Agent issuing threat

[DodgyAgent]

Originally Posted by Recruitment Agent

Its agents like that that give people like me a bad name

"Me"

[NewWorld123]

Today's call went as follows (Agent's call from undisclosed number):

Agent: What is your current situation?
Me: I am looking, what roles you have?
Agent: Before I tell you that, I want answers for few questions?
Me: OK
Agent: which location you prefer?
Me: I can work anywhere in Uk
Agent: What rate you were at your last role?
Me: What is your role offering?
Agent: I have few roles. I want to know what is your expectation?
Me: xxx
Agent: What was the last interview you attended?
Me: I am not willing to discuss other agents roles with you.
Agent: What was the last interview you attended? No success so far?
Me: I think we are wasting time here, I am not interested to discuss about my interviews. Can we close the conversation?
Agent: No success so far..? (continues about interviews)
Me: Sorry, let us close the conversation. Closed phone.

Agent calls again:
Agent: I am from a reputed agency, how can you hang the phone on me..
Me: I told you I am not interested in discussing the interviews, and told you that I was closing the conversation. I think we are wasting time here. Can we close the conversation..
Agent: (persists continuing)
Me: Sorry, let us close the conversation. Closed phone.

Call again (from undisclosed number):
XXX: We calling from Anger Management company. We were given this number by xxx. We provide good service.
Me: I think you got wrong number.
XXX: No, I think we can help. We only charge xx per hour
Me: Sorry I am busy
XXX: [Persisting]
Me: Sorry I am busy. Closed phone.

There were two more calls..from the same guy..

How can I escape from this torture?

[BrilloPad]

Originally Posted by NewWorld123

Today's call went as follows (Agent's call from undisclosed number):

Agent: What is your current situation?
Me: I am looking, what roles you have?
Agent: Before I tell you that, I want answers for few questions?
Me: OK
Agent: which location you prefer?
Me: I can work anywhere in Uk
Agent: What rate you were at your last role?
Me: What is your role offering?
Agent: I have few roles. I want to know what is your expectation?
Me: xxx
Agent: What was the last interview you attended?
Me: I am not willing to discuss other agents roles with you.
Agent: What was the last interview you attended? No success so far?
Me: I think we are wasting time here, I am not interested to discuss about my interviews. Can we close the conversation?
Agent: No success so far..? (continues about interviews)
Me: Sorry, let us close the conversation. Closed phone.

Agent calls again:
Agent: I am from a reputed agency, how can you hang the phone on me..
Me: I told you I am not interested in discussing the interviews, and told you that I was closing the conversation. I think we are wasting time here. Can we close the conversation..
Agent: (persists continuing)
Me: Sorry, let us close the conversation. Closed phone.

Call again (from undisclosed number):
XXX: We calling from Anger Management company. We were given this number by xxx. We provide good service.
Me: I think you got wrong number.
XXX: No, I think we can help. We only charge xx per hour
Me: Sorry I am busy
XXX: [Persisting]
Me: Sorry I am busy. Closed phone.

There were two more calls..from the same guy..

How can I escape from this torture?

Can you ask them for their name and number?

I am starting to like the advice of the person who said you should get a cheap phone each time you are looking for a job and bin it when you have one.

[The Lone Gunman]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

Can you ask them for their name and number?

I am starting to like the advice of the person who said you should get a cheap phone each time you are looking for a job and bin it when you have one.

You should get an 089n number and put it on your release to agents (CV, advertising, whatever).

[BrilloPad]

Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

You should get an 089n number and put it on your release to agents (CV, advertising, whatever).

Brilliant Idea! How do I apply? What is the maximum I can charge per minute?

[NotAllThere]

Originally Posted by NewWorld123

Today's call went as follows (Agent's call from undisclosed number):...

When they say "I'm mumble from agency mumble", stop them and make sure your write down the details.

Also, simple rule: don't answer calls from withheld numbers. I'm fairly sure you can have an option on your phone, or perhaps from your provider, where the dialler gets a message saying "the person you are calling does not accept number withheld calls".

Originally Posted by NewWorld123

We were given this number by xxx

So now you know the name of the agent?

Name and shame. You might also like to get the details of the agency directors from company house, and send them letters saying that further harrassment will result in legal proceedings.

[ratewhore]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

Brilliant Idea! How do I apply? What is the maximum I can charge per minute?

You want an 090 number. You can charge up to £1.50 per minute and claw back around 35p per minute.

I thought about this some while back but haven't got around to it. I also thought about putting a fake CV up on all the jobsites with an 090 number going to voicemail with a long message...

[BrilloPad]

Originally Posted by ratewhore

You want an 090 number. You can charge up to £1.50 per minute and claw back around 35p per minute.

I thought about this some while back but haven't got around to it. I also thought about putting a fake CV up on all the jobsites with an 090 number going to voicemail with a long message...

That is very sneaky! Are you an ex-recruitment agent? Sorry about the huge insult implied......

[Ardesco]

Originally Posted by ratewhore

You want an 090 number. You can charge up to £1.50 per minute and claw back around 35p per minute.

I thought about this some while back but haven't got around to it. I also thought about putting a fake CV up on all the jobsites with an 090 number going to voicemail with a long message...

looked into this a couple of years ago and the are limitations on which numbers you can purchase to stop people doing exactly that. I went for a 0870 number instead but that is probably going to have to change now with ofcom's messing about....

[expat]

Originally Posted by NotAllThere

Also, simple rule: don't answer calls from withheld numbers. I'm fairly sure you can have an option on your phone, or perhaps from your provider, where the dialler gets a message saying "the person you are calling does not accept number withheld calls".

Can't do that, I get most of my contracts from withheld numbers. Well, they may not be withheld by the caller, but by the time it gets to my O2 business mobile in whichever country I'm working in (currently Germany), most numbers show up as "private". If I blocked them I'd lose out.

I don't know whether it's mobile companies who can't be arsed to carry forward the caller ID, agents whose agency sets up their phones that way, or whether agents calling though an office exchange hide it in case I call back and talk to a colleague instead, or what, but they are mostly not shown.