Is Robert Half a good headhunting firm (accounting/finance jobs) or are there better alternatives?

[Phokus]

I'm looking to move to another company and i want to go through a headhunter, i've heard of Robert Half and they're quite famous, but are there better alternatives?

 

[Throckmorton]

Can't beat Boba Fett

 

[mh47g]

I've never used Robert Half but I can give you sound advice from other horror stories i've heard/seen.

stay away.

 

[vital]

they'll probably just trash talk your resume and try to get you into a job that you think you are way too good for.

 

[Shadowknight]

I've used several job agencies, including Robert Half. They're almost completely useless.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: mh47g
I've never used Robert Half but I can give you sound advice from other horror stories i've heard/seen.

stay away.

QFT

there are some horror stories out there on MANY tech/other forums

 

[krunchykrome]

I met with a Robert Half associate once. Just like any other recruiter, they had me drive out to their office, 30 minutes away, only to tell me things that they could have told me on the phone.

Initially, over the phone, they told me they had some positions for me considering my resume experience (which at the time, I only had one year of tax intern experience.) Once I got there, they told me they didnt have anything for me, and tried to interest me in a bookkeeping position.

 

[LegendKiller]

Stay away

 

[Drakkon]

They aren't headhunters...they are recruiters...

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
They aren't headhunters...they are recruiters...

Whats the difference?

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: Drakkon
They aren't headhunters...they are recruiters...

Whats the difference?

They're working for specific companies, not for you.

This very fact makes them a very unsuitable option for someone looking for good work.

Don't bother with Robert Half.

 

[Xavier434]

There has been a thread on Robert Half already here:

Robert Half

I posted my story in that thread which was quite horrible. I suggest reading the whole thing. In short summary, most people do not like them and recommend looking elsewhere. I'll go ahead and quote my post in that thread:

Summary:

1. Worked with RHT
2. They screwed me over big time
3. I quit
4. Found another agency
5. They rocked

Conclusion: Don't work with RHT and only accept temp to perm offers for jobs that you really want from different agencies.



The story:

I used to work for RHT and I had a very bad experience. First, I am a programmer and they sent me to a job where all I did was data mine all day (boring as hell) for a guy who was the biggest jerk I have ever met. I called RHT after a few months and told them that I want to pursue a programming job and I was very unhappy with this place that they sent me. They said they would look into it.

Turns out I found a different full time job myself. I told RHT about it and gave them the date that I would be quitting. They told me that was great. I asked them if I need to inform the guy I was working for about me quitting or if RHT would handle it. I was told that they would handle it. I really didn't want to tell this jerk that I was leaving because I feared he would just cut me right away.

So that day comes and I go to my new job. Everything seems fine.

Day 2 at the new job I get a call from that jerk yelling and asking me why I missed 2 days in a row. I told them the story about how I informed RHT and they were supposed to inform him. I told him I couldn't talk since I was at my new job but he kept me on the phone for another good 5 min asking me all sorts of questions.

Fast forward 30 min later. I get a call from a supervisor at RHT. They kept me on the phone for another 15 min asking me questions. The guy had the nerve to tell me that "this is not how they do business!" after I told him that I did not want to inform that jerk that I was leaving because I didn't want to get cut early and that I informed RHT about this fact almost 3 weeks prior.

Now, why RHT did not find a replacement to fill in for me I will never know. This is what those temp agencies are supposed to do. In the end, RHT looked bad and I looked bad as well. That is one black mark on my resume I wish I didn't have and there was nothing I could have done to have made it better.

I ended up leaving this new job too, but that was for different reasons entirely. I decided to try a different temp agency who got me my current job where I am now perm and very happy. I had a wonderful experience with the second agency. This agency made me feel like one of their employees instead of another robot temp like RHT does. Believe me, it makes all of the difference.

 

[Feldenak]

Rather than creating a new thread, I'll just bump this one. Is Sapphire Technologies any better than Robert Half? I just got a call from a technical recruiter from Sapphire Tech and was wondering if I should bother going over to their office.

 

[sygyzy]

I'd also like to know about Sapphire Technologies and Robert Half but I have some more to add. Anyone have any experience with Dunder Mifflin? What about Marked Thereon?

 

[kevman]

check out Jareth Cutestory

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: kevman
check out Jareth Cutestory

 

[EagleKeeper]

It nevers hurts to use multiple agencies. Just make sure that they know that they are competing for you.

They do both permanent placement and temp.

Some have good people, others are lousy.