Agent querying about the market trend..!!

[Ashwin2007]

One of the Agent who called me asked, "How do you find the job market?"
The Agent is suppose to know the market trend than the candidate, right? Then why do they ask such questions?

[The Lone Gunman]

One of the Agent who called me asked, "How do you find the job market?"
The Agent is suppose to know the market trend than the candidate, right? Then why do they ask such questions?

It will affect the rate he offers you.
If you think the market is good then you have lots of offers/interest so he may have to pay you more.
If you think it is bad then you are likely to take less.

Always tell them you have a few irons in the fire but are always looking out for better.

[Keldin]

I get it it all the time. I would say almost a quarter of them ask either that question or something similar. I give them a general answer along the lines of fairly busy, getting quite a few calls etc.

They're checking to see how much you will take and/or how many leads they can get out of you.

K

[Devlin]

I have to say I'm currently experiencing a large amount of agency calls that are just blatent fishing - more than is usual. I think the market has tightened somewhat, are others experiencing this?

[clwd]

I believe that they must be fishing if they ask this sort of question. Normally, they should tell you about the job first and ask when you are available if they have real jobs.
An agent asked me the same question few days ago and I answered not bad and might have an interview soon. By then, he kept asking me the details of company which I might go for an interview, rather than telling me what jobs he had. He commented that he needed to know the location and name of this company because he didn't want to forward my CV to the same client. But then, he suddenly hung up the phone when I insisted not to him.
He was rude!

On the other hand, I don't want to offend the agents as I hope they may contact me if they have good contracts.

[Devlin]

I believe that they must be fishing if they ask this sort of question. Normally, they should tell you about the job first and ask when you are available if they have real jobs.
An agent asked me the same question few days ago and I answered not bad and might have an interview soon. By then, he kept asking me the details of company which I might go for an interview, rather than telling me what jobs he had. He commented that he needed to know the location and name of this company because he didn't want to forward my CV to the same client. But then, he suddenly hung up the phone when I insisted not to him.
He was rude!

On the other hand, I don't want to offend the agents as I hope they may contact me if they have good contracts.

I always say I have no interviews lined up.

There is absolutely no gain for us to say we do have interviews for 2 main reasons. Firstly if they think you have heaps of interviews and an offer is imminent they are far less likely to send your CV across and sell you to their client, secondly it's very difficult to start arguing with agents about why you don't want to tell them where your interviews are and you are more likely to upset them and then perhaps cut off any opportunities they MIGHT have.

[SueEllen]

I always say I have no interviews lined up.

Done that and nearly got caught out by the agent wanting to put me forward to a client who had contacted me directly and was interviewing me later that day. Realised in time and managed to say client has contacted me directly.

[ChimpMaster]

Done that and nearly got caught out by the agent wanting to put me forward to a client who had contacted me directly and was interviewing me later that day. Realised in time and managed to say client has contacted me directly.

What an edge-of-seat exciting death defying story that was. Wow you are so lucky to have got out of dilemma!

[Muttley08]

What an edge-of-seat exciting death defying story that was. Wow you are so lucky to have got out of dilemma!

[Devlin]

Done that and nearly got caught out by the agent wanting to put me forward to a client who had contacted me directly and was interviewing me later that day. Realised in time and managed to say client has contacted me directly.

Still preferable to the hassle involved in dealing with agents when they know you have other interviews lined up!

I think if that happened to me I would just be honest and say I didn't want to discuss my other interviews with agencies.