reading Agent X’s article just highlights that you need to speak to several agencies/recruiters until you find one or two that you are comfortable with and TRUST.
Happy Hunting.
Antman
Not all Recruiters bad
Steve and Antman. I agree that not all recruiters are bad. I think it’s the bad minority who ruin it for the rest.
If either of you guys are interested in writing about how a recruiter with integrity operates, I’ll happily publish it.
Paul.
Contractor for Six Years.
I have been a contractor for last six years. Nearly every week I received this kind of phone call. I have been caught in the beginning. One of my respected recruiter put up a candidate again me using the information I provided. I just learnt from that.
They can‘t get any valuable information from me anymore. I believe there is only few bad one. But that is enough to damage the recruiter‘s image.
Ray
Recruiter Headhunters
Having been around the contracting market both here and overseas for 10 years or so I haven’t meet one recruiter/Headhunter that gave a damn about a contractor.
Here‘s my 2 cents worth
1. They charge a margin that in no way reflects the effort of expertise they offer.
2. Once in the contract and making the excessive amounts of cash out of your hard work they don’t left a finger towards the Hands (Client & Contractors) that feed them.
3. The only time they contact you or the client is to see what the possibility of renewing is and then they can’t even get of their chuffs to buy you a coffee – unless your a hard negotiator and demand equality for effort.
4. Renewal time is the best time to review their rates….its works for me and is rather enjoyable.
Hurting Honest Recruiters
Re Steve:
“I think your comments are only hurting the honest recruiters out there and making it harder for contractors to trust/work with recruiters. This business relationship should be based on integrity and a genuine goal of making money for BOTH parties – not just the recruiter!”
God…what a load of &%#*@ &^%(#.
Consider a rate of $70 p/hr plus 15% for the headhunter($10.50) over 6 months
does the recruiter put in 15% of your hours to recruit you?
24 weeks x 40 hrs = 960 hrs 960 x 10.50 = 10 grand or 144 hrs – or 3.6 weeks solid
Even if they took 2 weeks of solid work to recruit you its a hell of a lot to pay – they should be wining and dining me every 2 months..hahahahahahaha
Steve…save the bleeding hearts for the witness stand!
Using Dishonest Recruitment Techniques
“People like you who use dishonest techniques is just what brings disrespect to our industry. I call for a recruitment standard/certification – and also less-stress making commission structures from the bosses…”
Steve… You work with/for them. they have “”Standards & Associations”” – get with the program and earn those commissions.
If you don’t like the structures your bosses have then maybe you do support a few of the contractors views on “Recruitment Firms”
And finally – If you are such an “”honest recruiter in an honest Firm”” then speak up and tell us who you are. we are all dying to know
The Enlightened
Dishonest Recruiters = Money making pimps!
I agree 100% with ‘The Enlightened’
After reading these articles and associated opinions and dealing with recruiters other the last couple of years, I would NEVER trust any of them.
They are all pure dirt. They make money off contractors hard earned work. I refer to recruiters and employment agencies as human pimps.
Similar to Prostitutes and Pimps
It’s very similar to a prostitute and their pimp on the street. The pro will do the hard yards, but the filthy pimp (recruiter) takes a big chunk of the wage for nothing.
I wait for the day when this recruitment / employment industry is cleaned up, regulated in some way.
Until then I will stand by my strong views above!
Robbo
Damage of Honest Article
Max and a few of the other clowns sound like pimps trying to undo the damage of an honest article.
There are no honest recruiters because honest recruiters can’t stay in business against people who profit from telling lies. They are all dishonest recruiters.
One of the benefits of legislation would be that honest recruiters could do their job and stay in business.
Ian
To that Honest Recruiter!
To that honest, sobbing recruiter who is hurting badly because we are stating the truth. Well.
If you are honest then do some other job.
Don’t call yourself that “one and only honest saint” in a market full of crooked dishonest recruiters. I have come across too many of you leeches to know what I am talking about.
Cowboy Recruiters
Well, Well!
What this looks like to me is that the cowboy recruiters really do believe their own bulls**t. There are honest recruiters out there. I’m not a bleeding heart – i’m actually trying to get a better deal for contractors and build better respect in the recruitment industry.
I forgot to mention – I had contracted as an IT professional for a number of years and did meet some excellent and honest recruiters who would tell me the margins and treat me with respect. And i met the others like the ones having a go at me here.
For the latter – you guys are trumped up car-sales cowboys who are giving this industry a bad name. Dishonest techniques to scam your contractors are wrong – simple as that. I do understand that bad commission rates are to blame – but there are also excellent recruitment companies offering excellent base + commissions.
Agency Margins and Commission
As for the 15% thing.
“Consider a rate of $70 p/hr plus 15% for the headhunter($10.50) over 6 months.
Does the recruiter put in 15% of your hours to recruit you?”
Well we have to take into account the accounting and insurance costs (do you want to pay the 40k per year insurance costs instead mate??) + cash flow. This probably leaves a few dollars per hour as profit. Making a profit is not an evil thing – taking the piss and charging 30%+ is…
Steve
Dishonest Recruiters Costs – Reply to Steve
On my observations from various posts, including yours, emphasis seem to be placed on the recruiters costs.
This fact indicates that recruiters do not understand IT, nor do recruiters comprehend the operating costs of a small business in the IT
Consultancy/Contracting sector. This includes insurance, office rent, purchase of hardware and software assets, ongoing courseware and certification.
Of course recruiters wouldn’t have any concept of this because you are not our accountants.
Obviously recruiters do not know the cost of vendor certifications?
For example an Oracle DBA will cost you around $14,000 at TAFE Plus and its a 12 month course.
We also do not wish to pay for your plush office suites.
Hawkwind
IT Contractor Comments
Well readers, what do you think in the Dishonest Recruiters / Honest Recruiters debate?
Are there more honest or dishonest recruiters in the IT Contractor industry?
Please put your comments below.
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