Agencies (clarification)

[Martin Bosworth]

> Locally, recruiters have told me (because I ask a lot of questions and pick
> their brains to understand all of the factors I can influence in seeking
> contract work) that when a candidate/resume is submitted by more than one
> agency, the client throws them all out.  The onus of keeping resumes and
> candidates straight is shifted to the contractor, primarily.
>
> Some hiring companies issue and then withdraw contractor requests, and then
> reiussue them at a revised pay rate, or with different requirements, or even
> with no modification. This practice makes it difficult to keep things
> straight, especially if recruiters also revise the announcements before
> emailing them to contractors. I assume that some recruiters do revise
> descriptions, because I get similar-but-different ones a lot.  I generally
> avoid applying for opportunities with companies that issue/withdraw/re-issue
> contractor requests, and recruiters who send abridged versions of a contract
> description..

This has been true in my experience as well. Clients who get "double
dip" resumes from multiple hiring agencies throw out the resume. I
don't remember why they do this, per se, but it has something to do
with looking askance at a potential hire who's negotiating with
multiple agencies to get the best rate. (I opined on this topic last
summer, so check the archives and help my fuzzy memory. :) )

Of course, if the potential hire doesn't KNOW their recruiters have
done this because the job descriptions are so abridged or vague as to
elicit no information, they often end up on the business end of the
stick.

I also avoid applying for jobs I see solicited and re-solicited in too
short a time frame, as it bespeaks a lot of chaos on both the
recruiter's and client's part. If they don't know what they want out
of the job, it makes me worry if they will know what to do with me
once they get me. ;)

Martin