KForce News and Happenings.

I was considering becoming an IT Recruiter for KForce here in Houston, but after reading all these negative stories, I've reconsidered. The people at the Houston office seem very nice, but is the company really that bad? Has anybody had any experience with the Houston office?

See www.squidoo.com/bigboxstaffingagencyexposed for an accurate depiction of what it is like.

The issue with KFRC is that each office operates with the same policies and procedures - there are good people in each, but they have to "follow the KFRC way".

My recommendation is to join a non-publicly traded staffing firm (not KForce, Spherion, Manpower, etc.).

You probably did not make any money and were a horrible account manager as well. That is the rason you hate KFRC...loser.

Man, is it really necessary to be snippy with each other? This forum should be for positive/negative replies. For all those who respond in a childish manner should look within themselves. Maybe it's this childish manner that prevents them from getting a job.
I don't want to get involved in any of this riff-raff, but I just wanted to get some honest opinions on the company.

With no due respect, I can recruit circles around you. The $ is being on your own as an independent . . . not working for a firm where 50%+ of your earnings go back to the house. Good luck, Ali - see you on the competitive battlefield!

P.S. Reason is spelled with an 'e' before 'a' - I can tell you definitely work for KFRC; it looks like they're still recruiting early 20-something morons. And by the way, have you blown your boss yet? You know that is part of the corporate culture, right?

Get a life loser. I work in the LA market, when you work in dumb, springs Georgia. What are you bill rates out there? 20 dollars an hour for a JAVA developer. By the way, my boss is a female.

Yes, horrible recruiting firm to work with. They setup phone interviews, which I think are phoney, say the employers is interested, then don't call you back. Or when they do call you back, the call you at your home when they know you are at work all day, even if they have your cell phone. Real jack asses!

Uh-oh, here comes the KFarce PR-rep, Ali in Los Angeles, to save the day.

Go Ali!!!!!! You and Davey Dunkel rock!!!!! YAY KFORCE!!!!

Brief interview and training exerpt: "You can have a Ferrari one day, too! No, your daddy doesn't have to be a Millionaire - that didn't help Davey any. You just have to work real, real hard and keeping making those calls! You can do it! Yay, Newbie!!!!"

The funny thing is that KFarce couldn't give a rat's ass about Ali any more than any candidate. The only thing that matters is $$$, by any means necessary.

It is actually a Lamborghini...know your facts buddy...

Kforce PR Rep known as Ali

J P in Portland, Oregon said: I applied to a PM opening listed by KForce. I received a call the next day from a guy collecting what he described as general information about me.

When I asked about the position, he said there was none : they were simply populating a database.

I don't work with recruiters that mislead and waste my time.

They do the same thing in Colorado.

ali (kforce recruiter) in Tampa, Florida said: you can apply directly, but you will then be 1 resume in a pile of hundreds. We work directly with the hiring managers.

Do you really work directly or is this
another half truth??

kconway83 in Boston, Massachusetts said: Yes, horrible recruiting firm to work with. They setup phone interviews, which I think are phoney, say the employers is interested, then don't call you back. Or when they do call you back, the call you at your home when they know you are at work all day, even if they have your cell phone. Real jack asses!

Have to totally agree...Major jack asses!!!!!!!!!

D-Man in Austin, Texas said: Steve... I totally agree with the condescending attitude.
They never return calls... I have to call every other day... and it's usually VM I get to. I did one job for them and I KNOW it was because someone else from KForce didn't show up for this client and I was a last resort... or at least that's how I felt. That assignment has ended and I haven't heard a word from them since. I am no slacker... I have owned businesses and I a mature business professional. I am relying on direct hire by employers advertising for themselves... it seems the best way to go... and with results!

What Idiots !

How true!!!Kforce lies, won't return phone calls. I think all they want to do is submit as many people as possible, and whoever gets hired gets hired. That only helps them. They won't even follow-up with the client properly. Don't waste your time.

I am flabbergasted. Got several calls and emails from them, I called back and talked to Craig Martin who said that they had "multiple clients with multiple jobs" but that the specific client that the had in mind wanted him to maintain confidentiality about their identity...errr, riiiiiiiiight.

He wants me to give him the names of other people to cold call, and when I refused he said that wasn't "quid pro quo." This is not a bartering relationship. He is getting paid by the client to present the best candidates, not the ones that give him the most leads for his personal bonus. What a terrible attitude for both their clients and candidates.

ali (kforce recruiter) in Tampa, Florida said: I work for Kforce (sr recruiter) and it is not a bad place to work. We take care of our consultants and redeploy many of them to new clients when they finish thier projects. Most agencies are shady and don't care about their people, but I do. If you hate Kforce, you dealt with the wrong person and that is entirely your fault. Since you people recieve so many calls from other agencies, you should know which recruiters are actually honest, reliable, and dedicated to meeting your financial and carrer growth motivators...

Tell me another story....

JeanAnne in Fairfax, Virginia said: I am flabbergasted. Got several calls and emails from them, I called back and talked to Craig Martin who said that they had "multiple clients with multiple jobs" but that the specific client that the had in mind wanted him to maintain confidentiality about their identity...errr, riiiiiiiiight.

He wants me to give him the names of other people to cold call, and when I refused he said that wasn't "quid pro quo." This is not a bartering relationship. He is getting paid by the client to present the best candidates, not the ones that give him the most leads for his personal bonus. What a terrible attitude for both their clients and candidates.

Dishonesty is the trademark of these
recruiting companies....

You know what gets me about agencies? No callbacks in regards to whether or not you are even qualified to be a candidate. They could at least have the decency to personally respond to jobseekers' resume submissions instead of using those stupid 'auto-replies'.

I would not work with the KForce Overland Park office, as I personally know that the Market Director and an IT manager smoke marijuana on a regular basis. Kforce should get rid of these guys, like they got rid of me. if you don't believe me do a drug test.

Baughman and Hill

I have consulted through them before. Now I will not do business with them. The Job did not match the expectation, I spend my time at client bored out of my mind, while the rate Was significantly below market. I will not do business with them in the future, and I do not recommend the company to others.

Kforce could not be a worse company to work for. The managers are terrible and the employees have absolutely no people skills what so ever. They lie to candidates to build their interal database with no intentions of placing the candidate. I have worked in several industries and have never been treated with such disrespect. The managers are breathing down your neck 24/7 and they have nothing to contribute to the organization themselves. No one lasts there for more than a year because the conditions are so wretched. The environment and culture will break the happiest, most productive employee. STAY AWAY!!!

Have to agree strongly with the people who have spoke in this very thread. I was hired at Kforce due to my strong sales skills as a recruiter. This employment experience nearly ruined my life. They tried to consume me. Even on the weekends when I was away from Kforce I could nearly hear the clock tick every second and I could not utilize or enjoy my time away from there because I knew I'd have to go back on monday. I'd heard of this environment we worked in called a 'shark tank'. That's exactly what it was. It was utter hell. I am not trying to exaggerate, but it was so tense, fake, and just a terrible miserable environment to operate in. Please never be a recruiter for this company.

from what I've heard every Kforce basically operates the same. You will be micromanaged and watched constantly. You will be talked down to by unprofessional senior management. The draw salary is a joke. I'm in a new field now being trained and I'm being paid the same salary and guess what? I don't get it threatened to be taken away from me after a few months if I don't convince companies to buy. Any sales job I've ever had there's a guarunteed base. This isn't stoke brokerage. The fakey expensed lunches, the sharks that dress up in high dollar suits that are really just slimeball pigs that don't deserve to be your manager. It's such a joke. The Kforce in Columbus Ohio had the nastiest, fakest, most schmuck people in it. It was just one after the other; every person. Theres usually a few you gotta watch out for but there it was EVERYONE. Everyone was in it for just themselves and the management had no clue how to promote a team environment because even they knew it was all mothers eating their young type of thing.

I am a person who is a bit withdrawn. Friendly but not overly outgoing. Still outgoing enough to succeed on a sales appointment or in a sales position. After my first week at Kforce on the next monday morning I was pulled into the Market manager's office for a full hour tear down session. This was after I'd jumped through all the little hoops on their stupid little to-do list for week 1. I'd done everything to a "T". Still he had things to complain about. He was going nuts on me trying to break my spirits because my shoes weren't shined enough and my shirt didn't have enough starch--no joke. I was told when hired a typical day was 8 am to 5-5:30 pm. I arrived everyday between 7:30-7:45 am, still this was very frowned upon. Was looked at like I had ten heads when I got up at 6 pm to leave. People started to talk about me behind my back. The way the cubicles were set up (and there not really cubicles, there is no walls so anyone is free to look at your screen, your desk, etc. Your personal space is taken from you like you're in a prison. People were trying to read my emails and being nosey. Every 15 minutes of the day someone was checking up on me, prying and asking where I went to lunch and assuming I was short cutting through the 'training steps' where you must figure everything out on your own. That same market manager in that hour tear down session said that I needed to personally sell myself to every person in that office before he'd ever let me do it on an appointment.

Long and short, I couldn't sleep at night besides having my weekend ruined thinking about the place. My life became a constant stage of looking at other people's jobs and being jealous. I'd made a huge mistake going to this sinking ship KFarce. I was having health problems. My blood pressure was through the roof becasue of this place and I developed sleep apnea from the stress of this place and the unhealthy environment I was in. This was clearly the worst decision not just in my professional life but my life in general. I'd rather scrub human excrement off of toilets for less pay all day long every day than go back and be a recruiter for Kforce. It was absolutely disasterous. Please people. I beg of you; and I have no reason to ever make this up. No one lasts for long at Kforce and overall the company is sinking. It will not be around a lot longer and it's not a healthy company. It is not respected out in the business world. It's a joke and that botox taking freak david dunkel is just gonna get rich off you the way the commission system is set up. Please please please find something else to do with your life this company will end up consuming you and owning you.

this place is a sinking ship! they just laid off a ton of people down in the homebase of Tampa, and are hiring all young college grads in the satellite offices, to be Phone Jockey's, and add to their internal-database. the stock is also low, and they are worrying about being taken over, thus shedding some of their other "layers". Watch out for anyone looking to work in NJ/NYC, unless you just want some good training from their Corporate guys, otherwise they will work you to death, and give you nothing back in return. Watch out for the upper management here in NJ/NYC as well, they are old and tired, and still think this industry runs like it did back in 1995, they will never change, and this company, will ultimately go down even harder.....BEWARE!

"I would not work for Overland Park"

Sounds like a sour grapes post, did you got the boot BW12345? Still have enough of a grudge to slander and use names, amazing how people try to feel better about themselves in this way.

From reading most of these posts it's tough to tell much about the company other than they have trouble returning phone calls to job seekers which is always a big knock against staffing agencies.

Does anyone know how their comp plan stacks up against the competition?

That 'Ali' chick is a complete and utter moron. Put it like this: Anybody worth their salt as a recruiter works for nobody but themselves. Think about it -- why would you be ok with KForce keeping 60%+ of what you bill each year as a direct-hire recruiter? I mean, you're going to give away $.60 on every $1??? So if you bill $20k, you're ok with only making $8k, upon which you're going to pay taxes? If you worked for yourself and filled the same job, you'd receive the $20k in as revenue, then deduct all your expenses, and only pay taxes on what remains. The best recruiters are entrepreneurs at heart, not robotic employees with an auto-dialer.

KForce looks for entry-level people that don't mind making 120 calls each day to the same hiring managers that already can't stand them because of who they work for. KForce has one of the worst brands in the executive search and staffing world. Anybody who says differently is producing spin.

Some may ask me how I know intimately about KForce - I know because I worked there briefly before packing my bags. A great recruiter will destroy his brand by joining KForce; it's like a super automotive engineer joining Ford - believe it or not, there will be questions. Anyway, at KForce, you spend the majority of your time doing things that are entirely counter-productive to the search process. If you don't engage in some of the illegal and unethical activities, you're deemed non-robotic and that you're "not following the KForce method." The easiest way to gauge another recruiter's moral compass is to look on their resume and see them at a firm like KForce for more than 12 months.

As far as 'Ali' goes, she appears to have no LinkedIn profile, so either she's a garbage recruiter or moved on to make someone else money. Hey Ali, come work for me -- I'll let you keep 45% of what you bill and let you work virtually!

I just got a call from a recruiter at KForce for a financial analyst position at KForce. It's not a contracted job, it's actually with them. It sounds interesting, but I am very happy where I am right now so it has to be perfect for me to leave my current place of employment. The recruiter said the salary is about $10K higher than what I currently make and their office is closer than my current office. After reading all of these comments though, I'm very skeptical. How have they received the Best Place to Work in the Tampa Bay Business Journal for the past couple of years if they are so awful? Has anyone actually worked there other than recruiters that can give their experience? Whew, I'm nervous about meeting w/this guy tomorrow!

Actually being a core employee of Kforce is not bad at all, unless you have to have any dealings with Kris Kendrick in the OTC, that guy doesn't know his a$$ from his elbow.

I was a Kforce "top performer" in MA for about a year. The one thing I could not take (as mentioned above) was that the recruiter life forces you to be "on call" all the time, day and night, and weekends. I was always stressed looking towards the future. This was true of everybody; my boss and a few other sr. employees had been at Kforce over 20 years, and they still had the feeling of "will this be my last deal? where will I find the next guy to slam-dunk into a job in order to keep my own?"

I agree with everything everybody says with regards to how Kforce treats its workforce and its candidate base, although I think its important to separate the people from the process. I found myself conflicted; many of my coworkers were good people outside work, but in the office it was like being in a boxing ring. In my first three months of mentorship I dug in hard and made around 22 K for the firm. Unfortunately, I had to beg to receive my commissions because some of my revenue had been gained through inadvertent placements on the Tech Flex side (I was a perm recruiter). After grossing close to 6 figures in sales rev for this company in a year I had not seen my reward, the draw is like a mother with child, you're eating and working for two, yourself and the greedy business entity.

Before I was a recruiter, I ran my own web and e-commerce business. I routinely grossed 75-80K per year, but I was looking to gain more "shark-like" sales experience and be a part of a good team. Since leaving and returning to my business I have laughed out loud everyday. I make great money with flexible hours and I just crack up thinking about all those K-Schmucks out there working 10+ hours a day for beans, sweating hard for a mother who will never love you and always demand more.

I've found in life one of the most important things is to know your own worth, your own value. If you don't, you must be still working there. Too bad.

One of the saddest things I saw at Kforce was a 60+ yr. old guy whose been a top performer there in Tech Perm since the 90s. He doesn't have a dime and he's trying to make enough to retire. In addition, the stock dropped another point, and even though the job market was in the crapper they immediately reduced the employee benefit package accordingly, but left untouched the ridiculous top managment salary bonuses.

Do you want to be this guy? I don't think so.

If you're young, don't waste your youth on these sh$$theads, unless you want to be jaded before your time! Don't buy into the big money fast life crap, go find something that will make you happy (and flush with dough).

In replying to your question (sfranklin) about the Best Place to Work Award and how Kforce gets it every year, here's the con: they make every employee at Kforce sign in and put themselves as the best...this is just another sneaky-shady move that is driven by management, and it is not optional!

Every time I see a KFarce clown, I smell a stench - like a dirty diaper on a crowded elevator.

I used to work at the Atlanta office, which was full of wannabees and people who thought they were 'Big Billers' . . . all while drinking the KForce Kool-Aid.

Hey, upper management: How's it feel to be tea-bagged by former employees who now run this market?

To stay working there is like walking around with some balls on your chin. Yay, KForce! "Great People = Great Teabags!"

Ali, you must be new. If you think you're getting paid what your value is to that firm I've got a bridge you can buy! Wise up, if you make money for them, think about what you can make at a private firm that pays you what you're worth.

What really should be noted about this business (and I've worked for Robert Half Int'l as well so trust me I know the scoop on these publically-held staffing firms) is their extremely strong and well-developed corporate culture. At RHI it was even more mind-f$$king and advanced than at Kforce (the Force was kiddy time compared to that place, so seductively heinous that it should be admired for it's ferocity...a story for another day)

The constant and everyday focus of these firms is to make you as successful as possible while convincing you every second of every day that you have not lived up to expectations and are letting everybody down. It's brilliant, really, because it makes you dedicate every ounce of your effort in order to "make the bar", when you have truly already succeeded several times over in being profitable and showing your worth!

You honestly have to admire their machiavellian levels of control, and I've more covertly employed some of their less slimy techniques into my own business culture...I just treat my people better!

Kforce proves the old adage: the world made of pu$$ies and and di$cks; you are either f$$king someone over or the one getting f$$ked...so the only question is, Ali, which one would you rather be?

Ali in Los Angeles, California said: You probably did not make any money and were a horrible account manager as well. That is the rason you hate KFRC...loser.

i wonder if you are still with kforce, ali? i'll let you know that calling someone a loser, as a representative of your company, in a public forum, let me know that i am canceling my interview with kforce on monday. i would never want to work for a company that hires people like you.

sfranklin in Wesley Chapel, Florida said: I just got a call from a recruiter at KForce for a financial analyst position at KForce. It's not a contracted job, it's actually with them. It sounds interesting, but I am very happy where I am right now so it has to be perfect for me to leave my current place of employment. The recruiter said the salary is about $10K higher than what I currently make and their office is closer than my current office. After reading all of these comments though, I'm very skeptical. How have they received the Best Place to Work in the Tampa Bay Business Journal for the past couple of years if they are so awful? Has anyone actually worked there other than recruiters that can give their experience? Whew, I'm nervous about meeting w/this guy tomorrow!

SFranklin, Did you ended up taking the job with KForce? If yes, then can you post some of your experiences with them? I am interested in the environment internally at KForce, away from the recruitment part. I am considering an opportunity within the IT group as a programmer, but like you, after reading these comments I am a bit worried about the company and the environment. Thanks.

Yes I work for them and I love it! I am very happy with my co-workers and my current position. The office is clean, and the workers are treated AWSOME:) It's the best place I have ever worked!

I did not get the job because my salary request was too high. However, that was 7 months ago and now, I just learned that my current position is being eliminated so I contacted that recruiter again and he has another position available within my salary range. I'm very seriously considering it and after reading Amanda's comments about how great it is, I feel better about it.

Never go to a recruiter interiew unless they have set up an interview with the client.

X-Kforce Recruiter in Washington, District of Columbia said: Never go to a recruiter interiew unless they have set up an interview with the client.

Why ???

Sad to say, this is not an employee driven market. It sucks thatyou don't get call you back when you submit a resume. Curious, do you kvetch like this every time you send a resume to a company and don't get a response? It sucks when you don't get the gig, it also sucks for your recruiter as well. My best advice? Deal with individuals, not with corporations.

Now for the interview being set up before you go to a recruiter? Try investing a little time to get the job you want. Plus after meeting you, the recruiter you meet with might think there's something better out there for you, Plus remember the biggest thing:
WE ALL ALL WORK ON COMMISSION!! The more you make the more WE make. NO MATTER WHAT No one wants to be low balled, but again the simple fact, some companies just won't pay market value. It sucks for all involved. If I'm lucky, my client has something else to offer, great benes, career advancement, or tuition reimbursement. Stop being a big cry baby and start working WITH your recruiter instead of being a putz and complaining to someone else. So you can't get the salary you want? Ask to negotiate an extra week vacation. Not to get Jerry McGuire, but help me help you. Without a recruiter to negotiate, you get bupkiss. Make someone else the fall guy. You don't want to look difficult even before your first day.
I'm not going to deny, working at Kforce wasn't all it was dressed up to be for me. I've owned my own place for quite some time now, so I understand the madness. It's high pressure sales on the inside. Hopefully it's not conveyed to the candidates as that's a well, a crap thing to do. Look for a recruiter that has your best interest at heart. That may take meeting in person, and discussing your career goals not just your next gig. What steps you can take to meet those and how that recruiter is going to market your resume.

Just think with that high turnover, chances are the last person you worked with, won't be there now. :)

Candis.... do you think you can help me. I agree with everything you have stated but I am still unemployed.

Anonymous in Houston, Texas said: I was considering becoming an IT Recruiter for KForce here in Houston, but after reading all these negative stories, I've reconsidered. The people at the Houston office seem very nice, but is the company really that bad? Has anybody had any experience with the Houston office?

I am also considering an IT recruiter position with Kforce. Their metrics of 12 candidate submittals, 10 in-person, etc. for very hard to fill positions seems high. Do they have high turnover?

Thank you. I appreciate your warning.

This is helpful to know. Thank you!

Someone who worked at Kforce in Powder Springs, Georgia said: For anyone that knows the recruiting space, KForce doesn't stack up well at all. Since the company is publicly-traded, the focus is on revenues, not profits (although the execs are paid millions, so as long as the profits are strong enough to cover their lavish salaries, they're fine). Here's an example: The company has a very high contribution margin on its direct hire practice, but the contracting space (particularly IT) makes up most of its revenue. As a result, the company pushes the revenue growth, or IT contracting. Due to this, a great animosity between IT direct hire and IT contracting develops. Only those willing to cut the throats of those working for the same company really stay there more than a year or two. The company tries to keep the "top performers" by offering a trip each year, but the real integrity-players typically move on when they get a good whiff of what's really going on there - and trust me, it stinks. Do a search on Linkedin to find a previous employee and email them directly to get the scoop.

Will someone please post what non-publicly traded recruiting/staffing companies are good to work for as a recruiter? I was contacted to interview for a recruiting position at K-Force with Tech Flex but I don't think I will even bother going to the interview after all the awful posts I've read.
I would however like to pursue recruiting. I love people and it would be great to work in a career where I could help people get jobs and make money myself. Am I correct in thinking this or are all recruiting jobs/recruiters like K-Force?

Save your time and efforts, Kforce is totally unprofessional, their recruiters fill database with resumes then pick all open jobs from the net and match them. They never bother to update their data bank or ask applicants for updated resumes because it is much easier to luanch ads specially in current ressesion and hundreds will appply and so on it goes, so most of the ads are spams and if it is recuiring, that means position is at bad work environment as this one for the analysts at Dana in Toledo....beware of them and Robert half....useless

I have been with KForce for several years as a recruiter. You know what I tell everyone I work with? Pick a recruiter/recruiters that you develop a relationship with. No one twists your arm, and makes you work WITH them. A lot of people feel that a recruiter works for them... I work for my clients and I work WITH you to find something.
I have never, nor has any of the other (seasoned and experienced) recruiters posted "fake" job descriptions. To be brutally honest, if I didn't have anything for you I don't want you blowing up my phone or email 15 times a day (believe me it happens). I am upfront in the sense that perhaps at the time, I don't have anything and I will let you know when I do.
When you choose to work with me, and I choose to work with you.... we form a partnership. Especially in this economy, people have been applying to jobs that are just not a fit for them. If I applied to be a "financial analyst" for example, yet have no experience in that area... would you hire me? Well, my clients pay (not you) to find them the right fit-- and if it isn't you... I'm sorry and we'll keep trying.
Truth be told, internally-- the work environment could be better. But it could be A LOT worse.
A word to the wise for all those job seekers... we DO have caller ID... if you call once and leave a message, I will call you back. If I see you calling my phone 20 times in one day.... I will not be calling you back. Desperation is not an attractive quality-- no matter what the situation.

Wow. Alotta heated comments here.

I worked briefly as a contract CRA for Kforce and experienced what I can only characterize as disastrous results. On the positive side, the job itself was everything I was told it would be. The hiring process went very quickly; I didn't have any problems with unreturned calls or any other complaints registered here. My recruiters were supportive.

I left the position, however, under less stellar circumstances. The short story is, I was assigned an investigator who liked to threaten me, verbally harass me, call me names and all kinds of other things of a psychotic nature. Mind you, all of this was documented in emails; he didn't even have the scruples to be crazy on the phone, ergo, creating a he-said, she-said scenario. Nope, it was all clearly documented. I'm no stranger to working with difficult people, but this went beyond the pale. I found myself falling into the cracks here. KForce wouldn't take steps to correct the situation for fear of offending the sponsoring company, and the sponsoring company really didn't know what to do. No one was interested in keeping me out of harm's way, so I decided to resign after 5 months of daily drama. Not an ideal situation at all, but you do what's best for you. I have spoken with a recruiter since then who advised me that since I didn't "honor my commitment to my original project" that I should seek placement opportunities elsewhere. Kind of a blow to get that they take zero responsibility for their own failure to act. They had an obligation to step up, but chose not to do so, for reasons known only to them.

That being said, I DO have friends who work for them and are happy. I think it largely depends on the company with whom you are placed, but in my own experience, I would advise anyone considering employment with them to ask questions during the interview process about what recourse you have if there are problems with your placement company.