How exactly do employment placement agencies work ? I've been solicited by several but have not gotten a job!!

I am on several job websites and get calls from agencies who have seen my resume. They all call to say they have a job for me -I'm a bookkeeper- yet after interviewing and enrolling with them I get no return calls- or promises for "a special job I'm working on with a client for you". What's the deal??

Dont get too excited by their initial call.

They will pull a HUNDRED resumes, then contact the owners and see if they are still interested. Then they'll put together a list of candidates ranked high to low.

They'll take the top 5-10 and present them to the client for feedback.

If you are the #1 selected you'll get a call.

Everyone else hears nothing. It's just business.

Be sure that you DO NOT pay them anything. No sign up fee, no background check, nothing. There have been dozens of scams lately were fake recruiters con people into sending them money via Western Union.

It's not unusual for some recruiters to unable to place you.

Years ago I signed up with 3 recruiters.

One had a reputation that if he sent you for the job interview, you got the job (he didn't send me to any).

Another sent me to a dozen interviews--including a bunch I was totally unqualified for and nothing panned out. I wasted a lot of time getting ready for those interviews.

The third guy looked at the resume I sent him, told me I wasn't qualified for the job I applied for, but if I was out of work, he'd see what he had. In 2-3 weeks he called and said he'd found something I'd be good for. He coached me for the interview; he convinced the company I'd work out and I got the job. I kept it for more than 10 years.

The jerks in the middle were the recruiters I didn't recommend to anyone.

They only select the best candidates for the interviews with the companies that lead to the job.