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What are the advantages of applying through agencies?

Hi,

I was just wondering what the advantages of applying through agencies are?

Like do you stand a much better chance of getting the job, since agencies operate on a 'you get the job - I get the commission' basis? Like do they work in your favour and contact the interviewers post-interview and persuade them to hire me?

Also, do I lose anything from applying through agencies?

Thanks

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Reply 1

MalteseMalteser

Original post by po10tial

Applying through agencies has it's pros and its cons:

For example, you can do a really in-depth search for what you want to do, and come up with names of companies who you've never heard of and therefore never applied to. You can single out jobs based on salary, distance etc.

However, sometimes the agencies will take a portion of your salary as a commission. Some companies don't hire applicants who apply through agencies, and there can be a very high applicant:job ratio. For example, for one job I saw on an agency website three months ago, there were 113 applicants for one job. Therefore there is a lot more competition in place.

Reply 2

po10tial

Original post by MalteseMalteser

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Just have a few questions

Is it true that the agency pays your wages? If so, what happens if the agency refuses to pay your wages?

How do you agencies make their commission? Like do they get a one-off fee from my employer and does my salary stay the same?

Who am I owned by/employed by? The agency or the company I work for?

Reply 3

MalteseMalteser

Original post by po10tial

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Just have a few questions

Is it true that the agency pays your wages? If so, what happens if the agency refuses to pay your wages?

How do you agencies make their commission? Like do they get a one-off fee from my employer and does my salary stay the same?

Who am I owned by/employed by? The agency or the company I work for?

Not sure on many of these, but will answer as I think them to be true:

1. I believe the company you work for pay for your wages, but they come through the agency, so it'll look like the agency has paid you.
2. Your salary should stay the same, you just might find that it's not as high as it could potentially be. The difference between potential and actual is the commission.
3. Owned by the agency but leased out to companies via contracts.

Reply 4

ForgetMe

Would you lose anything if you would apply through an agency? I'm successfully working on my 5th month through an agency and pleased :h:

Reply 5

po10tial

Original post by ForgetMe

Would you lose anything if you would apply through an agency? I'm successfully working on my 5th month through an agency and pleased :h:

What about the 12 week qualifying period?

You don't have much rights as your colleague counterparts

Reply 6

Jack93o

I've wondered this as well, like what is the POINT of these recruitment agencies anyway. Because it seems to me like the there is no difference in terms of the process of applying for a job - you go on their website, search for jobs, fill out a series of textboxes asking the same questions, upload CV and cover letter which repeats the same things you've already put on the application form. And presumbly, you'll have to pass an interview as well to get the job - thats if the company like what they see on your application form.

Honestly, I don't understand them at all, do they just exist to act like a search and filter engine for relevant jobs?

Reply 7

Jack93o

Original post by MalteseMalteser

3. Owned by the agency but leased out to companies via contracts.

That was how I thought it works with these recriuitment agencies. But on their websites, you actually have to apply for the jobs individually, which I thought was a bit strange, because thats effectively no different from just applying to the companies directly on their own webpages, etc.

You see, I assumed that you would just have to submit a CV and fill out some sort of generic application form on the recruitment agency's website, and then you would be 'on their system', and after that, just wait for them to contact you back if they've got a job for you :confused:

Reply 8

po10tial

Original post by Jack93o

So on your CV do you put the agency as your place of work or do you put your actual company?

Reply 9

Jack93o

Original post by po10tial

So on your CV do you put the agency as your place of work or do you put your actual company?

no idea mate, I never got a job through an agency

Reply 10

po10tial

Original post by ForgetMe

Would you lose anything if you would apply through an agency? I'm successfully working on my 5th month through an agency and pleased :h:

So on your CV do you put the agency as your place of work or do you put your actual company?

Reply 11

MalteseMalteser

Original post by Jack93o

Personally I think it differs from agency to agency. Some will do the legwork for you, especially after you've made a name for yourself being a stellar employee, but in the early days it wouldn't surprise me if they expect you to do the legwork.

Reply 12

po10tial

Original post by MalteseMalteser

Sorry, just of interest, on my CV do I put the agency as my place of work or do I put my actual company?

Reply 13

MalteseMalteser

Original post by po10tial

Sorry, just of interest, on my CV do I put the agency as my place of work or do I put my actual company?

Put the actual company - it's them you've done the work for and them who'll know how you've performed.

Reply 14

po10tial

Original post by MalteseMalteser

Put the actual company - it's them you've done the work for and them who'll know how you've performed.

Thanks for that.

Who owns you/has you as their worker? The agency or the company?

Like if I was hired, would the agency get their commission and then would I be the property of the company?

Reply 15

MalteseMalteser

Original post by po10tial

Thanks for that.

Who owns you/has you as their worker? The agency or the company?

Like if I was hired, would the agency get their commission and then would I be the property of the company?

Company has you as a worker, but you'd be property of the company as is set out in the contract, until your contract expires. The agency is just the liaison, the go-between, between the two parties.

Reply 16

po10tial

Original post by MalteseMalteser

Company has you as a worker, but you'd be property of the company as is set out in the contract, until your contract expires. The agency is just the liaison, the go-between, between the two parties.

So basically, the agency is like a 'middle-man'.

They get a bit of money for setting up the employer and employee.

Now, I have a question...
Say if I was to be paid £13K per annum, would I still be paid £13K per annum or would I be paid slightly less due to the agency commission?

Reply 17

MalteseMalteser

Original post by po10tial

If you're due to be paid £13k for the work, you'll be paid £13k - any agency commission etc. is taken out of it before it's paid to you, so the £13k would be the actual pay.

Reply 18

po10tial

Original post by MalteseMalteser

If you're due to be paid £13k for the work, you'll be paid £13k - any agency commission etc. is taken out of it before it's paid to you, so the £13k would be the actual pay.

Oh ok, thanks for that.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just really young and this is the first time I went through an agency.

I terms of salary, who usually pays that? The agency or employer?

Also, I am curious, can an agency renegotiate the salary on your behalf?