Need your opinions on Robert Half Tech, or any recruiters.

ITNewbie2

My understanding is that some people on this forum has had pretty good experiences with RFT, and then there are some who didn't, for various reason. My concern revolves around temp-to-hire, contract employees.

After reading through their 30+ pages of on board agreement. Although most of the agreement sounds normal. I find a few things that sounded like a catch 22. I am sure this is a popular practice to maintain business profitability, but I wonder how much it benefits me, the job seeker. In one section it states: If the employer decide they want to hire you as a permanent employee, they need to pay RFT a fee in order to hire you. Also, employers that you've worked for couldn't hire you within 1 year after your assignment has ended without letting RFT know, so they could charge that fee from the employer if they want to make you an offer. Then there's the arbitration agreement, which I guess is pretty normal these days from any company.

I do not know what those fees are, and how realistic is it to think that employer are willing to pay those fees.

I am trying to think of this objectively by assuming that if I am a employer and I choose to work with recruiters, I am doing it because 1. Less pay-roll to process. 2. Lower overall cost compared to permanent employees due to lack of benefits and tax implications. 3. Low to none liabilities since you are not their employee and simply a contractor.

Am I putting myself in a position where I could be working as a temp/contract employee for a long time because employers saw no benefit in spending the extra money to bring me on as a perm? I don't have any offers yet, but purely just wondering if I should pursue this route or not.

iBrokeIT

It depends... on the recruiter, on the company, on the position and why it is being created ect... You need to learn to evaluate each situation and figure out for yourself if it is right you. It wouldn't be accurate to paint things with such a broad brush.

Ya, some employers abuse the contract to hire and some are completely legit. Some Robert Half recruiters are scum and some are amazing.

systemstech

I definitely have to chime in here. Some recruiters are bad, some are good. My recruiter that got my my previous job is awesome. I actually still talk to her to this day. I've worked with some at Robert Half. Most seem shady as heck. One recruiter actually said to me "if you're applying at other places, maybe tell me where those places are. That way I can help you get in". I started laughing and was like "no thanks". He must have thought I was dumb or something..

Caiyenne

ITNewbie2 wrote: »

...
I do not know what those fees are, and how realistic is it to think that employer are willing to pay those fees.

At my company when we use recruiting firms we do pay the fees to hire employees. This can happen in one of two ways: We can pay an upfront "finders fee" which is a large lump sum that is calculated based on the annual salary of the person hired OR we can pay the cost to have the person working as a temp for a specified period of time (usually six months). After the temp period is over we are able to hire them as a permanent employee without further obligation to the agency as they have made their profit during the 6th month temp period.

Usually management level employees fall into the first scenario while other salaried employees are handled the second way.

ITNewbie2

Caiyenne wrote: »

At my company when we use recruiting firms we do pay the fees to hire employees. This can happen in one of two ways: We can pay an upfront "finders fee" which is a large lump sum that is calculated based on the annual salary of the person hired OR we can pay the cost to have the person working as a temp for a specified period of time (usually six months). After the temp period is over we are able to hire them as a permanent employee without further obligation to the agency as they have made their profit during the 6th month temp period.

Usually management level employees fall into the first scenario while other salaried employees are handled the second way.

Thanks. It's good to hear that companies will actually pay the fees to bring people on as permanent employees. I have never worked with a recruiter in my life, so these info helps.

Question: The non-management people you bring on board after six months, do you guys offer them benefits right away, or do they go through the typical three month probation like most new hires? Just wondering.

ITNewbie2

systemstech wrote: »

I definitely have to chime in here. Some recruiters are bad, some are good. My recruiter that got my my previous job is awesome. I actually still talk to her to this day. I've worked with some at Robert Half. Most seem shady as heck. One recruiter actually said to me "if you're applying at other places, maybe tell me where those places are. That way I can help you get in". I started laughing and was like "no thanks". He must have thought I was dumb or something..

I had the same unreliable feeling too when talking to certain recruiters. But I don't want to write them off as all bad, you know what I mean? I am at the stage where I just got the certs I need to get started in I.T., and I need to reach out to every direction possible to find a job, and that probably include recruiters as well. I can send dozens of resume out every single day, but I think its a known fact that its considered to be too flat of an approach.

Heck, I got a email back from a organization that I tried to volunteer my newly learned networking skills, but even they said no to me. I guess competition is fierce on all fronts, even when offering your time for free.

iBrokeIT

ITNewbie2 wrote: »

Heck, I got a email back from a organization that I tried to volunteer my newly learned networking skills, but even they said no to me. I guess competition is fierce on all fronts, even when offering your time for free.

Try posting your sanitized resume in a new thread for review.

ITNewbie2

iBrokeIT wrote: »

Try posting your sanitized resume in a new thread for review.

I didn't send my resume to the volunteering organization. I simply filled out their basic information form, then got an email back saying they don't have an open spot. But thanks for the advise on posting the resume here for review. I've been getting a few calls from employers, and attended a "one way recorded interview" not long ago. That was kind of weird. It felt like I'm sending in a audition tape for a acting gig, lol. Anyway, there isn't much I.T. experience I can put on my resume since I don't got any. The only reason I'm getting some calls is because of the CCNA cert, but most of the employers want experience plus the cert.

Russell77

systemstech wrote: »

I definitely have to chime in here. Some recruiters are bad, some are good. My recruiter that got my my previous job is awesome. I actually still talk to her to this day. I've worked with some at Robert Half. Most seem shady as heck. One recruiter actually said to me "if you're applying at other places, maybe tell me where those places are. That way I can help you get in". I started laughing and was like "no thanks". He must have thought I was dumb or something..

I have had the I can help you get in line feed to me by another large recruiter. The recruiter advertised for a role at a large company. They put me up but I don't think I must have fit because after a few weeks no interviews. In the mean time another position was open in the same company. I applied directly was interviewed, offered and accepted the position. I told the recruiter what had happened and he congratulated me but also hit me with the we could have got you in as well.

Fast forward 9 months later where another guy from the recruiting company meets with my boss who has more open positions. My boss tells him about the position and asks if he has anyone like that. The guy drops my name and asks if he knows me. Boss goes yes he is sitting in the room over there. Well it's nice to know they still have my name on file.

techfiend

I've had a similar experience. Was contacted by a recruiter for position, had a phone and a f2f with them and nothing came of it. Fast forward 2 months and the same position shows up from the company. I applied directly, 3 days later had a phone interview and asked to come in for a f2f. Now it's just the wait to see but they've already called me back and said they were impressed. It's a cisco position and all that's changed on my resume is MCSA and Linux+ which seems irrelevant for the position.

Recruiters seem a lot like salesman to me, except they sell people into employment instead of a product or service. They come across as good people and I'm sure some are genuinely good people but many do what's in their best interest even if it's immoral. Recruiters sell you and you can often sell yourself better than a stranger can. I see recruiters as interview practice, otherwise all they've done is waste my time.

Dojiscalper

Pretty much the same, I've had excellent guys who'd realize my skill are very diverse and call me up just to ask if I'd take an assignment. Sometimes it would be something I couldn't or wouldn't do and other times I'd take them up on it and it worked out great. Other recruiters don't seem to have anything but a specific job on their minds and if you don't fit then they move on.

I'm currently looking for a change of jobs and I've found two really great recruiters who I've kept in contact with for a long time and many more than I've moved on from.

Robert Half is one that I'm in contact with, but the specific guy I'm working with hasn't been very communicative. I'm probably calling a different guy on Monday to try to get on their radar due to the number of jobs they post in my area.

dave330i

Companies paying recruiting companies a finder's fee is normal practice.

Priston

A lot of positions are contract to hire / temp to hire. If a company wants to try someone out before they hire them, this is what they are going to do. If the company doesn't like how the contracting firm works they aren't going to use that contracting firm to find people, so I don't think you need to worry about fees.

If you don't want to have a continuing contract, when you go on an interview make sure from the company it's a contract to hire / temp to hire position. Sometimes contracting firms are misinformed about this.

I've been with RHT for almost 4 years now. I have no issues with them.

JustFred

I personally don't like them. I had one call me, putting me under pressure to accept a role, that paid 35k a year. I told him i wasn't interested, he kept pushing and i politely declined. I checked the site of the company he was trying to hook me up with and the pay was 52k a year including all sorts of benefits he did not tell me about when i asked him about it. So far i have only met one lady who was sincere and i still declined. I usually just reply to a recruiter's e-mail telling them i'm not looking as i don't want to be rude.

olaHalo

The best job hunting experiences I have had were with in-house company recruiters.
Regular 3rd party recruiters I have had nothing but bad experiences with. Either usually contacting me about jobs that are no where near what I am looking for or simply wasting my time by having me come in and talk to a million people at the recruiters office that have nothing to do with anything.

"Im looking for Network Admin type work"
"Hey we found these jobs for you. Linux admin, Security tech, Help desk, Database admin, etc"

ITNewbie2

Priston wrote: »

I've been with RHT for almost 4 years now. I have no issues with them.

Are you still working as a contract employee, or do you mean you've transitioned into a permanent position with the employer but still have your profile with RHT? Just curious.

Caiyenne

ITNewbie2 wrote: »

Thanks. It's good to hear that companies will actually pay the fees to bring people on as permanent employees. I have never worked with a recruiter in my life, so these info helps.

Question: The non-management people you bring on board after six months, do you guys offer them benefits right away, or do they go through the typical three month probation like most new hires? Just wondering.

Yes usually they get benefits right away with vacation time prorated depending on when you start in the year.

Priston

ITNewbie2 wrote: »

Are you still working as a contract employee, or do you mean you've transitioned into a permanent position with the employer but still have your profile with RHT? Just curious.

Yes, i'm still working as a contract employee, it's a continuing contract. The company I work for doesn't hire full time employees for certain positions. I'll continue to be a contract employee until I find or get promoted into a FTE position. I'd say about half of the company is contractors.

ITNewbie2

Priston wrote: »

Yes, i'm still working as a contract employee, it's a continuing contract. The company I work for doesn't hire full time employees for certain positions. I'll continue to be a contract employee until I find or get promoted into a FTE position. I'd say about half of the company is contractors.

Thanks for the information guys. I think I have a better idea now what it could be like working as a contract employee.

mart541

Years ago RF got me my first job in NYC. The recruiter was great. He seemed to actually care. And that continued through the assignment, not just until he got me a spot. When he got promoted the guy who took his place was terrible. Seemed like he couldn't care less, and never followed up. I think it's kind of a crapshoot.

techfiend

Around the twin cities the recruiters are dreadful. They come across as nice people but I've seen some lately show their true side if you stop replying. This is the exact behavior I receive from recruiters and I'm just giving it back to them. I really have nothing good to say about the dozens I've dealt with other than they came across as Minnesota nice, which is really starting to sour according to imports.

Some in other states have been pretty solid. Kind of surprising the recruiters in other states usually come up with the more interesting positions the locals don't have.

Phileeeeeeep651

techfiend wrote: »

Around the twin cities the recruiters are dreadful.

PREACH!!!!

They are awful and I refuse to deal with them anymore. RHT calls me about once a month trying to get me in for a F2F and when I ask what the position is all about they refuse to tell me, saying they can only explain it in the office. I'm not coming to your office without details on the position, end of story.

NetworkingStudent

@ Phileeeeeeep651


This is horrible. Why can't the recruiter discuss the position over the phone?

I found my current full time position through a recruiter.
Unfortunately, after I got hired the company went out of business.

I have worked with a lot recruiters when I was looking for IT work.
Most of the recruiters I met are younger and just of of college.
Also, the recruiters don't stay at the recruiting company for an extended period of time.
There has to be reason why they don't stay that long.

Anyone know why recruiters don't typically stay with a recruiting company for a long time, say 3-5 years?

Phileeeeeeep651

@NetworkingStudent

I have no idea! Other recruiting agencies have been very willing to give the details of a position but whenever I ask anyone from RHT they make it seem like it's some big giant secret.

ITNewbie2

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

Anyone know why recruiters don't typically stay with a recruiting company for a long time, say 3-5 years?

I can't speak for the recruiters, but sales jobs in general has a very high turn-over rate across most industries. The more competitive the business is, the more turn-over you will find. Most sales jobs pay mostly commission and very little base pay for stability. Economic cycle also has lot to do with this. In good economic times, you see a lot of people become realtors, loan officers, insurance sales, car sales, recruiters. But in bad times majority of those people need to change professions to survive because of the shrinking economy. I remember during the real estate bubble of early to mid 2000, there were so many people getting involved in real estate or they want to become loan officers or mortgage brokers. It was common for those type of sales jobs to make over $10k per month, but it didn't last long.

coreyb80

My current gig and my new gig that I started on 12/14 were both landed via recruiters. Both recruiters are very professional and to the point. I told them what I was looking for and they only contacted me when they had something they thought I would be a good fit for. Unfortunately, the current gig is @ a law firm and fixing actual documents for attorneys/secretaries is not IT in my eyes. Landed a new position that aligns with what I want to do and I start that on 12/14. I stayed long enough and the recuriter gets paid off because I stayed 90 days. I think he owes me a $200 GC now that I think about it as well.

techfiend

RHT isn't alone in the never giving job descriptions, a lot of recruiters have 'Openings that would be a great fit' even if you apply to a posting they won't discuss it, they'll just want to interview you and likely waste your time while looking like they are doing their job. Fortunately, RHT usually requires way too much experience for their positions and the recruiters stand by it. 5 years for desktop support? 10 years for lower admin? Ridiculous! That's no offense to the people that like support or low admin positions but they aren't for the ambitious.

Recruiters for recruiting agencies are kind of like salesmen. They fill the position for as low of a wage they can to add to their and the agencies bottom line. Maybe that's why I've had no luck with local recruiters. A lot of humans can only last so long in a dishonest profession. This is not saying all salesmen or recruiters are dishonest but the majority I've come to know are.