Agency not signing on hirer before signing candidate

[cabrun]

Is it common practise for a recruitment agency to sign-on a jobseeker without actually having secured the role at the company in the first place?

I have just left my previous employer with a contract for a new position. When I turned up at work, the company HR informed me there was no role - so now I'm FUBAR.
Apparently some miscommunication between the agent and the line manager - but now as a result I'm out of work.

The agency first told me to wait a day, then another day and now are not returning my calls at all.

The company is part of the REC, and having read the contract it does state they wont be liable if the deal goes sour on their end - but I think its unfair/dishonest that they would give me a signed contract leading me to believe the deal was done before I left my old job.

I've dealt with bad agencies in the past, but this has got to be the worst.

[blondiebeeb]

Are they a well known agency?

You can always report them to REC.

[Mark Snowdon]

rec

What does your contract say about notice periods ? I would invoice them for the notice period.

[Cojak]

Re: rec

I've just extricated myself from the same mistake (I landed on my feet but that's not the point...)

Moral of the lesson - "Don't let go of one contract unless your fully signed up for the next - NO EXCEPTIONS".

[datestamp]

@#%$ or Permie??

"recruitment agency to sign-on a jobseeker "
"previous employer with a contract for a new position"

-----------------------

Sorry - are we talking Contract or Permie??

With words like "jobseeker" and "employer", lets hope you are not darkening the doors of the contracting world

[cabrun]

Re: @#%$ or Permie??

Yeah I just gave up on this one too Cojak..I hear what you are saying about making sure - but how exactly do you make sure? I had a signed contract and all - even turned up to work on the 1st day to be told the job was not available or signed off ? Still no formal explanation from the agency - but I think I've figured out whats going on....

dodgycontracts.4t.com/diamond.html
(1Mb flash...and yeah, I aint no flash developer)

I'll just painfully chalk it up to experience even though I've lost alot of income on it...you just cant win with pimps...

[Cojak]

Re: @#%$ or Permie??

easy - phone up the the person who interviewed you in the new company before you hand in your notice on your current contract.

I'll take me own advice next time...