Warning To Job Seekers: Employment Agency Tactics

Tactics really means "lies", "misleading" and other bullshit marketing manipulations.

I saw a position I believed I was well-qualified for. It was through one of those employment/staffing agencies. I immediately sent off the required information, and yet somewhere inside, my voice of wisdom told me the position had already been filled and they (the agency) were using the position to garner business. Kinda like waving a dangling carrot in front of a hungry rabbit. I was pretty confident I'd receive a letter informing me the position had been filled but I was welcome to come in and register with their fine agency.

Turns out I was right.

No fucking way will I go that route again. Over the years I've registered with numerous such agencies and only once, nearly 20 years ago, did I land a job that way. And that was ONLY because the job placement counselor's father was good friends with my uncle (found out after-the-fact and so suddenly, she made me her priority and helped me land a job). I would gather that maybe 5-10% of all who walk through their doors ever receive employment much less actually receive attention after they've filled out the myriad of paperwork and taken all of their ridiculous tests.

Overall, a big waste of my time.

Once again, we have lies and manipulation running the show while the struggling innocent victim of a fucked up, whacked out economy shows the ever understandable light of hope and trust, only to have it dashed. Dashed by the principles of greed and dishonesty, those ugly values that permeate the System.

So let this serve as a warning to job seekers. When you see an job announcement advertised through one of those employment agencies, assume the position has already been filled. And also know that employment agencies would never refer you to any position in this manner. First you must go through their screening process before they ever share with you any actual available position. That has been my experience and unfortunately, I forgot this is how they work. For a moment there, my wishful thinking combined with an ever-increasing desperation for finding decent employment clouded my judgment.

Never again though.

I only wish I had sent them a bogus name and contact information so that I could respond to their bullshit and let 'em have it with one of my classic verbal rants.