Recruiters and real estate agents – my relationship with them

A couple of weeks ago I had a message from someone on my phone so I called them back. It was a real estate agent contacting me to see if I was still interested in buying a property as I’d viewed one with them.

I stopped going to open inspections when I bought an investment property over a year ago. I told him this and he said it had taken a while to get the database sorted, or something?

Glad he wasn’t my real estate agent. Although I dealt with quite a few when I was house hunting and NOT ONE contacted me to say they might have a house I’m interested in.

When you go to view a property, you’re usually asked for your name and phone number. I really wonder why because as I mentioned, NOT ONE contacted me except for the recent one that was way too late.

I’m not a real estate agent so I don’t know how they operate apart from what I’ve seen first-hand, but surely you would acquaint yourself with potential buyers and try to match them up with a house they’re after? Wouldn’t you?

Obviously I never met such a person, or they just sell enough houses and make enough money not to bother.

Which brings me to recruiters. I’ve been contracting for over two years now so I’m nearly always on the lookout for my ‘next opportunity’.

I’ve had the recruiter who I’ve spoken to about an opportunity to only find out that it’s been withdrawn. This has happened more than once.

I’ve submitted my details with agencies only never to hear from them – ever – as a follow up!

I’ve had recruiters submit applications for jobs for me only to tell me that the employers are now no longer accepting applications from recruiters.

I applied for a job with a recruiter once, and was then contacted about a completely different job which was fine. But the job really wasn’t suited to my skills and I mentioned this. I followed up and was told that the contact was on holiday. I never heard anything after that. Oh, and I didn’t get the original job I applied for.

My last two jobs have been through agencies and once I’m in the job, I rarely, if at all, hear from my contact at the agency again. Apparently I’m supposed to call the agency when I’m sick, but I don’t bother any more as I kind of forget they even exist, apart from sending in a timesheet every week they may as well not. Oh, and the one time I did call to tell my agency person I was sick the receptionist wouldn’t even put me through. Way to make me feel valued, especially when I’m bloody sick.

I don’t understand the lack of contact. What’s wrong with a courtesy phone call every few weeks from your agency to see how you’re going? My last contract was supposed to last for a month or two and I got the agency nearly two years worth of work from them in the end because the employer wanted to keep me on. Sure I’d get a little pressie at Christmas time, but that was the only positive acknowledgement from them.

I can only hope they treat the employer with more courtesy – but I’m guessing not judging by comments I’ve heard.

When I temped in London I worked through the excellent Australasian Temp Agency I was made to feel like a valued employee with them, and with the company I worked with – a double whammy. I’ve never had that here. It’s not that hard to build relationships with clients. And I’m a client just as much as the person paying them.

I know it depends a lot on individuals within the agencies and I have met some nice ones who do maintain some contact so I reciprocate, but they are few and far between.

How about you and your experience with real estate agents and recruiters?