How Placement Consultants Really Work

How Placement Consultants Really Work

Have you ever been sent by a placement consultant for a job interview, done well in the test, but have never heard from the company again. Well, placement companies are also businesses and their main aim is to make a profit, even if a bit cunningly.

Recruitment companies and employment agencies play many tricks on unsuspecting job applicants. Some are easy to guess. Here are some of the most common games played by placement agencies and consultancies -

1. Some clients pay placement agencies an amount for every shortlisted candidate who turns up for their interview. This leads to placement consultants lying to job applicants about the position, qualifications needed, salary and other terms of service offered by a company, just so that you agree to go for the interview. Once you find out that the job is not what you desired, you naturally walk off...but the recruiter has already made their few bucks.

2. In such cases, Placement Agencies may also unscrupulously deal with the Human Resource Managers of companies. All companies have a certain budget for hiring people. Since they 'know' the HR Manager, placement consultants send a large amount of candidates for a position that can be easily filled. Many 'fake' interviews are conducted. The HR person and the recruitment company then share the amount paid for by the company for all shortlisted candidates who attend the job interview.

3. They may tell you about an extremely tempting job offer and ask you to send over your CV. Listening to the sales talk, you are so interested in the job that you email your resume immediately. In reality, there is no job - basically they are just trying to collect a database of resumes. You will never hear from them in connection with that particular job again.

4. They ask you for references of superiors or the name of your previous boss in connection with a very 'lucrative' job offer. They are actually just looking for names and contact details of people who are in the position to hire people, so that they can make contracts and other deals with them for jobs and interviews.

5. They ask you for references of colleagues and friends if you say that you are not interested in a particular job. This means they are trying to build up their database of resumes or trying to get a 'murga' to attend one of the paid shortlisted candidate interviews. If they say they will pay you if your friend gets the job through them, they usually pretend they do not remember your recommendation, after your friend gets hired.

6. If you ask them how much the company is paying, they will ask you what range you are looking for. If you say around Rs. 20000 - 25000 per month, then get ready to work for only around Rs.20,000 or a bit less. They will negotiate with the company for as much as they can get, give you excuses that the job market is down and keep the rest of the profit for themselves.

7. If you get a job through a placement consultant, they will put up unfavorable clauses in your work contract such as termination with little notice, a bond, a compulsory two year contract and so on. You may find you have fewer non-taxable benefits and a large 'basic' salary from which the job agency gains commission.

8. If you don't get shortlisted for an interview, don't turn up for an interview or don't get hired by a contractor client, chances are the recruitment agency will never phone you again. They just don't like candidates who don't make them money.

Of course, there are a few good recruitment agencies that play by the rules. Dealing with them may prove real beneficial for your future. Even they dislike the fraudulent placement agencies that shake both the confidence of candidates and that of companies. Research the recruitment market well to find a honest recruiter.

Wish you all the best as you go job hunting!!