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[Jasper9]

After I had applied for a permanent job vacancy on 6 July, I chased it up on last Monday and having not had a response I chased it again again on Friday.  I got a call back and was told "the job is still current, but in order to comply with the law, the company concerned have to advertise it internally first, before interviewing anyone else."

Then yesterday I got "offered" a week's work by this agency for the company with the vacancy for £17.50 an hour.  Fair enough.
The agency said it would "be an opportunity for me to check out the company and  get my foot in the door for the permanent job"

Then it turns out the work is 50 miles away (100 miles a day and there are no travelling expenses.)  The travel costs at 45p per mile work out at  £5 a hour!
Then they say I would have to pay a fee of £15 to get paid by an "Umbrella" company. 

All in all it would work out at £5.28 an hour in my hand after everything!  Not worth it at all.

All from a job vacancy that didn't exist (or certainly did not when it was advertised)

If they can get someone local to the job who can start on Friday good luck to them.

[Jason]

After I had applied for a permanent job vacancy on 6 July, I chased it up on last Monday and having not had a response I chased it again again on Friday.  I got a call back and was told "the job is still current, but in order to comply with the law, the company concerned have to advertise it internally first, before interviewing anyone else."

Then yesterday I got "offered" a week's work by this agency for the company with the vacancy for £17.50 an hour.  Fair enough.
The agency said it would "be an opportunity for me to check out the company and  get my foot in the door for the permanent job"

Then it turns out the work is 50 miles away (100 miles a day and there are no travelling expenses.)  The travel costs at 45p per mile work out at  £5 a hour!
Then they say I would have to pay a fee of £15 to get paid by an "Umbrella" company. 

All in all it would work out at £5.28 an hour in my hand after everything!  Not worth it at all.

All from a job vacancy that didn't exist (or certainly did not when it was advertised)

If they can get someone local to the job who can start on Friday good luck to them.

If they say you "have to" get paid by an Umbrella Company then they are breaking the law, although if you were to be travelling 100 miles per day it would make sense, but even then, if you only worked for the Umbrella company that one time and never had any intention to work for them on more than one assignemt then there would be no tax relief on the travel anyway and there could be a future tax liability, payable by you.

Sounds like you were miss sold a job there, and almost coerced into a difficult situation.  Good job you don't need the work, and you should report them to REC.

[Jasper9]

If I reported all the tricks these scum bags get up to I would do nothing else every day.
What will the Rec do anyway?  Ask me for loads of details and then repremand them
Why are agencies not regulated and registered. 
Why do they not require a professional qualification?

They are worse than scum even maggots.
They are the creatures in the toilet in the Domestos adverts!
They would pollute a sewer!

[Jason]

If I reported all the tricks these scum bags get up to I would do nothing else every day.
What will the Rec do anyway?  Ask me for loads of details and then repremand them
Why are agencies not regulated and registered. 

If a genuine person cannot find the time to report them then nothing will ever change.  There would be no point in another more reputable agency (I know you don't think there are any) reporting them as it would just be seen as vexatous.  REC will only listen to accusations from individuals IMO, and they may just strike them off, or whatever it is they do.

Basically, good agencies can't compete with bad ones because the bad ones have a commercial advantage, eventually SME owners start to think "if you can't beat them join them".  Nothing changes if nobody acts, no matter how insignificant the outcome seems.

[Jasper9]

I need a job first and formost.

I recently spent two hours trying to get cheaper energy only to find that they were all about the same (Max saving £100pa)
Complained to OfGem.  They wont do anything!
I have also appealled to OfwaT over the transfer of ownership of private sewers to water companies on 1st October 2011.
They haven't even finalised the grounds of appeal yet and win or lose I would STILL have to pay the extra £3 to £14 a year charge that is coming.
So what is the point?

Complaining to REC every day about this or that agency who would say that it was "just an isolated case of a  rogue employee operating outside their rules"
Even if the REC throw them out so what then?  They would just start up on Monday using a new name.  They have the clients, they have the CV's.  Nothing would change.
And what is in it for me, would I be more likely to get a job that doesn't exist? Do I tell an interviewer that I have spent the last six months or so complaining to the REC about Recruitment Agency tricks?

 

[Robin Tetley]

Do you mean an interviewer from an agency or an actual employer?

[Jason]

I recently spent two hours trying to get cheaper energy only to find that they were all about the same (Max saving £100pa)
Complained to OfGem.  They wont do anything!
 

Ok, just a point of interest here (agreeing to disagree on the REC front).

Have you ever asked an energy company what they charge per Kwh?  They never know and just try to ask you how many windows you have, how many bedrooms etc.  You then state that you don't want to tell them that, you just want to know what they charge per Kwh.  They just freeze up, don't know!

[Jasper9]

The charges for KW  ie units are on all the comparision sites quotes.
AND there is very little (if any) difference between them. 
As you would expect from a CARTEL!

[Jasper9]

Do you mean an interviewer from an agency or an actual employer?

I dont f**k about with interviews with agencies!
A total waste of time.

I only go to interviews with employers and even then they dont always have a job vacancy!

[Bob]

I don't understand how can you go to an interview with an employer if they have no job vacancy? Do you mean you just pop in to places you want to work?

[Jonathan]

What Bob said.

[Jasper9]

Listen you sirry irreots!

I go to an employer for an interview for a job an agency has advertised that I applied for.
It is only when I get there I find there is no job.

What on earth would be the point of driving around to companies?
"I can do that Gissa a Job"!

[Robin Tetley]

Now it makes sense.