joejohn_guyon

Hi all, would be great if you could share your experience/knowledge about getting a job through a recruitment agency. I'll be coming to OZ early next year, and hoping to get an IT job within the first weeks/months.

What I know about these agencies, is only that they will take a portion of my salary from the original employer. Is it really true? How big do they usually take? Is there any bad practice that I should be aware of?

Any basic/general info about recruitment agency will also be appreciated. If you can share your compliments and/or bad experiences, you're also mostly welcome.

Thanks.

PS: I notice from seek.com.au and mycareer.com.au, almost 90% of job vacancies come out through agencies. Is there any specific place/media where I can find vacancies posted by direct employer?

hoofie2002

If the agency takes something off the top [either a lump sum for permie or a % per week for contracting] you won't know about it unless someone tells you. It won't personally cost you any money, unless you can wangle a contract job without an agency where you can get a higher rate.

The one thing to remember about IT agencies is that they are out to make money and that may mean sweet talking you into a job that turns out to be not so wonderful [personal experience here...].

Some employers may advertise in the press for IT jobs, but as far as I know things like project management, developers, dba's etc. get advertised via seek or by the agencies themselves [who then advertise their vacancies on seek anyway].

esperanza

As hoofie says, the money the agency takes comes from the employer, not from you. E.g. you agree to work for $30 an hour, they charge the employer $40 - you still get all of the $30 you signed up for, minus income tax.
If you take a permanent position through an agency - either straight to perm or temp to perm - then the agency will charge your new employer a fee (usually a % of your salary, i.e. 2%, but it varies) and again it's your employer that pays it, not you. Often there is cooling off period where if you quite within three months or so then the agency will replace you free of charge - not that this affects you, just the employer.
I can't comment on IT recruitment, but I've dealt with another field & they were great at getting me my job (temp to perm) but utterly bloody crap when it came to finding other people for us. I did half their job for them, and they were still rubbish! I think that as in the UK there is a wide range of agencies, some good some less so, you just have to be very self-focused and make sure you get what is best for YOU.
Good luck!

mark213

Agents are crap here - awful , hate em.... dont really care about you, just that position they have to fill at that second in time. Having you on their books is a waste of time. They never look at them unless you constantly call them up.
They all ask you for a pre-visit - ive lost count, must be around 30-50 ive see and even some insist that even though you applied with them 6 months ago they still want you to go and see them again! For what - they arent even hiring - waste of time really.
Finally you'll find that 2 or 3 agents are all advertising the same position, so you waste time there. Some dont even tell you till you've done the prelimary interview who it is and the salary etc, then if you say youve already applied for that job they stop, kick you out saying they cant do anything - its just a farce.

Saying that ive had only two agents who've tried to help and call back for update call a few weeks later. So there is a glimmer of hope!

joejohn_guyon

wow..mark that sounds scarry...never thought it'd go that bad. But, this leads me to another headache/worry. If those agencies won't be so useful, than how many percentage left for me to land on a ideal job. Because 90% of job vacancy are published through them

And, thanks to the other replies. It's good to know that they won't take any portion of my salary

fific

Hi not all agencies treat you like this - I work for a small privately owned agency in the Sunshine Coast who make it their priority to offer a personal service and only work with good employers and negotiate on behalf of the candidates. They charge the employer the commission for finding screening and interviewing candidates.

PM me if you are heading this way and want to know the name of the company.

Fific

mervbeng

My company is recuiting www.smsmt.com.au and I can refer you if you have the right skills. Please send me you cv to [email protected] and we can take it from them. I have already got some people on BE jobs

Michael Page IT I have found to be a very professional agency, as of the rest.... They are no worse here then UK through. You just need to play there game

Dorothy

I also worked for a small privately owned agency in Adelaide and we were in no way what Mark described. We won Agency of the Year 2006 as voted by the public in a competition run by the Adelaide Advertiser in conjunction with Careerone.
If you're going to SA let me know and I'll point you to the agencies that deal with IT. Not all agencies deal with all types of work. Most specialise in one area or another - the one I worked for did 50% admin and about 40% call centre.

rabsody

I would second that. Had similar experiences. Seems a lot of advertised positions are made up to draw you in to registering with them. There are a lot of sharks out there.

Vim Fuego

Third it, as my views elsewhere will show ... as someone else said, 'Failed Estate Agents'.

rabsody

Haha, I'm sure there must be some decent ones out there ... just not dealt with any in the seven years I've been here!

markinhull

I am coming out in January and have a job lined up but need something for the wife. Does anyone know of any good agencies in the Sydney area for Travel Agents. I emailed one (TMS Asia) and have not heard back from them.

Sorry for hi-jacking this thread.
Mark

jenandjames

Hi

I am also coming out to the Sunshine Coast on 4th January. I would be most grateful if you could PM me with your details for your agency.

Thanks