They still have their roles in the job market, like some well-known real estate agents, with fair share of black sheeps in their backyard. I also realised, in the past, certain recruitment agencies, I shall not named, have tendencies to filter out good candidates (in favour of their own lousy kind). I know, because I placed my own ads and they helped me searched too. Ended up, I found more good candidates than them.
As HR in my previous companies, I tried to place direct job ads instead of relying on 3rd party to do the job for me. It save cost and I do my own interview that helps me understand the candidate better than having them gone thru first round of baptism of fire, through freaky recruit agencies, before the candidate meets me.
As employee, I also understand the hassle and trauma of having candidates attending interviews at the recruitment firms before they came to me. If they can skip the first round of interview conducted by recruit agencies, the better, because most companies will likely conduct 2 rounds of shortlisting interview with the candidate.
Anyway, most so-called recruit agencies ain't HR professional too. You can test them out.
