What is with the Agents

[MattZani]

Mate phoned me the other day and asked if would it be ok if he gave me as a reference to an agency. Sure thing I say so they phone and ask about his suitability for a role they have.

I gave a glowing reference and at the end the agent asks if I can email him a summary of what I had said but it would be off the record. I said "how can it be off the record when it's in an email?". I agree to do it though as everything I said was true.

Agent calls back today and says my mate has a phone interview lined up. It would really help if I could sent that email as a reference to the ClientCo before the interview. WTF!!!???

I asked, as a contractor, what's in it for me since he would be getting commision and agency fees? Just gratitude he says but the promise that he would help me get contracts when I was available...

Send the reference to the clientco to help your mate.
Also explain how the pimp behaved so maybe the clientco will ditch the agency.

[Batcher]

Send the reference to the clientco to help your mate.
Also explain how the pimp behaved so maybe the clientco will ditch the agency.

I think the ClientCo would think it was a bit creepy to receive a reference out of the blue from someone they had never heard of for someone they were interviewing that day. It may even put them off my mate. His skills should be enough to get him the gig anyway.

ETA - I don't think the agency were acting properly by giving me the interviewer's name and email address. I'll be wary if he ever asks me for any of my details.

[edison]

Some agents say they don't have specs.

I've had a couple of telephone interviews like that.

Even where a spec does exist, sometimes they are very poor. Sometimes I've been approached for a role where the agent's job description is about three lines long...