Lisa Johnson, our md, was once sent her husband's CV in her technical manager days. Even worse, he wasn't available.
How often have you been sent the same CV by multiple firms? Bonus-greedy recruitment agencies have even been known to 'recycle' head-hunted employees they placed with you.
But it's not just the agencies that get greedy. Candidates swear blind that they have not applied for a role when they've actually applied via three agencies as well as directly. Others only apply for jobs to obtain a counter-offer from their current employer. Don't they ask themselves why it took the threat of resignation to get the salary they're worth?
Often, candidates want more money at offer stage. Once, a candidate wanted more money and a company car. Neither the offer of a generous car allowance (and a car after six months), nor the offer of the prospective employer's mother's car as an intermediate measure was enough for her.
And woe betide those who offer candidates a job on the condition that they don't tell the agency. Be afraid, be very afraid! There are ways and means of tracking you down, with some agencies even resorting to private investigators. We have this peculiar notion of wanting to be paid for our work.
Many clients expect to pay peanuts, and are surprised when they get monkeys in return. You may be flummoxed by a candidate's refusal to accept their 'dream job' for the sake of £2,000, but £2,000 is worth a lot more to them than it is to your business. And those who boast of 'beating agencies down on fees' can't understand why they are not sent any decent CVs. That's because they go to clients willing to pay a fair fee to the agency and a fair salary to the candidate.
Food for thought? Yet I love recruitment. I deal with people, not sandwiches. I enjoy the unique highs that this job affords me. Until it's time for another rant, then watch this space."
Frederika Roberts is business operations manager at Jarvis Johnson