Forum Post: Recruiters' Fee Costing Me My JOB??? MAD MAD MAD.
Posted 13 years ago on Nov. 5, 2011, 1:49 p.m. EST by julesfromthebk
(14)
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Up until a few weeks ago, I had been unemployed for a year and nine months. I redid my resume over 30 times, I applied to hundreds and hundreds of jobs, I went on only five interviews and finally landed a job through Robert Half. Yesterday, on our way to work, my husband and I got into an argument about money - we don't know how we are going to buy diapers, formula and gas after paying rent just this week. Sometime during the day, my boss called me into her office and asked me to remind her of my hourly rate so she could submit the department's monthly budget. I gave her the rate I receive and she replied, "Oh no, that may be what YOU get." She informed me that the rate being paid to Robert Half was MORE THAN DOUBLE my take home salary. For every hour that I work, Robert Half makes $2/hr MORE THAN I DO, for doing...well nothing. The kicker here is that this position has only the POSSIBILITY of going permanent. In January there will be a review of how much money was spent this year and I may end up being cut (!!!!!!!). I don't begrudge the recruiters, they are just trying to eek out a living for their families too. Hey, charge 2K, 3K, even 5K, I mean I really appreciate the job and my company appreciates my work. Robert Half is going to take home over 40K this year for MY WORK and most likely COST ME MY JOB. But I can't even buy diapers for my child. I have no choice but to suck it up and hope for the best because my family depends on my income. That doesn't make me any less angry, distraught, or hurt. Is this the new employment environment? It seems that recruitment firms are running a monopoly on well paying, serious jobs. 3 of my 5 interviews came through them. The other two wanted to pay me 1/3 of what I made before I was laid-off (and I wasn't even hired, one even told me they went with a candidate who didn't need health benefits (!!!!!)). Will recruitment firms gouge out the few companies still hiring while stealing fair wages and job security from workers?? I'M MAD AS HLL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!
Sounds more like you're actually employed by RHI and not the company where you are working? In that case, the rate would sound about right.
When we did personnel placement at a tech consulting firm where I worked our billing rate to the client would be far more than what the person was paid. That accounts for pay, benefits, SS and payroll taxes, overhead costs, plus some profit obviously. Basically, all of the true costs of employing someone that a company has over and above their pay other than the profit which is the reason that they're in business. The assumption being that if it wasn't worth it to their clients, then they wouldn't pay for their services.
Presumedly, the place where you're working weighed the cost/benefits of indirect versus direct employment and made the decision to go that route so they don't really have (or shouldn't have) much business complaining about it now.
And of course this cycles back to the insurance industry as well, it is not a good situation for any of these parties to leave that responsibility to an employer, but that is a WHOLE other thread.
I hear you, and again, I don't begrudge RHI making a profit. But I worked in the payroll department for many years prior to this, and I can't see the labor burden on this type of employment exceeding 30-40%. So RHI is raking in more than 10% in profits for remainder of the contract, and then I've heard that they continue to charge a monthly fee even after the company assumes the labor burden? I mean, couldn't a nice fat one-time fee for the initial contract and another when the contract goes permanent be sufficient, and not cost me my job?
Eh, 10% margin isn't that great in the scheme of things. And the personnel business is a real pain in the ass to tell the truth. Believe me, they'll earn that on the back end with the 2% who are complete knuckleheads and all of the problems that they cause that you have to deal with. lol
I wouldn't do it myself either other than for an extraordinarily difficult position to fill. But lots of places sure do. I'd be looking more for something like you describe also. I've been away from it for a long time now but as far as I know there's still nothing stopping a company from proposing some other terms. Especially I'd think now with all of the people out of work. We'd work all kinds of deals and that was when the tech stuff was booming and it was very tough finding skilled people.
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Thanks for the link, zeitgeist, I'll check it out. But I would really like to know if any others have found themselves in this predicament so that we all may start a dialogue on how to fix it.
Of course the idea of self-employment never seriously crossed your mind. Why? Because you were brainwashed since you were a fetus that your roll in life is to work 9-5 jobs or go on welfare. Being self-employed turns you into an evil, monocle wearing, mustache twirling, capitalist.
The stupidity of your comment reeks on this end. Jesus get a brain moran!
actually I'm a freelance writer and an entrepreneurship major with a business plan I don't want to sell for capital. I'm not going to debate with you, troll, about how difficult it is to earn a living as a writer. Or why one wouldn't want to sell their soul for venture capital. Self employment is the ultimate goal but it is a long term solution that must be earned. It doesn't just fall in your lap, but you must not know that.
Quit blaming others for problems you created yourself.
Oh yeah, shes the one that got herself fired! cucoo! cucooo! Back to the loony bin with you hal!
Didn't get fired, a co-worker was on the chopping block for and I volunteered to train them and take the fall instead. I had to fight, but the compromise was accepted. I was dissatisfied with the company, felt compassion for my co-worker, and I had connections in the publishing industry and decided to make a go of it. I stand by that decision, and I would do it again. But that doesn't change my current predicament. Thanks for taking a stand against the Troll for me moediggity, but I have a feeling he's a thread-provocateur. Can't get me down, guy, I don't drink the punch.
Oh ok then! Go for it! Go for your dream or at least your reasonably attainable goal! fuck working a 9 to 5!
Oh, I dream moe, I dream. WHEN I get my business up and running, its going to be all about creating wealth. But not for the 1%, for the 99%, for people who want to make some magic out of nothing. Its going to be beautiful. And one day I'm going to look back on the track I ran at all those nasty hurtles I jumped (like RHI). And I will laugh, laugh good and hard, and point too.Cheers.
Hey ya gotta laugh to keep from crying right?
As I said, I am not blaming anyone, I'm questioning the appropriateness of a business practice. There is no one single person TO blame, but a policy which is counterproductive to the ultimate goal should always be questioned, smartguy. There is a way that this situation could be win-win for everyone, and it just is not happening.