Jobserve makes U-turn because 'the road ahead is being blocked'
Defending Jobserve's decision to accept direct advertising from employers following its previous operation of accepting jobs from employment agencies only, Director Robbie Cowling has told UKTECH, "Some U-turns are made because the road ahead is being blocked."
The job site, which came No.1 in last year's Sunday Times Profit Track 100 list, announced that it would be taking advertisements directly from employers from March 1st for the first time in its seven-year history.
"It is disappointing when you know how hard you have worked to help an agency and then that same company is forming part of a gang that it seems will stop at nothing to damage you" - Jobserve Director Robbie Cowling talking of Silicon's injunction and the 20 affidavits taken out against his company
"It is certainly a change of direction and not one that we would have made but for all this ATSCo stuff," Robbie said, speaking of the 20 affidavits taken out by ATSCo members. "Silicon (the job site operating in conjunction with atscojobs.com) are trying to win a court case and will do their best to do so. The ATSCo members taking out the affidavits have an interest in the outcome because they effectively own the job board. Most of them are singing the praises of Jobserve but it is disappointing when you know how hard you have worked to help an agency and then that same company is forming part of a gang that it seems will stop at nothing to damage you. I am confident however that justice will be done in the end."
Asked what tipped the balance for Jobserve's decision to accept adverts directly from employers, he said: "There was a side effect of the temporary injunction which Silicon gained. For years we have been refusing up to 100+ companies a month from advertising direct on Jobserve. Once Silicon obtained this injunction they also sought PR in some of the national papers. This alerted some of the larger companies who have now also threatened legal action if we don't accept their advertising. Although we are not in a market dominant position and I don't believe our 'agency only' policy would have been an abuse of such a position if we were, I have decided that I should spend the minimum amount of time and money as possible with solicitors and more on building Jobserve and adding more to our value."
Responding to the question of how this would affect Jobserve's attitude toward employment agencies, he replied, "I believe that employment agencies add a tremendous value. They certainly don't just sell advertising space on Jobserve. The majority of them are good guys that work very hard at what they do. Of course, like all business areas they range from the majority that are good to the minority that are very, very, very, very bad."
Asked what sort of value he believed employment agencies added to the current market, he said, "A good agency will help a company find a better candidate in less time. The candidate is also likely to gain as agencies have a better knowledge of market values. However, there have been many changes recently and I do believe that agencies must look at ways of adding even more value.
"Most IT professionals would rather use a good agency and then get on with what they do best themselves. However, with issues like IR35 breathing down their necks, I can see why many candidates are feeling disappointed with the stance some agencies are taking. A good agency will realise that they take a percentage out of every paycheck that is paid to a contractor and should be representing them to the best of their ability. My advice to a freelancer would be, "there is a skills shortage in industries like IT and engineering so if an agency does not perform, look on Jobserve and find one that does."
Meanwhile, ATSCo has predicted that its membership will exceed 100 agencies in the next six months (the figure currently stands at 52) amongst celebrations at its first Annual General Meeting. "ATSCo was formed to provide a strong and unified voice, creating a positive appreciation of the IT industry," Chief Executive Ann Swain told attendees.
--
Richard Powell