Not informing agent where your CV is

[JRCT]

I had exaxtly this happen to me over a year ago. The first agent to call was the one trying it on. Second was completely up front, had an exclusive deal and sent me a copy of the email trail from the client appointing them as sole agent for the role.

I gave the other agent enough info to provide the same but strangely, they didn't and I heard no more from them

Second agent put me up for the role which I was offered and completed tyvm.

I did let the second agent know who the first one was too so I am sure the client was informed eventually.

If Agent 2 has an exclusive deal, what is Agent 1 hoping to get out of this?

Surely he'll try to submit you, the client will say "Sorry, we have an exclusive deal with Agent 2" and Agent 1 has to walk away.

Is it possible, in this scenario, that Agent 1 somehow gets in?

[MicrosoftBob]

Just say you're already in a contract, but normally you'd be interested.

No one gets hurt, agent goes away....

[worzelGummidge]

It may be a line, or it may not be. Ask the second agent to confirm in writing that they are the exclusive agency involved. Then speak to the first one, and tell them what is being said, and get them to confirm in writing that they have the authority to represent you to the client, and have sent your CV over.

One of them won't do it - if it's the original one then get back to the second agency and get them to put your name in.

I did not realise that there would be just one agency officially involved.
I thought that the role request would be given to several agencies at the same time.

[FatLazyContractor]

When I've said this before I've been told in response "oh, that's interesting as I/we actually have exclusivity with Client X, who put you forward?"

Reading that back, am I to guess that that's another agent 'line'?

Assuming that there isn't an exclusivity, what do you folk reply when the second agent asks for details of who put you forward (first agent)?

[tractor]

...

If Agent 2 has an exclusive deal, what is Agent 1 hoping to get out of this?

Surely he'll try to submit you, the client will say "Sorry, we have an exclusive deal with Agent 2" and Agent 1 has to walk away.

Is it possible, in this scenario, that Agent 1 somehow gets in?

It was a BA role with some quite niche applications and business experience (and I had worked at the client before on two occasions5 & 8 years before). Taking 1 of the contenders out of the market with a promise of putting you forward stops you applying for the role with other agents. Couple of days later, the first agent calls up on the 'off chance' (apparently, the first agent had been trying to get a foot in the door for a long time), the bad agent stands a chance of getting a foot in. Client, I am sure would go for it if they were desperate enough.

The first agent messed up by telling me he had exclusivity when it could be proven that he didn't. He didn't expect me to pick up on it let alone follow it thought with the agent that did. So when the second agent called up an hour later with an exclusive deal, nose met stinky rat and voila!

[tractor]

...

Assuming that there isn't an exclusivity, what do you folk reply when the second agent asks for details of who put you forward (first agent)?

I did get that in my saga so I said to the second agent 'Prove to me you have exclusivity and I will not only tell you, I will kick them into touch and give you permission to represent me' They did so immediately. So I told them.

[TheFaQQer]

If Agent 2 has an exclusive deal, what is Agent 1 hoping to get out of this?

They hope that they can convince the client that you are the best candidate, and therefore they can get their foot in the door. If they can't get in directly with the client, then they can possibly set up a chain of you to agency 1 to agency 2 to client.

Some years back, I had one agency tell me that they could get my CV in front of the client - but then conceded that if the client liked it, there would then be an additional agency in the mix.

[TheFaQQer]

Assuming that there isn't an exclusivity, what do you folk reply when the second agent asks for details of who put you forward (first agent)?

Laugh and say "you know better than to ask me something like that, but you're the third agent to ring me about that one".

[TheFaQQer]

Just say you're already in a contract, but normally you'd be interested.

No one gets hurt, agent goes away....

And their immediate response is to ask when your contract expires. Also, telling them you are in contract knocks you out of contention for any other roles they have that might suit you.

I don't really know why you wouldn't tell them you were in for the role already.

[TheFaQQer]

I did not realise that there would be just one agency officially involved.
I thought that the role request would be given to several agencies at the same time.

Sometimes there will be multiple agencies, and sometimes the client will have a deal with one agency. But when another agent gets a whiff of an opportunity, some will try to get in there.

In my last permie job, we had an exclusive deal with one agency at 8 or 9% margin. We still got other agencies flinging CVs over to us because they'd heard we were looking and thought they'd give it a shot.