As a recent graduate electronic engineer with a couple of years experience. I found myself in the farming capital of England devoid of an Electronics industry to apply to and in need of some temporary work to fill a void before starting a possible graduate training scheme in London.

Now as an electronic engineer I am used to working effectively and working fast, I have learned not to suffer fools gladly and to work things out for myself where ever possible. I decided that a temping job for a few months withing electronic assembly or something like that would be better on my CV than a driving position. Plus I had happened to have seen exactly what I wanted in the window of a not quite local recruitment agency... Perfect?! I thought.

I approached the company and at that time didnt have a CV with me as I was out shopping, no problem they said you can email me one. They were aware that I lived 30miles away and they assured me that the position was available, and we chatted about it a bit. I was aiming for an immediate start and I made this clear to them. Hence I got home and fired off my CV and a PDF reference I happen to have. At this point things looked good and the consultant contacted me instantly saying she would like to arrange an interview back in her office on the tuesday.

Tuesday comes and I get prepared for an interview and head down to the office. However I was in for a disappointment, as the interview she had refered to was simply to fill in the temping details and to sign a bit of paper.. Nothing that I couldnt have done on the friday when I was there. Plus no contact had been made with the client. It became apparant that she hadnt read my CV and was only interested in seeing what other positions I would consider doing instead. To this I made it clear that I was only interested in the position I had come in for. This didnt bide well with the consultant though and she started to say that I had a 'Bad attitude' even a 'Negative attitude' and she hoped I wasnt like this in interviews. I was taken aback by this rude approach as I have a great attitude to work and have been dedicated in looking for temporary work. Then when I questioned why the rate they were offering differed from the rate in the window she started to argue with me and I quickly backed down as I felt the situation was getting tense. I was enraged by their comments and felt the position was lost which deeply annoyed me but I wasnt going to be messed around in this way.

On leaving the office I could see how the company worked they don't have a firm relationship with the clients. It was clear that they trawl local press and via other contacts create a list of possible vacancies. Following this they collect individuals CV's (and hopes) before using the computer based details to match the temps with the clients. They then take a fee for the contact information (on permenant positions) and the usual hourly temping fee. Yes they may also form links with clients but its my impression that this isnt the norm as the consultant only had hazy ideas about the work involved and also said that she didnt want to 'bother' the clients too much.

My solution to the problem is what I recommend everyone here to do - go it alone. I happened to know the company name of the 'client' and on returning to my car I opened the map found the road I had seen on the address in the temping agency and approached them directly. Within 30mins I had met the whole company seen the operation had a guided tour, spoken with the design engineers and taken an assembly test. I was hired to start in two days on my terms and under my own initiative.

My honest recommendation - don't got to an agency, and if you must go to an agency apply to lots of them and do not accept rude comments. They are working for you as much as you are working for them. I have since written a letter of complaint to the consultant and requested my details be destroyed.

Goodluck in your job search!