I just need to get two references ...

[EvolutionSPM]

I fell for this.

Lady phones up, says it her own company, describes the company/role in details, talks through my experience. On the phone for 30mins.
Then "This company likes to have references on the CV's", I gave her one name/number and said I would think about the other.
Next morning, I get an email saying "Do I know anyone else she can call up". WTF, call up?
I wrote back saying, you should only call the references after a successful interview and interested in myself.

Never again.

I find the whole agency thing amazing, I have 20 years experience, paid for and worked in my own time for a degree, masters and certifications. Some 18 year old who worked in Top Shop last month, picks my number off a job board and submits my CV to a company. Then the agency creams off at least 20%. The worse ones are the ones who try and negotiate you down before you have even seen a spec. You know full well they are trying to improve their margins.

You can normally tell within 30 seconds whether they are any good or not, mainly not.

Stuart

[theroyale]

Maybe this works if we all start doing it?

Bad start to a monday morning with an irritating fishing phone call.

I've just shot off an email to the managing director of the recruitment agency. No idea whether it will work/what will happen but I've got it off my chest and feel like I've done what I can about it:

Hi John,

I've found your email address on your website as the Managing Director of Xxx Recruitment and am emailing you directly about one of your recruitment agents named Xxx Xxx and the tactics she seems to employ. I've had two phone calls from her as follow-ups to job adverts in the last fortnight or so and each time she has gone right ahead and pressed me for names of my previous managers, at a stage when it has been completely irrelevant to the process. I hadn't been told anything about the client, the role, or even if this role is a real live role - but she wants to go through my CV and find out names of my previous managers.

I have worked with your agency a couple of years ago (with another agent) who promptly and professionally secured me an interview, so clearly this sort of "fishing" seems to be a problem with specific agents.

Regards,
Xxx Xxx

[thecleverbit]

Same old...

I regularly get the "2 references" bull, but today I had a new one...

Ark international called me about an apps packaging role I applied for. Unfortunately for me, I got on well with my last few roles and kept being asked to team lead or be tech lead. My CV is a technical one, but does mention stuff like stakeholder management, rationalisation of software etc.

When Ark called me, they wanted to go through my experience, insinuating I was overqualified, or worse, non technical. Despite my CV going on about how much technical work I had been doing in addition to getting involved in meetings. I can't expect a recruiter to know what actually goes on inside a project, but this guy was pushy!

He then started on the references line for his "top 10" client but who he could not name. He then wanted to know the rate I was on for every role for the last 2 years!!

I explained, very politely, that before I apply for any role, I assess whether I could deliver a good service on the spec listed, in the location mentioned. I also explained that if I got to a role and the PM or Technical Architect liked my approach and wanted me to take on more responsibility for more money, that was up to them. Mr recruiter basically then told me his client needed my earnings history for 2 years because other candidates would interview, and then only accept the role at a higher rate than previously discussed. I would have thought any recruiter would know what roles are worth.

So all I can ascertain from this encounter with the pimps, is that either these guys are trying to build a picture of market rates, have been putting forward overskilled candidates for rates less than they are worth under pressure to impress a client, or that the recruiter is a knob!

In any case, I do not discuss what I earned previously, I only focus on what the role in hand is worth...

[Brussels Slumdog]

home and away rates

I regularly get the "2 references" bull, but today I had a new one...

He then started on the references line for his "top 10" client but who he could not name. He then wanted to know the rate I was on for every role for the last 2 years!!

..

How can you compare the rate for London with Geneva,Brussels or Belfast
The comparison of 2 years can only work if all your contracts are 10mins from home

[thecontractoruk]

phishing agents

Hi all, I am posting this msg to alert my fellow contractors especially the newbie’s.

Couple of month’s back I applied for a contract role posted in jobserve by an agency called “esynergy solutions”. The agent I spoken was so cunning, he convinced me that the contract is genuine and he even gave me the client name. He then insisted me for references and said it is mandatory for processing my application for that role. Initially I refused to give him references but he insisted me that at least I need to provide a past reference if not present. Unwillingly I gave him one of my past references because I was so much desperate for job that time and fallen in his trap. That’s it never heard again from him.

Last week I came to know from one of my friend that he had faced same issue with same agency (“esynergy solutions”). They promised him decent day rate with a well known client and asked for the references saying it is mandatory. Fortunately my friend much cleverer than me, he told them to email him the full job spec so he will reply back. That’s it he did not received any thing from them.

I admit it’s my mistake to fallen in their trap but it seems to me this agency is utterly unprofessional and cheating us with their cheap tricks. I am really unhappy with their way of business. I will never ever deal with this agency and it is no 1 in my black list.

I am relatively new to contracting; I would like hear any suggestions from senior contractors here.

Thanks in advance.

[BolshieBastard]

Hi all, I am posting this msg to alert my fellow contractors especially the newbie’s.

Couple of month’s back I applied for a contract role posted in jobserve by an agency called “esynergy solutions”. The agent I spoken was so cunning, he convinced me that the contract is genuine and he even gave me the client name. He then insisted me for references and said it is mandatory for processing my application for that role. Initially I refused to give him references but he insisted me that at least I need to provide a past reference if not present. Unwillingly I gave him one of my past references because I was so much desperate for job that time and fallen in his trap. That’s it never heard again from him.

Last week I came to know from one of my friend that he had faced same issue with same agency (“esynergy solutions”). They promised him decent day rate with a well known client and asked for the references saying it is mandatory. Fortunately my friend much cleverer than me, he told them to email him the full job spec so he will reply back. That’s it he did not received any thing from them.

I admit it’s my mistake to fallen in their trap but it seems to me this agency is utterly unprofessional and cheating us with their cheap tricks. I am really unhappy with their way of business. I will never ever deal with this agency and it is no 1 in my black list.

I am relatively new to contracting; I would like hear any suggestions from senior contractors here.

Thanks in advance.

A lot of it going on due to the state of the market. TekSystems and the whole allegis group (aston carter) really push this reference upfront to put you on a 'virtual bench.'

Dont forget, your references can also include the agencies who you've worked through in the past. I suspect shysters like Tek, AC and this esynergy will try and say they dont count but they do.

[quackhandle]

Hi all, I am posting this msg to alert my fellow contractors especially the newbie’s.

Couple of month’s back I applied for a contract role posted in jobserve by an agency called “esynergy solutions”. The agent I spoken was so cunning, he convinced me that the contract is genuine and he even gave me the client name. He then insisted me for references and said it is mandatory for processing my application for that role. Initially I refused to give him references but he insisted me that at least I need to provide a past reference if not present. Unwillingly I gave him one of my past references because I was so much desperate for job that time and fallen in his trap. That’s it never heard again from him.

Last week I came to know from one of my friend that he had faced same issue with same agency (“esynergy solutions”). They promised him decent day rate with a well known client and asked for the references saying it is mandatory. Fortunately my friend much cleverer than me, he told them to email him the full job spec so he will reply back. That’s it he did not received any thing from them.

I admit it’s my mistake to fallen in their trap but it seems to me this agency is utterly unprofessional and cheating us with their cheap tricks. I am really unhappy with their way of business. I will never ever deal with this agency and it is no 1 in my black list.

I am relatively new to contracting; I would like hear any suggestions from senior contractors here.

Thanks in advance.

62 pages in this thread, plenty of suggestions there.

qh

[thecontractoruk]

Thank you all, the suggestions posted here will certainly help to protect from phishing.

The main reason for my frustration is, that incident was happened on a Friday afternoon, I was so confident & optimistic about the job. I spend all my weekend preparing for the interview hoping that I will get the call from the client on next week.

Now I know I was expecting reply from the fake job

[skipjack]

No, Never, Not

I always tell them I will only give references directly to the client and not any middleman. Moreover, all my references have refused to have their names given to any agents.
Sometimes I think I should give references of past agents because ultimately on paper its them whom you have worked for.
Additionally, you would think you don't know who the client is, you don't know much about the role as everything has been said verbally with no job spec to refer and they want all details from you, your CV, your requirements, your references...

Thank you all, the suggestions posted here will certainly help to protect from phishing.

The main reason for my frustration is, that incident was happened on a Friday afternoon, I was so confident & optimistic about the job. I spend all my weekend preparing for the interview hoping that I will get the call from the client on next week.

Now I know I was expecting reply from the fake job

[northernladuk]

I always tell them I will only give references directly to the client and not any middleman. Moreover, all my references have refused to have their names given to any agents.
Sometimes I think I should give references of past agents because ultimately on paper its them whom you have worked for.
Additionally, you would think you don't know who the client is, you don't know much about the role as everything has been said verbally with no job spec to refer and they want all details from you, your CV, your requirements, your references...

And what good would that do you? I guess you are trying to be clever or coy or something but bearing in mind it is the agent you have your contract with it is them that want to check you are who you are. The client employs the service of the agent to do this for them. Giving that line to an agent will just make you look like you don't have a clue.

You even back this up by your own comment...

Sometimes I think I should give references of past agents because ultimately on paper its them whom you have worked for.

I believe this thread give this advice more than enough times.