This agency offers a mix of industrial/cleaning jobs, and of low-skilled admin jobs. They will regularly advertise for permanent positions in pension admin, with salaries in the £14K-£16K range without pension experience, and in the £18K-£25K range with pension experience.
When you apply, you are called back by one of their staff (Sonya, Tracey) who ask you questions to check that you are computer literate and have GCSEs in Maths and English. Even if you’re already in work and your qualifications are on your CV. Then they ask you to take a half day off to attend an interview with them. At the interview, they act again as if they did not believe that what you put on your CV was true (but do not make you sit tests, which would be the easiest way of demonstrating that you do have the required skills). Once they’re satisfied, they tell you that you can start at the company as soon as possible, there will be no need for an interview with them! They disappear off to fetch and a contract, and lo and behold! come back with an agency contract and a timesheet! They then insist that you are only going to temp for 13 weeks, after which the job will become permanent (fat chance). Furthermore, the payrate is only £7.50ph gross, way below £14K pa. If you tell them you have to think about it, they will keep badgering you on the phone again, and if you answer one of their calls, surprise!!! the payrate has gone down to £6.50ph gross, which doesn’t even come close to £14K pa, and they have work for you (temping) for 6 months at least!
The company in question is AON. I had a housemate once who had left a permanent pension admin job in London to move to Bristol, and had signed up to temp at AON: 6 months later, she was still temping.
