Job Recruiters?

What's the difference between a recruiter and a temp agency?

A recruiter is hired by companies to find qualified applicants for employment. A temp agency rents labor (workers) to a company for a fee.

Hammy71 said:

A recruiter is hired by companies to find qualified applicants for employment. A temp agency rents labor (workers) to a company for a fee.

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Agreed. But some temp agencies use the term "recruiter" to avoid the negative association with temp work. So be careful about that as well.

jmendez29 said:

Agreed. But some temp agencies use the term "recruiter" to avoid the negative association with temp work. So be careful about that as well.

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That's why I ask. I applied for a job on CL and it was a "recruiter" but the paperwork they are sending me screams "temp agency". If I were unemployed, I'd be all over it. They seem very interested in me, and that's nice. It makes me feel special. But it seems as though I'm not necessarily applying for the specific job I was led to believe, but simply getting put on a roll of labor to be farmed out.

A lot of places use services like that to find permanent employees. My wife is working through one right now. When she started she was given a date when her employer would switch to the client company. Her last two jobs started the same way. Companies will hire this way so save on their own HR costs. Also, if you don't work out its the recruiter/temp agency that has to deal with the termination and unemployment. Just Google the temp agency and check with the BBB. It may be legit, it may not. It's a common practice though.

If the job sounds fishy now that you're talking to them it may be. I'm always wary of CL.

I have gotten a few jobs through "contract" agencies that operated more like recruiters. I worked for the contractor, but AT the client. At the end of my contract, I was hired on full time. If they didn't like me, the contractor would have sent me to a different place.

However, I was hired on with the understanding that I would be working at the client. I interviewed with the client. They had to approve me before I could be hired by the contractor.

So, if you discussed a particular job location at a company, that's what this sounds like. It's a good way to get a foot in the door.

If you were told, "We'll find you something", that sounds like temp work.

Keep in mind that during a RIF (Reduction in Force), contractors are generally the first to go because the client has no legal ties aside from the contract with the contracting company (not you) and there's usually an out clause. But it will be in your contracting company's best interest to put you somewhere else as soon as they can as you're technically their employee and likely drawing benefits as long as you're on their payroll. Though that last bit can differ depending on how your tax structure is set up.

ETA: Not that there's anything wrong with temp work. My wife did some temp work while finishing school and landed a permanent position at a company she was with for five years (until the baby came along or she'd still be there. They were a great company). She went from data entry (a little beneath her, but the hours were flexible for while she was in school) to being the logistics manager for a multi-million dollar electronics company. All because she started with temp work. Not that it always turns out that way. When she graduated and her temp time was up, the company sort of hired her "out of band" so to speak. Otherwise they would have had to pay the temp company a finder's fee. So sometimes, it's in the temp company's best interest to have their talent hired away from them.

Company I work for hires temps. Every year they hire ~25 of them for 2 months, and About 5 of them ususally end up with fulltime jobs. The best 5 from the group!

I've had a couple of jobs from the past that I started out as a temp and it worked out great for the time. But one thing I've noticed around here is that it seems that some of the companies will post a job, just to get people on their lists with varying skillsets with no real intention of providing the job that was posted. I can't say for sure if this is what's happening, but if it is then I think its pretty dirty offering hope for people who are looking for work.

"I really want to market you to a client we have in your area.. please please please fill out this paperwork"

Does that sound like a legit recruiter?

"Tradestar" is the company name.

Looks like a temp agency, although a slightly more advanced one.

Sounds a lot like Aerotek or Tek-Systems, but specifically for cabling installers.

I used to be an "Executive Recruiter"

When we needed a placement (read $$$) We would just find someone doing the job a client may or may not need, talk them into givingus their resume, and "shop" it to potential "buyers"

There wasnt always a job at the end of the string we were pulling you down. But, more times than not, if you're a quality worker with an impeccable resume, we'd get you an interview.

jezter6 said:

Looks like a temp agency, although a slightly more advanced one.

Sounds a lot like Aerotek or Tek-Systems, but specifically for cabling installers.

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I used to work for Tek. They got me into a pretty solid job. Makes sense there would be an outfit for specialists like cable installers.

MyNameIsPaul said:

I used to be an "Executive Recruiter"

When we needed a placement (read $$$) We would just find someone doing the job a client may or may not need, talk them into givingus their resume, and "shop" it to potential "buyers"

There wasnt always a job at the end of the string we were pulling you down. But, more times than not, if you're a quality worker with an impeccable resume, we'd get you an interview.

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That's very familiar to what she told me. She saw the resume that I sent via craig's list for what I thought was a specific job opportunity and was up front with me via email and phone that there apparently was not a specific job opportunity, but that she wanted to market me to a specific company in the area that doesn't necessarily "have anything going right now" and this was after I told her I was already employed but "always on the lookout".

I doubt the prospective employer would pay me what I'm making right now for what I do. I'm pretty much at the income ceiling for Lead Tech in a non-union area.

I'll fill out her paperwork tomorrow when I'm not drinking. What could it hurt?

JetSmooth said:

I used to work for Tek. They got me into a pretty solid job. Makes sense there would be an outfit for specialists like cable installers.

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I worked for Tek for a while, and it was a lot of off and on stuff. Some where multiple months, others were a week or less.

Fact is, they're a temp agency. The client hires Tek, who hires you and pays your paycheck.

Recruiters typically shop out full time permanent jobs (although some are temp-to-hire, but the point is the "to hire" at the end). 90% of Tek is that when the contract is up, you're looking for a new job. And when you don't have a contract to work on, it's not like Tek is still paying you to do something around the office. No current contract = no pay.


Fletch,

The only potential downside I can see is that they blast your resume out to a dozen local employers as one of the temp flunkies. If you think they can't pay you what you already make, then realize that they're going to be shopping you around at that rate. So you'll end up with a bunch of employers looking down your resume as someone who's obviously willing to accept that rate (or you wouldn't have signed on with the temp company). If you do end up leaving your employer and try sending your resume to them, depending on how many resumes they get on a regular basis...they may remember you as the flunky who was being shopped around as a lower wage temp.

If your industry is close...people who may know each other (ie: your employer and any of the other employers) may talk about your resume being shopped around and that might not be good for your job.

Another thing to consider: a recruiter makes their money by charging a fee (to the employer) which is generally a percentage of your first years salary. In a recent interview (I got the job!) I was told that the going rate is 40% of the first years salary - which puts those working with a recruiter at a 40% disadvantage vs those not. On the flip side, many recruiters know of jobs you'd only find out about through them or networking.