Recruiter's using you as hook bait

[ApeShape]

I know it's not exactly a new concept, but I'm curious to hear what the consensus here is on it. Case point being I had a call from naughty Mr Recruiter, telling me they would like to send company X a range of profiles so the company can see what candidates are currently on the market. Can we send yours too? I said no to Mr Recruiter, and pointed out that unless a JD or contract has been firmed up with the company/end user I wasn't willing to be used to woo companies speculatively. I think Mr Recruiter thought I was a bit thick and I wouldn't see what he was trying to do so he made a half/effort to back track when I sussed it out immediately. He didn't try to unequivocally assure me he and company X were signed up. I said no.

My gut feeling is it does my cause no good when my CV is handed out like a free leaflet to whatever unconsolidated mode of contact a recruiter choices.

Thoughts/feelings here?

[malvolio]

Agencies sell their clients the concept that they have a book full of expert contractors immediately available, mainly because telling the truth - that they don't store anybody's CV but get the requirement then go looking for a random but fairly close match on the open market - would not get them any business.

It's not our job to support their marketing.

[northernladuk]

Two outcomes here IMO.

1. You refuse, the recruiter doesn't get in to the company, the client doesn't see your CV. Chance of getting a gig from this? Absolutely nil.

2. You agree, your name is stamped in to the recruiters name during negotiations, client sees your CV's and you are now known to them, agent onboards the client and you've a new opening with the possibility of a gig. Chance of getting a gig from this? Probably pretty small as it's just another client and another agent but better than nil.

Would I let them do it? I'll probably change my mind depending on which way the wind blows. Possibly because it costs me nothing and opens a door albeit very slightly. On the other hand why should they use all my hard work and experience to line their pockets when it's unlikely to help me.

Gotta say fair dincum to the agent for asking. I'll bet my last penny many do it without asking.

[_V_]

Would they anonymise the profile/CV sent? Or would it bear you name and details?

[TheDude]

Would they anonymise the profile/CV sent? Or would it bear you name and details?

No - they send them over as and then spend the rest of the day posting instagram style photos of themselves on LinkedIn.

[dsc]

No - they send them over as and then spend the rest of the day posting instagram style photos of themselves on LinkedIn.

Don't they normally run it through some auto-formatting tool to add their company "look" / logos etc. but retain the names to prove they are not fake, made up CVs?

[edison]

Don't they normally run it through some auto-formatting tool to add their company "look" / logos etc. but retain the names to prove they are not fake, made up CVs?

I've used a lot of different large and small agencies in the past when hiring contractors and permies and the vast majority of the time, the CV is sent over as is, with no anonymisation, editing or any branding. When you receive CVs that are six, eight or even ten pages or more of waffle, you just want to bang your head on the table.

[WTFH]

Don't they normally run it through some auto-formatting tool to add their company "look" / logos etc. but retain the names to prove they are not fake, made up CVs?

Some do, some don’t.
They will strip out your contact details and add in theirs.
Some save them to a standard format and as a pdf.

Others aren’t particularly smart and if you leave info the the document properties, the client may well have the opportunity to see them

[Lance]

I know it's not exactly a new concept, but I'm curious to hear what the consensus here is on it. Case point being I had a call from naughty Mr Recruiter, telling me they would like to send company X a range of profiles so the company can see what candidates are currently on the market. Can we send yours too? I said no to Mr Recruiter, and pointed out that unless a JD or contract has been firmed up with the company/end user I wasn't willing to be used to woo companies speculatively. I think Mr Recruiter thought I was a bit thick and I wouldn't see what he was trying to do so he made a half/effort to back track when I sussed it out immediately. He didn't try to unequivocally assure me he and company X were signed up. I said no.

My gut feeling is it does my cause no good when my CV is handed out like a free leaflet to whatever unconsolidated mode of contact a recruiter choices.

Thoughts/feelings here?

Companies pay good money to advertise their services to anybody immaterial of whether the viewer wants the product.
"There is no such thing as bad publicity" is the phrase I believe.

But you think, as this is an agency, and as they are the baddie, that you should not engage with them when they are going to advertise for you for free.
Are you in business or not?
Sounds like permie thinking to me. I'd have my CV on every possible clients' desk as that increases my chances of getting more work.

[TheDude]

I've used a lot of different large and small agencies in the past when hiring contractors and permies and the vast majority of the time, the CV is sent over as is, with no anonymisation, editing or any branding. When you receive CVs that are six, eight or even ten pages or more of waffle, you just want to bang your head on the table.

I once received a CV where a chap included two pages describing his personal philosophy on software development and how he rejected modern fads.

This is he had spent his career working for tulip firms and was sent home after the first of a scheduled four 30 min interviews because he could barely write a line of code.