I just need to get two references ...

[curtis]

Needed references once I was offered a role in order to verify the gap but never in advance.

How could your references verify your gap? Did you call all your refences to inform them you were not working?

Never understand when agents/companies ask for references to confirm a gap???

[northernladuk]

How could your references verify your gap? Did you call all your refences to inform them you were not working?

Never understand when agents/companies ask for references to confirm a gap???

It's to check you haven't been detained at HM's pleasure or attending dubious training camps abroad and just make sure you are at large in society.

[curtis]

I understand thats why they might want to know but I still don't know how a references could help with that as surely if you had been locked up for the past 6 months you would pick a reference who would lie for you anyhow!

[northernladuk]

I understand thats why they might want to know but I still don't know how a references could help with that as surely if you had been locked up for the past 6 months you would pick a reference who would lie for you anyhow!

That's true. In the past I was asked about bank statements rather than references so I might be talking about something else here.

[SussexSeagull]

An unsolicited e-mail today:

Hi SussexSeagull,

Hope your well

I just come across your CV, it looks a great fit for a number of opportunties I am working on

I just need some information from you, this allows me to match your skill set and what my client desires, but most importantly doesnt damage any existing application or damage your reputation or mine
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR ME AND ATTACH YOUR CV IN A WORD FORMAT

1. What Salary are you seeking?
2. Why is it your looking for a new opportunity?
3. What is the title of your preferred position at present?
4. What is your current notice period?
5. Where would you consider as a good workig location?
6. Which companies has your CV been sent to in the last 2 month?
7. Which companies have you interviewed within the last 2 month?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

[Boney M]

An unsolicited e-mail today:

Hi SussexSeagull,

Hope your well

I just come across your CV, it looks a great fit for a number of opportunties I am working on

I just need some information from you, this allows me to match your skill set and what my client desires, but most importantly doesnt damage any existing application or damage your reputation or mine
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR ME AND ATTACH YOUR CV IN A WORD FORMAT

1. What Salary are you seeking?
2. Why is it your looking for a new opportunity?
3. What is the title of your preferred position at present?
4. What is your current notice period?
5. Where would you consider as a good workig location?
6. Which companies has your CV been sent to in the last 2 month?
7. Which companies have you interviewed within the last 2 month?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Dont see where they are asking for refs?

[CheeseSlice]

An unsolicited e-mail today:

Hi SussexSeagull,

Hope your well

I just come across your CV, it looks a great fit for a number of opportunties I am working on

I just need some information from you, this allows me to match your skill set and what my client desires, but most importantly doesnt damage any existing application or damage your reputation or mine
PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS FOR ME AND ATTACH YOUR CV IN A WORD FORMAT

1. What Salary are you seeking?
2. Why is it your looking for a new opportunity?
3. What is the title of your preferred position at present?
4. What is your current notice period?
5. Where would you consider as a good workig location?
6. Which companies has your CV been sent to in the last 2 month?
7. Which companies have you interviewed within the last 2 month?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

This is an agent that doesn't have any gigs. They could get this information over the phone when they have a live contract to discuss.
Ignore/delete. I get hundreds of these.

[petergriffin]

This is an agent that doesn't have any gigs.

Last week I was invited by a young agent who told me upfront that he didn't have any gigs and was trying to build his portfolio. As the office is 5 mins from home, I told, as long as he doesn't ask for references, I was ok with it. So I went.

I am not sure what comes out of that but I had nothing to lose. I don't know if he was being naive or not, but as long as they are honest and upfront and there is reciprocal help, I'm up for it.

[DrGUID]

Had a phone call tonight from a recruitment agency who had an interesting sounding C# job in London.

But after about 5 minutes he tells me that because of problems with people lying in the past they no longer forward CV's to companies without references.

Now I've spoken to ~100 agents in the last fortnight, and no agent has so far refused to forward my CV to a client without references. I don't know about now, but in the past agents didn't want companies to know too many details about candidates, just in case the candidate and employer cut the agency out of the picture .

So anyway, when he starts asking for the details of two managers I've worked for... yeah I know what's going on.

It's been my experience that references are taken up after interview, or aren't needed at all. If you pass the developer test for some companies then that's all they're interested in.

Anyway, if you DO have to supply references to an agency, just tell them your previous company wants all requests for references to go through HR, and don't give them any line manager names.

Oh, and hopefully everyone knows this, but NEVER tell a new agency where you're interviewing - like you need any more competition . But if you've interviewed somewhere and been rejected then it's worthwhile giving out nuggets of information to agents who are being helpful to you.

On balance though, I'm currently doing better through agencies than I am with direct applications to employers. So you gotta love agencies really .

[MattZani]

This I didn't understand

An agent (Eden Scott) rang me up last week, saying he wanted to talk about a couple of roles and also said he had left a message in the voicemail (false, I haven't received any message from him).

He talked about the roles briefly, like 5 minutes even less, didn't ask for references or else and ended up saying he was already writing me an email with the job specs. Email that never arrived, of course..

I don't get it. What was the reason behind this call if he didn't even try to get some ref? Do agents have to show they have done a minimum number of calls...like some sort of productivity bulltulip?