This report examines past and present procedures of private employment agencies by studying the history, abuses, and social control of the agencies, professionalism of the agent, and the nature of the relationship between the applicant and agent. Private employment agencies started in this country around 1820, and have grown to about 7,600 agencies in the United States. Sufficient controls have not been developed to protect applicants, and a variety of abuses still occur just as they did in the 1800's. Some of these are misrepresentations of terms and conditions of employment, fee-splitting between agent and employer, influencing former applicants to leave their jobs and accept another position through the agency, and racial and religious discrimination. Sometimes agencies place applicants in one of six categories indicating their dependence on the agency; recruited, ad-curious, shopper, efficient, frustrated, and desperate. A sample interview is appended. (BC)