Sir; re: Grumbles About Speed of Reply (The Grocer Letters, October 7). In response to this letter I would like to make several points. Yes, it is discourteous of any business not to answer correspondence, but fortunately such companies are in the minority and do not reflect the recruitment industry as a whole. The author stated he had written to 182 agencies, but did not divulge if these were merely speculative letters or responses to specific advertisements. Neither does he mention if the agencies contacted actually cover his geographical area and recruit in the retail marketplace at a senior level. As recruitment consultancies earn fees once a position has been filled, they will normally interview only those candidates who possess the required suitable experience and skills. They will not, as a rule, vet all those who respond to an advertisement, as it would be a waste of resources. I would like to point out that there is a distinct difference between recruitment agencies and consultancies. The latter are client led and work to a specific brief, determined and guided by their clients' requirements. However, unlike agencies, they do not build up a database of candidates. As md of an established recruitment consultancy I can vouch that clients deliver a very specific brief. Consultancies are employed to undertake a predetermined task ie to find the right' person for the right' job. It is not an excuse or tosh' as you put it. With regard to your correspondent's own career history, 20 years' experience in any marketplace is highly commendable, but it does not necessarily mean his skills are transferable to another industry of his choosing. I am sure everybody is aware that vacancies at senior levels across the board appear less frequently than at other levels and as his background is very specific, the consultancies approached may simply have had no current suitable opportunities. In any industry, there is good and bad. Recruitment is still rapidly expanding and many companies are building and maintaining strong, long-term relationships with their clients and candidates. Peter Murray MD, Argot Recruitment Leeds {{LETTERS }}