I just need to get two references ...

[craig1]

I've been contracting since 2004 and have never provided a reference, neither has a client ever asked for one.

Boo

Role that starts next week has an agency acting as payroll for my direct contract with the client. They want a reference from every single client I've had for the last 3 years. That's not likely to happen...

[SueEllen]

Role that starts next week has an agency acting as payroll for my direct contract with the client. They want a reference from every single client I've had for the last 3 years. That's not likely to happen...

Such a shame that the only people who will give you references are the other contractors you have worked with.

[TraceRacing]

You could say something along the lines of:

"unfortunately I have made it my company policy to only give reference details when required after an offer has been made. I have come across too many people asking for them prior to putting me forward and every time I have it's resulted in my referees being pestered with sales enquiries. It's a shame that some people choose to engage in this practice - you'd think they's be good enough at what they do to not have to! I'm sure you don't fall into this catagory but unfortunately this small minority has forced me to make a blanket decision on this with absolutely no exceptions.

You do understand that such good references from such good organisions are far too important for me to risk losing favour with.

Oh well it's a shame this role won't work out - please do let me know if you get anything in that doesn't have this requirement for references up front "

I love this!
What I have done in the past is ask them to hold the line while I get out some names and numbers and then placed the phone next to the radio. Every couple of minutes, pick it up and apologise for the delay...repeat until they hang up.....

[Rabotnik]

Do agents have to tell you the name of the client when they first ask you if you want the role? I thought they would just say it's confidential for the moment until they have seen my CV...

[Wanderer]

Do agents have to tell you the name of the client when they first ask you if you want the role? I thought they would just say it's confidential for the moment until they have seen my CV...

Agents are a dog eat dog bunch, they would happily pose as a contractor to find out who is recruiting and then try to get their own candidates in there so quite often they won't tell callers the name of the client straight up. I would expect to know before they sent my CV to the client though.

[AussieDigger]

Has anyone had this experience of 2 references and all that with TEK Systems ?

Just got this done to me and i'm absolutely amazed by the experience.....

[Project Monkey]

Has anyone had this experience of 2 references and all that with TEK Systems ?

Just got this done to me and i'm absolutely amazed by the experience.....

Yes, but they are genuine! I've worked for them and apart from being a bit over keen on the two references you can pretty much trust them. I even got some feedback from my referees, turns out its just a quick phone call to confirm you are who you say you are.

PM me if you want to check out the agents name etc.

[AussieDigger]

Yes, but they are genuine! I've worked for them and apart from being a bit over keen on the two references you can pretty much trust them. I even got some feedback from my referees, turns out its just a quick phone call to confirm you are who you say you are.

PM me if you want to check out the agents name etc.

Hmmm..genuine huh ???? So when they pinch you from another agency and say they have 'exclusivity' and then won't stop ringing you over the references bizzo to the point of you are almost wishing you'd not ever spoken to them, and then the info you get for the interview isn't sufficient to actually win the role - this is what you mean by genuine ?????

Wouldn't touch them again with a barge pole.....when one spends a week on this sort of back and forth constantly debating references to then not get the role because you were given info on the interview that wasn't what was asked - yeah, thats unhelpful I think....


Seems the other agency I got pinched from says the 2 references thing is bogus (client didn't want it) and also the exclusivity excuse (to get me to come across) was also false. Its a real worry - not sure how to address it either and whether someone should be accountable, etc.

Guess everyone's standards are different.

[Project Monkey]

Hmmm..genuine huh ???? So when they pinch you from another agency and say they have 'exclusivity' and then won't stop ringing you over the references bizzo to the point of you are almost wishing you'd not ever spoken to them, and then the info you get for the interview isn't sufficient to actually win the role - this is what you mean by genuine ?????

Wouldn't touch them again with a barge pole.....when one spends a week on this sort of back and forth constantly debating references to then not get the role because you were given info on the interview that wasn't what was asked - yeah, thats unhelpful I think....


Seems the other agency I got pinched from says the 2 references thing is bogus (client didn't want it) and also the exclusivity excuse (to get me to come across) was also false. Its a real worry - not sure how to address it either and whether someone should be accountable, etc.

Guess everyone's standards are different.

I can only speak from my own experiance, perhapse you're working with a different individual or different location (midlands guy seems to be more effective than the South guy).

[AussieDigger]

I can only speak from my own experiance, perhapse you're working with a different individual or different location (midlands guy seems to be more effective than the South guy).

Think it was someone from the North. You're probably right - its more the individual than the company but to get it so badly wrong.....makes you wonder I guess...anyways, I won't deal with them again....wasted far too much time and I value my time.