• The company is paying the agency a LOT of money for their search, so they will be looking for someone who almost EXACTLY matches their desired criteria.
• The agency do not fully understand your skills as they are simply ley people working in a professional field.
• The company will probably not want to be paying the huge agency fees but have little choice as they need good staff.

What you should do..

This means that you have to take your job search into your own hands. This will mean trying to find out who the company is and contacting them directly, heres how.

• Find the advert you initially applied for.
• Using a search engine, search for the most recognisable parts of the advert, the more the agency shows off about the company they are recruiting for the easier this will be. e.g

•  Use specific areas of the advertisement. So search for '15 years sales construction New York Paris London recruitment'. This should bring up the company you require, if not, read on. If it does skip to 'The Call'.
• If this search brings up a load of rubbish, which it shouldn't there is one option left for you. Calling the agency direct. Make up a fictional person, someone who has exactly the experience you require for the role. Phone and ask for the relevant consultant, suddenly they will have loads of time for you, finally! Explain to them your experience, they will say 'please send me your CV', say 'no problem'. Get their email address. Then say to them one of two things:
• 'Oh, by the way, I would like to find out more about the company, whats their website please. Thanks'

             or

• I am very careful about who I send my CV to, let me just check if I have forwarded my CV to this company already, what are they called?
• This may or may not work but it is the best shot you have. Usually the above methods works about 50% of the time.

The Call..

•        Phone the company and ask for the person who handles recruitment. When they ask your name, just say your first name, it will sound more familiar and will bypass many suspicions they may have.

             If unsuccessful

• If you can't speak to that person or they cut you off, phone back the next day and ask who handles their recruitment, then you will have the name and can call directly bypassing all suspicions.

             You get through

• When you get the HR representative or Internal Recruiter, explain who you are and what you want. Be pleasant and explain your experience in the best light you can. Sell yourself as this may the only chance you get.

             If unsuccessful

• In many companies the communications between HR and line managers is very poor. The next step is phoning the actual line manager who has the vacancy. Phone the company and ask who handles their X division. Also try using the website for this information. Generally this person will be happy to receive your call as they dislike dealing with HR and are seeing few positive results. They will tell you then and there if you are right for the role, ask them if there 'is anything else suitable for me within the business at the moment?'.

The above description may or may not work for you, it has certainly worked for me many times in the past but I have also had some difficult and unproductive experiences also. Good Luck!