Loads of vacancies in my area

Gem7321

Hey

I've just been browsing the jobcentre website and there's several vacancies in my area for AAT qualifieds and other finance positions. And they're really well paid! If I wasn't on maternity leave for another 8 months I'd be applying for all of them.

Is it a similar story across the country? Is the job market picking up again?

AK002

What site you using to search for those?

Tiger

I'd take them with a pinch of salt.... if it is anything like the vacancies in my area they are 'fishing' adverts by agencies and the jobs don't actually exist...

They are trying to grab your attention so they can sign you up, the number of times i've heard 'sorry that job is taken, but when can you come in to discuss other opportunities' It drives me mad....shoudn't be allowed in my opinion....

Of course it might be different where you are!!

mark130273

Tiger wrote: »

I'd take them with a pinch of salt.... if it is anything like the vacancies in my area they are 'fishing' adverts by agencies and the jobs don't actually exist...

They are trying to grab your attention so they can sign you up, the number of times i've heard 'sorry that job is taken, but when can you come in to discuss other opportunities' It drives me mad....shoudn't be allowed in my opinion....

Of course it might be different where you are!!

i totally agree with that comment, if you look in the liverpool echo every week then you will notcie that there is at least two jobs for accountants and they are both agencies ? jobs are not there they are created by agencies to get your signature then screw you oveR !

blobbyh

Mark, big, multinational companies tend to use agencies for most of their professional hires - period. You're unlikely to get into HBOS, Barclays, Deloittes or anyone else any other way unless it's through a graduate or training scheme.

Contrary to popular belief, advertising phantom vacancies is illegal and while I can't speak for every agency, reputable ones just won't risk it. Jobs are often filled quickly because there could literally be dozens of candidates suitable for the position and it's often been filled by the agency's own consultants from their own pool of talent.

However, if you're overly pessimistic and never even sign up to the agency in the first place, you'll never be in that talent pool to be later fished. Food for thought?

shawn michaels

blobbyh wrote: »

Mark, big, multinational companies tend to use agencies for most of their professional hires - period. You're unlikely to get into HBOS, Barclays, Deloittes or anyone else any other way unless it's through a graduate or training scheme.

Contrary to popular belief, advertising phantom vacancies is illegal and while I can't speak for every agency, reputable ones just won't risk it. Jobs are often filled quickly because there could literally be dozens of candidates suitable for the position and it's often been filled by the agency's own consultants from their own pool of talent.

However, if you're overly pessimistic and never even sign up to the agency in the first place, you'll never be in that talent pool to be later fished. Food for thought?

I have to agree with Robert here. I'm out of a job at the moment and the last thing I would want is to cut any potential employment ties. Robert is definitely right about some of the big companies. You have to apply for a graduate scheme to get in to get trained for a top end job. I still am applying to graduate schemes as I have a maths degree and AAT to my name. But it is very competitive so agencies may at least get you in the company. Then hopefully when your employed by the company itself - whether contract or permanent - at least you have a chance of finding something within. The job market is very tough right now.

blobbyh

Sad fact is many attack agencies through ignorance and frustration. Basic facts;

Agency consultants are interviewing you on behalf of the client so treat them with the same respect as if you were being interviewed by the client themselves. A holier than thou attitude towards the agency will get you precisely nowhere.

High end agency consultants are experts in their chosen recruitment fields so treat them with due respect. That's why clients employ and pay highly for their sector knowledge.

Consultants may have up to a hundred candidates in mind at the start of a new placement and maybe ten will make the shortlist (where they will be interviewed by the client). If you make the shortlist but don't get the role you will often be told, otherwise if you were in the other ninety, cost practicalities mean you won't hear anything at all. Such is life. Accept it, move on .

By being accountants we are operating in a highly skilled market with limited positions available. These are not ten a penny unskilled factory jobs.

If you don't get the role it's because someone better skilled and/or more appropriate did. Accept it, move on.

If you don't sign up with an agency it's no skin off their nose and unlike the old cliche, it's your loss, not theirs.

Keep up the good PMA Shawn and opportunities will eventually come knocking.

Andypandy

How many of us actually use the project work for unit 10 to sell ourselves, I wonder?

Andypandy

I don't know if it'll be of any help, but I was told off the record that DVLA are looking to increase their accounting staff & are supposed to be good employers.

Tiger

Robert it does sound as is you are on commission from an agency!!

For the record I have a job which I have been in for a good few years now. My comment on agencies comes from experience.
When I was last looking for for a new job I registered with an agency and they didn't offer me anything of any use. I found my own job in practice.
I advised the agency and as requested advised them who I was going to work for. My very first day in the job my new employer received a call from the agency to ask if they were happy with the selection and did he want any other candidates. Very underhand tactics in my book!

Occasionally I browse the job sites out of curiosity (it dosn't hurt to look and apply for the dream jobs...I might find something better paid!). I accept that it is illegal for agencies to advertise phantom highly desirable positions...but trust me it does happen...they have plenty of live jobs with which to get themselves out of tricky situations if ever challenged.

I have called the consultant the same day as the ad went live and with them knowing nothing whatsoever about me or my suitabilty for the job and the position will have been filled already....

I'm not attacking agencies and I am not ignorant as to how some of them can help candidates with higher end positions, however they are not the whollier than tho answer to everyones job hunting either. They can be very rude and very devious in their methods.

I simply posted that job hunters take the 'dream job' adverts with a pinch of salt as they won't all exist!

fatandforty

I found 1 agency extremely rude. I went round all my local ones and said I was studying AAT and had done a book keeping course and had been doing my husbands books for a few years. I said I would like something part time to try and fit in with family life and I was told I would be better off working in a canteen!!

blobbyh

Hi Tiger, I too have temped for agencies and been placed in perm roles by them in the past, however I am now employed permanently by a recruitment agency (or should it be at an agency?)

I accept that agencies occasionally use devious methods but in that way they're little different from other high profile organisations such as banks, corporate IT suppliers, high technology manufacturers etc. In a nice world, everyone would like to believe that all organisations operate ethically however headhunting is a very sharp business because our clients are sharp. They want the best people working for them and are willing to pay almost anything for us to find and poach them from amongst their competitors.

As for some consultants being rude, well those people occur in all walks of life but it shouldn't reflect on the industry as a whole.

mark130273

seems to me that youve(blobbyh) worked for an agency and dont like getting critasized for the work (or lack of work) that might be going on with in the business of agency work ? All i have to go on is my experience with ALL the agencies that i have tried, they offer possible this and possible that .but ive been with about 5 agencies since about jan 08 and upto now ive ponly ever had 2 interviews for jobs ,one was for a junior payroll and another one was credit control(this one they lied and put me dow nfor 10years in credit control)....so MY own opinion the agencies might have a lot of people on their books and they obviously want to get the best people for the best jobs because they have to get a good rep. but they should warn you that with a little experience within the accounting arena that you will very very struggle to get anything above a junior position ??

blobbyh

Mark, and this might sound harsh but we're operating in a harsh, fiercely competitive industry where the weak should maybe think of doing something else:

blobbyh wrote: »

By being accountants we are operating in a highly skilled market with limited positions available. These are not ten a penny unskilled factory jobs.

If you don't get the role it's because someone better skilled and/or more appropriate did. Accept it, move on.

mark130273

blobbyh wrote: »

Mark, and this might sound harsh but we're operating in a harsh, fiercely competitive industry where the weak should maybe think of doing something else:

i know........but it seems the more i get qualified without get experience the worse it will be for me to get a job....because eventually i will be too qualified for certain jobs and not experienced enough for the other jobs ?

blobbyh

Better to have a job that you are over-qualified for than not have any at all that you are under-qualified for.

Tiger

Mark I wouldn't be too worried about maybe taking a lesser job than you would ideally like... So long as the line of work that the company is in is where you want to be and you can see potential opportunities for progression within the business take the lesser job, the hardest part is 'getting in' to these places in the first place.

Good Luck in your search

mark130273

Tiger wrote: »

Mark I wouldn't be too worried about maybe taking a lesser job than you would ideally like... So long as the line of work that the company is in is where you want to be and you can see potential opportunities for progression within the business take the lesser job, the hardest part is 'getting in' to these places in the first place.

Good Luck in your search

its not taking a job that might be lesser than i want it us more that the company thinks that its not worth employing me for such a position as its not worth my while doing it ?...so its not me refusing to take it ,its the company not offering it ?

Gem7321

I didn't mean for the agency debate to start again, but actually the positions I've seen are advertised by the employer, there was a few with the council, one with the uni, one with an electrical goods manufacturer, and then there were some agency ones as well.

I'm not getting into this agency debate again, I think everyone already knows I agree with Robert. I have used agencies in the past and always been offered the position I applied for or a similar position.

Buff

Mark - FFS - have a think will you.

You have good quals and go for an interview; opposing you is one other candidate who just scrapes the criteria of what the company are looking for.
The interview (all the time) they ask where you see yourself in 5 years. This your chance to say "I would like to progress through the business".
They now know that you are going for the job with all intentions of knuckling down and doing well to show them you can go further with them.

Now... with that in mind - will they:

A. Employ you, the over-qualified-so-therefore-knows-all-there-is-to-know-in-this-role candidate, or
B Employ the guy that just scrapes the barrell

No brainer imo.

mark130273

hvae to diagree with your comment on that situation BUFF ! lets just say i went for a junior payroll throught an agency and during the interview the girl actually told me and i quote word for word "im sorry but I think this job is beneath you"...no i was willing to take it and work my way up and put in all the time but she said that she was not looking for someone who knew the job inside out and upside down . wanted someone ,like a snotty nosed kid just leaving school.......

so the choice i you put it

A: employ Me, the-over-qualified-so-know-it-all-there-is-to-know-in-the-role candidate, or
B: EMploy the guy the just scrapes the barrell..........

no brainer??in my situation B won ??

messedup89

mark130273 wrote: »

hvae to diagree with your comment on that situation BUFF ! lets just say i went for a junior payroll throught an agency and during the interview the girl actually told me and i quote word for word "im sorry but I think this job is beneath you"...no i was willing to take it and work my way up and put in all the time but she said that she was not looking for someone who knew the job inside out and upside down . wanted someone ,like a snotty nosed kid just leaving school.......

so the choice i you put it

A: employ Me, the-over-qualified-so-know-it-all-there-is-to-know-in-the-role candidate, or
B: EMploy the guy the just scrapes the barrell..........

no brainer??in my situation B won ??

so B gets a fighting chance. Not a snotty nosed little kid, a young person who wants a career for themselves and just needs that initial break

marknotgeorge

blobbyh wrote: »

Mark, big, multinational companies tend to use agencies for most of their professional hires - period. You're unlikely to get into HBOS, Barclays, Deloittes or anyone else any other way unless it's through a graduate or training scheme.

Contrary to popular belief, advertising phantom vacancies is illegal and while I can't speak for every agency, reputable ones just won't risk it. Jobs are often filled quickly because there could literally be dozens of candidates suitable for the position and it's often been filled by the agency's own consultants from their own pool of talent.

However, if you're overly pessimistic and never even sign up to the agency in the first place, you'll never be in that talent pool to be later fished. Food for thought?

But if they've already filled it from their pool of talent, and still advertise it, it's effectively a phantom vacancy, even if it's not legally. Much of the time when I get a response from an agency, there's no mention of the vacancy I applied for. I can't help feeling sometimes that the agency is a bit too much of a barrier between the employer and the candidate, sometimes.