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general rant about Belgian recruitment agents
What is it with Belgian recruitment agents (maybe even Belgian recruiters in general) and getting their bloody fingers out??!
I have been looking for the next contract and would like to stay in Brussels. And it seems that they just are not interested! I work in IT/banking. In fact I have worked in Belgium three times in the last 7-8, about a year stretch each time...and each time I was recruited by a UK agent.
For example, I was approached by a consulting company in Brussels and invited for an interview. Two weeks later I was called and was asked if I could come for a second, I said yes. I was told that the person who would be interviewing would get in contact with me to arrange a time/date. This was two weeks ago! Despite me having called and emailed repeatedly. So I haven't bothered anymore.
I've also talked to agents and given them a background, and then agreed to send a CV in, and not even had a response to acknowledge receipt.
To put things into perspective, I have widened my search (I'm pretty mobile internationally). A UK agent called me last week for a job in Zurich, I said OK. He arranged a phone interview, which happened today, and now I'm going to Zurich on Thursday for the face to face. Turn around time from initial contact to final interview: less than ten days.
I mean...do the Belgian agencies not want the cash? I'm assuming they add 20-25% to my daily rate, so that must be worth a couple of bloody telephone calls??
So, failing some miracle or a competent agent in Brussels, it's bye bye Bx-hell (for the fourth time) and hello Switzerland (for the second time).
If you want to stay in Brussels, then why the hell are you talking to people about a job in Zurich?
There are loads of reasons why jobs fall through. Usually, it is because the recruiters are lying and the job never existed.
"I was approached by a consulting company in Brussels and invited for an interview." CV baiting. They need certain "profiles" to apply for tenders. Of course, by the time (if) they do get the tender, you'll have moved on. They lie to you to get whet they want.
UK recruiters are usually 2nd tier - when you have a tender that you need to fill with people, it's cheaper to farm it out to agencies than it is to recruit properly yourselves. Of course, the contractor's rates get squeezed consequently.
Happens everywhere - not just Brussels. The only time the abuse stops is when the endclient themselves outsources their recruitment or recruits direct.
Many Belgians' take their summer holidays during July and August. Don't just rely only on recruitment employment agencies. Many advertise fake jobs etc.
