TEK systems

teksource1984

Techies,

I currently signed a contract-to-hire role with TEK systems today. They have promised that they will convert this contract to perm after 3 months of good performance.

The manager for the company whom I will be working for (their client) also has confirmed this.

What should I do ? because I have heard some nasty things about Tek.

earweed

Use it as a chance to get experience (and get paid )
Hopefully it'll turn out alright.

teksource1984

Do you think this contracting company will convert me if the client chooses to do so ?

Because i've heard similar Contract-to-hire horror stories with this firm

Devilsbane

teksource1984 wrote: »

Do you think this contracting company will convert me if the client chooses to do so ?

Because i've heard similar Contract-to-hire horror stories with this firm

It isn't up to the contracting company. It is up to the client to want to make you official. It is possible that the client would tell the contractor we want to hire this person and the contracting company saying no. But they have a relationship to maintain with their client. If they upset the client, they can just bring in their contractors from a different company. Also the contracting company is going to receive a pay off "finders fee" when you get hired.

EDIT: And even if you never do get taken on full time, your making money while gaining experience. If 4 months down the road you haven't been hired, start a job search of your own and market this experience.

pwjohnston

humble2007 wrote: »

EDIT: And even if you never do get taken on full time, your making money while gaining experience. If 4 months down the road you haven't been hired, start a job search of your own and market this experience.

Agreed. It's just like when you have a girlfriend and other girls hit on you. You're more desirable when you're employed. Use that to your advantage.

Just make sure you always review the non-compete carefully.

astorrs

TEK systems is a very large multi-national staffing company. I've worked with them in Canada before and haven't had any issues, I've also had colleagues do contract work through them in the US again with no problems. There is a big difference between contract, contract-to-hire and full-time employment when you're talking about recruiting companies.

For contract work you have an ongoing relationship with them (usually you work through them for their client) and they take a cut off every hour worked. For contract-to-hire and FTE placements that is a one-time thing for them, they take a one-time payment (possibly a bonus if the company opts to hire you within a specific time frame) but for the most part their relationship with you (and responsibility to you) ends when you accept the job.

Blaming a recruiter because a company that could decide to hire you (or did hire you) and treated you like crap isn't fair. It has nothing to do with them.

Also remember their foremost relationship is with the company looking for help (their client - that's who's paying them) you're just a commodity and while they usually take care of those people who are shoe-ins for future placements with other clients of theirs (so they get more $$$ and keep their clients happy) you are never #1 on their priority list.

rogue2shadow

I have had a mixed experience with TeK systems. My agent was absolutely wonderful and at first contact, she was amazing at helping me get a decent salary for an IT job. After further negotiations, I ended up deciding to go with another company and she was fine with it; she even told me to call back anytime in the future for contracts.

Post my most recent job, I called her back and she literally ignored all my calls. Numerous emails later and still no response.

This left a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth in regards to contracting as a whole. In my op, TeK systems is a great agency if you get the right agent but just be on guard

MeanDrunkR2D2

It's all about the agent in all honesty when it comes to Tek. If you get a good one, you are golden. But most of these folks will forget about you unless they have alot of positions that you are qualified for or you are fairly high level as they will make alot more money off you in that case.

It all comes down to the money that they make off of you. If you are looking at a 15-20 a hour job, they will likely not look out for you so much as people that low level in their career are a dime a dozen. But if you are a VOIP engineer and command $100k a year to do your job they'll make even more money off of you and they'll treat you like a god.

So basically, the more in demand you are (and more money they can bill the customer) the better they will treat you and more likely that they will contact you.

Devilsbane

rogue2shadow wrote: »

Post my most recent job, I called her back and she literally ignored all my calls. Numerous emails later and still no response.

I don't even know that I would hold this against them. Yes, it sucks for you. But you made your bed, now you have to sleep in it. However, ignoring a phone call is unacceptable in most scenarios. It is one thing if you would call and she was busy or didn't have a desire to talk with you. But to not call or email back (how hard is it to email someone back??) is terrible.

If I quit a job I wouldn't expect them to hire me back the second I wanted a job, but I would expect a response. Even a lie, "There are no positions right now" I think is better than a no response. Quite childish.

Zartanasaurus

humble2007 wrote: »

If I quit a job I wouldn't expect them to hire me back the second I wanted a job, but I would expect a response. Even a lie, "There are no positions right now" I think is better than a no response. Quite childish.

Where did he quit a job? Looks like he was negotiating for multiple jobs at once, and took a different one than what was offered by Tek. A professional should not have sour grapes over this.

Bl8ckr0uter

The Teksystems guy I am working for has been great. Robert Half and K Farce have been the worse.

rogue2shadow

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Where did he quit a job? Looks like he was negotiating for multiple jobs at once, and took a different one than what was offered by Tek. A professional should not have sour grapes over this.

Thank you . A response from her would have been proper etiquette. It's not like I did something heinous to her by taking another job lol.