Are employment agencies ACTUALLY working for us?

I have been applying to job posting since mid February and I have to honestly state that head hunters, in my opinion, are pompous and incompetent.
When did it become that every requirement in a job posting required every requirement? "You have the Nuclear fission experience, the double doctorate degrees in Physics and Mathematics but I don't see the voice mail configuration...I don't see this as a good match." It's un-freaking believable. When did Preferred come to mean MUST HAVE? Then once I invest in the education for voice mail configuration (which actually is referring to some insignificant mundane task or skill) and get it on the resume, no one else on the planet cares.
So what else DO you have that I am a match for?
I don't see where other than a pre-screening, what function do these people actually perform? Post a job, forward a resume and collect 10% (or so) of the salary as commission. For doing what?
I'm beside myself at the number of positions which have come and gone that I have applied to with the 20 different agencies all hawking the exact job and never received an inquiry. I am equally appalled at the ones I have applied to, called on, followed up on and they are still being posted and I can’t even get a head hunter to return my calls or emails to at least tell me to stop.
I am going to get through this unpleasant time in our economy, and when I do I will wait with demonic intentions for one of these dweebs to ever cross my path. Revenge is a dish best served cold!

Hey Andy
Just curious what kind of job you are doing now..
I am close to finishing my phd in math and just wondering what kind of jobs are there in industry for a math phd and how to market myself

DO NOT APPLY WITH RECRUITERS. They are not in your best interest, we know that, they all go after the same jobs, that YOU probably found. DO THIS ON YOUR OWN.

AndyInKennesaw in Marietta, Georgia said: I have been applying to job posting since mid February and I have to honestly state that head hunters, in my opinion, are pompous and incompetent.
When did it become that every requirement in a job posting required every requirement? "You have the Nuclear fission experience, the double doctorate degrees in Physics and Mathematics but I don't see the voice mail configuration...I don't see this as a good match." It's un-freaking believable. When did Preferred come to mean MUST HAVE? Then once I invest in the education for voice mail configuration (which actually is referring to some insignificant mundane task or skill) and get it on the resume, no one else on the planet cares.
So what else DO you have that I am a match for?
I don't see where other than a pre-screening, what function do these people actually perform? Post a job, forward a resume and collect 10% (or so) of the salary as commission. For doing what?
I'm beside myself at the number of positions which have come and gone that I have applied to with the 20 different agencies all hawking the exact job and never received an inquiry. I am equally appalled at the ones I have applied to, called on, followed up on and they are still being posted and I can’t even get a head hunter to return my calls or emails to at least tell me to stop.
I am going to get through this unpleasant time in our economy, and when I do I will wait with demonic intentions for one of these dweebs to ever cross my path. Revenge is a dish best served cold!

Depend on who is your recruiter, mostly they are idiots.

My recruiter called me on the phone, and scheduled an interview for me. We never met and only spoke over the phone.

2 weeks later I got the job (mostly because of the right time, with the right people).

The most worthless recruiter must be Robert Half. If you look them up on Monsters, they are everywhere. but when you apply for the job, you will never a call back.

There are good recruiters and bad ones out there. You just have to be able to monitor their progress and not be afraid to LET THEM GO if they are not bringing you results. You have to be picky with the quality of the service you sign up for. Do your research on the recruiter him/herself and the company they are working for. If a recruiter is not working for you, request a new one. Also keep in mind that many recruiters work on commission, they may be using their time to find work for "high dollar" clients and not paying enough attention to your file. Make a little bit of noise so that your job search is not neglected. If changing recruiters and making a little noise doesn't help then I would advise you to take your business elsewhere. Here are a few signs that will let you know if you should let your recruiter go:

1. If they do not take the time to tweak your resume to fit the job they are pitching you to.
2. If they do not know your industry and do not consult people within your industry to put together a career search plan that will benefit YOU.
3. If they are not organized and do not take/respond to your calls in a timely manor.