Does Aerotek still have a bad reputation?

In one word: YES they still have a very bad reputation.

- References up front is just expanding their network, not in your interest.

- Never send word documents since they can contain information in the properties to again expand their network.

- Get any contract they make up front. Read it for at least a day.

- Alter the contract to your favor.

- And it goes without saying watch your back! John in central Texas.

Reply to
John
Loading thread data ...

I'm a female EE that's been laid off for almost a year now. I've been getting calls left and right from temporary contractors about jobs that never develop (never hear back from them, job put on hold, job cancelled, client hired someone internal, etc.). I usually get as far as the phone interview before the bottom falls out.

I've just been contacted by Aerotek about a possible long-term technical writing assignment, but from what I have read about them, they have a terrible reputation. The Aerotek guy is insisting on two phone references up front, and I know that in the past Aerotek will put these phone numbers in their national database so that every Aerotek office in the country has access to them. So what happens is the nice coworker/associate/friend who agreed to be your reference will be swamped with calls from desperate Aerotek recruiters all day. This interferes with their work and could jeopardize their jobs. Obviously, I don't want this to happen to my references, whom I also consider to be friends.

Should I tell the Aerotek guy "Forget it, you are scum" or should I take a chance with them? Are they still the same unethical, predatory company they've always been?

Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Soundstreak

Reply to
Soundstreak

Re: Does Aerotek still have a bad reputation?

Answer: Are there cows in Oklahoma !

-- javatek?@usa.com

Reply to
Redd

I have been a contractor with Aerotek (now trading as Allegis) in the UK for 4 years now, and I have always found them to be the ultra-professionals of the contracting world, very concerned with a superior front towards both their clients and also their contractors.

eg, Invoices paid without fail within 7 days of signature by the customer.

.....[Childish and potentially libellous outburst snipped].....

Reply to
Airy R Bean

Uh, you seem to be confused. The points mentioned were concerned with the recruiting process *not* the issue of getting paid on time. No one should work a contract if they are not getting paid, but this has little to do with the previous points mentioned...

Reply to
John Smith

Uh, you seem to be confused. The points mentioned were concerned with the professionalism of the agent, and I gave an example of such professionalism.

Not all agenceies are so prompt!

Your comment has little to do with the previous points mentioned...

Reply to
Airy R Bean

Thanks, John and to everyone else who answered the thread (except Airy). I plan on printing out this thread and saving it for future reference. The only question I have is how does Aerotek extract hidden information from a Word document? Well it doesn't matter, because I'm not sending them one, but I was curious anyway.

Thanks again to everyone who helped.

Soundstreak

Reply to
Soundstreak

Silly girl. And you wonder why you remain unemployed?

Reply to
Airy R Bean

Uh, you seem to be confused -- again. You failed to address the points raised by the original poster, and you failed to answer my points, and of course my comments had *everything* do with what the original poster referenced -- the issue of recruiting practices. Every agency I have worked with has been prompt in payment -- perhaps it is different in the UK, but not in the U.S. Your comments are totally irrelevant to the issues rasied by the original poster.

Try taking a course in reading comprehension -- it might help.

professionalism.

contractors.

Reply to
John Smith

Everyone I ever dealt with at Aerotek was one level up from flipping hamburgers. They didn't know one kind of electrical engineer from another. If you were a power engineer with a backgound in buidling power plants your resume might wind up at Intel for a chip design job. An Engineer was an Engineer to them. They would also broadcast resumes to anyplace they though might have an opening. Some companies like Aerotek because their markup is low ( hence the burger flippers) and they get hundreds of resumes to look at. If your resume winds up in the hands of a hiring manager from two different shops he or she most likely will rule you out of contention for any job. He or she gets in the middle of a cat fight to determine who submitted you first and of course who get's the rake off what you get paid. If you deal with a shop insist that your resume is not submitted anywhere without your approval.

Reply to
BJ Conner

from a Word document?

If you open your resume (or any other MS Office) document and look at File, Properties you will see the information used to personalize your copy of that application. Many users will put their name and address in when they install Office and this information is visible in all Office documents (but they're not aware of that). Many corporate users have this information configured for them (without their knowledge typically) if the Local Administrator set it up correctly, this is normal policy.

If you want to change (or delete) this information, go into Tools, Options.

BTW, it's how one Excel macro-virus writer was identified and jailed (duh, gee, I didn't know my name and address was hidden in the document). Reminds me of the aborted attempt by some yokel to rip an ATM machine out by attaching a cable from his back bumper, left the scene when the bumper was ripped off . . . with his registration plate attached . . . duh.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

Even though my resumé clearly said that I do design of embedded systems with microcontrollers and microprocessors as well as programming the morons would try to get me jobs working with plc or visual basic.

Reply to
Michel Catudal

If the resume is not going directly to the company I tend to send a summary. This is added at the bottom of most of the cover letters when I do not feel comfortable with the recipient(s): Because of issues from data mining value of document(s) in part of whole are declared not to exceed $0.001 in U.S. currency at any time. All previous documents of/from databases or third parties including resume, cover letters, or archive materials are not to be used as representative materials. Please, do not add any information or my persons opt-in, mailing, sales, marketing lists, or forward to third parties.

Reply to
John

Thanks for the advice, I now just tell them that "I'm not working with Aerotek" and that seems to do the trick.

I honestly do not know how to prevent this, besides refusing to use the Internet at all and mailing or hand-carrying hard copies of my resume everywhere. The minute anyone puts their resume on Monster or Careerbuilder it is up for grabs by every lowlife out there. I have deleted all of my personal info off of Monster except for my email address, which should cut down on the phone calls.

Right now I'm being harassed by a guy working for Oxford International, so I guess it never ends.

Thanks again,

Soundstreak

Reply to
Soundstreak

Good advice posted in both your messages, John. Thanks for posting.

Soundstreak

Reply to
Soundstreak

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.