As I am leaving Manchester next month, I am going to try and make some lists of things in Manchester that might help people who are moving here or who live here already. Hopefully. Probably not though because it’s not like I ever leave the house.
When I moved to Manchester last July, it took me a while to get a job. I got a temporary job in about a week or two, but it took me about month-and-a-half before I got a permanent job. There wasn’t really that much going last July, so I really couldn’t be too picky. It was totally obvious that some of the agencies I used were shite and I would not be surprised if it was because I only had a 2-year working visa being from New Zealand. I ended up getting my job through Manchester Online, so I guess nothing that follows matters anyway.
Good Employment Agencies
Forrest Recruitment
The office was a bit shabby and the staff aren’t the most professional, but they got me a good temp job very quickly (although on a shitty wage). I didn’t have any problems getting paid and they wrote a letter which helped me set up my bank accounts and get a flat.
Search
The woman I dealt with (who has now left) was excellent and got me a couple of interviews for good positions. They didn’t get me a job, but I was only with them for a week or two before I was offered a permanent job.
Office Angels
I didn’t get any positions through Office Angels, but they were often calling me up (when I was still temping) and offering me new positions. They seemed to have quite a bit of work on their books.
Brook Street
They were very professional and got me an interview for a position that was exactly what I wanted. Sadly, I didn’t get it because they decided to hire an internal person instead of me but never mind!
Connections
I didn’t have any luck with Connections myself, but I used them to help permanently fill my position when I was temping (I should have taken the temp job permanently because the money was excellent, but it was just too boring). Connections sent loads of good candidates (as did Office Angels) and the person that was offered the job was from that agency.
Sucky Employment Agencies
Randstad
I got an excellent permanent job through Randstad in Houston, and they were an excellent company to use with excellent account managers. However, the one in Manchester sucked. They didn’t get me any interviews or temporary jobs, and certainly not a permanent job!
Reed
Nothing describes them more than shit. They were shit. They never returned my calls and the people at the front desk were rude.
The Place Across the Road from Brook Street on Mosley
I can’t remember what they were called but I think it started with “L”. They sucked the most. They refused to put me on their books because I was a foreigner and didn’t have an indefinite work permit (i.e., permanent residency or naturalised). Fuck you, cunts!