Letting down an agency

[mats01_99]

Hi all. I've got myself into an awkward predicament! Having worked at the same company for 3 years I thought I'd start to have a look at what was out there and see if I could get another job if I really wanted to. So, I posted my CV on Monster and within hours got a couple of calls saying agencies had clients who would be interested. Obviously this was quite satisfying so without giving it a great deal of thought said fine, send my details to your clients. Anyway I've now landed two interviews but to be honest I don't know if I really want to move jobs at the present time. However the two companies interested are places that I would certainly be keen on working in the future so I want to somehow keep my reputation in tact. How should I handle this?, should I attend the interviews anyway and if I was then offered a position let them down or come up with an excuse before the Interview?

[Hermia]

You'll have to talk to the agency. I used to work for a recruitment agency and we would throw people off the books if they just changed their mind about a job without good reason. Obviously, it cost us time and money to find jobs and arrange interviews for people. If people suddenly changed their mind about a job it didn't do much for the reputation of the agency either, esp. if the company had gone to the trouble to interview that person.

Don't attend the interviews if you have no intention of taking the job. It's best to contact the agency and say you don't want them to look for jobs at the moment, but you'd like to contact them in the future. I think you should give a good excuse for why you're changing your mind. Maybe you could say your boss has given you more responsibility/tasks or better working conditions which has made you decide to stay?

[funnywebsite]

Just give them a white lie that your boss has given you more money to stay. Going to a job interview is not compulsary. You might of not wanted to work for these companies anyway or liked the job description. Agencies try and persuade you into jobs you do not want. You were luckier than you had bargained for in agencies quickly coming up with the goods and now you are chickening out. It is understandable if you are not ready to move jobs. Apologise and say you have been offerered more money to stay at your present job and if things change you will be in contact in the future.

[Octavius]

Agencies will send you to any old interview, they don't care who you are, what you are looking for, or what the employer is looking for. Don't believe the hype about reputation etc, the only thing they care about is their commission. Trust me I know. Been there loads.

You must have felt like a change to take that step anyway, if you don't want to move now, when do you see yourself moving? On one hand I would suggest going for the interview to get some interview experience, you know asking/answering questions. On the other hand I would say that if you really want to stay put then cancel the interviews. But then you might be missing out on the chance of a lifetime... It is YOUR choice, don't be bullied by an agency - which they WILL do, especially if you go for the interview and get an offer. It is your life, your career and you should make the decisions.

If you think you would like to work for those companies in the future being interviewed by them might alter your perception, or present new opportunities.

[Andy008]

Just grit your teeth and shaft the agency. They do it all the time to people out looking for work, so give them a dose of their own medicine. They'll get over it.

You may have guessed that recruitment consultants aren't my favourite people. Simply for the reason that they enjoy messing people around with jobs - if it wasn't something so utterly important as that I would'nt mind.

[Gevs1966]

Personally, I would go to the interviews for the following reasons.

You will be able to suss out other jobs that you could be suitable for in the future.

Who knows, you might even decide after an interview for a different job that it would be best for you to move on.

They might not offer you the job anyway, in which case, problem solved.

If they do offer you the job you can always turn it down.