I just need to get two references ...

[LondonManc]

You would have got the interview anyway, regardless of whether you gave them references or not.

How do you know the agent called your referees, told them your invitation to an interview at another company was conditional on a good reference from them, which they then provided in writing, to either the agent or the client directly and in confidence, before the client agreed to interview you? You could do a Data Subject Access Request under the DPA 2018 if you can be bothered I suppose, but the information requested will not exist.

Have you called your referees and asked them if the agent called them before you got the interview?

Evidence is writing things down and emailing them and signing them. Everything else is BS. The agency just did a nice bit of "business development" at your expense because they had nothing to lose by trying it on, and you fell for it.

The correct answer to any references question is 'click', followed by Block Number and Add to Junk Senders.



One of the other ways they try to get references was tried on me again today:

"Yeah that role we didn't get back to you about a few days ago - they got lots of really good applications, so it would make your CV stand out if I could give them a good reference from your old employ[click...block number...add to junk senders]"


[...and sometimes also email "GDPR Notice - remove all my PII or ICO gets a detailed complaint for their future reference when other people inevitably complain about you selling their CV information on to spammers, assuming your company still exists by then...."]

Morning Billy.

The correct answer is, "If you get me the gig, I'll chuck a few contact details your way (for companies I don't want to work at again) while we celebrate over a couple of pints that you're going to buy me at the end of my first week on site."

[psychocandy]

Another one from ROC search today.
"I got a perfectly matching contract for you close to where you live". The fictional contract didn't match any of my skills, but I went along and said yes sounds interesting.
We can only forward you with two references, I said yes I will provide the names of the last two agencies I worked for on offer.
Pimp continued trying to fish for names using all the tricks like do you know <fake manager name> at XYZ,
After a while I got fed and said good luck with fishing somewhere else and just hung up

ROC Search are the worst. I gave them mates name once and they promised not to hassle them with sales calls. You can guess - 5 minutes later they called him.

So he told them he'd never recommend me because I'd shagged his mrs and got her up the duff....

[psychocandy]

I got asked for 2 references recently and, in fairness, I have an interview booked. They've checked with me before going out to them.

Just to say that it's not always a conspiracy.

99.99% of the time it is.

[FrontEnder]

You would have got the interview anyway, regardless of whether you gave them references or not.
.....



The correct answer to any references question is 'click', followed by Block Number and Add to Junk Senders.

He wouldn't have an interview if he took your approach though.

I just say I'll provide references when I have an offer, as is the normal process. That shuts them up 90% of the time.

[VAt Collect0r]

He wouldn't have an interview if he took your approach though.

Try reading what I wrote.

The CLIENT said they would like to interview him.

Then the AGENCY said "Hi, you've got the interview with the client. We however are a bunch of ***** called an agency, so we would like to try it on with you, so please give us a reference. If you don't, since it is not in our interests to can a perfectly good sales lead, you will have an interview anyway."

The latest ***** to try it on with me today were Square One - avoid them, don't apply for their sh!t on Jobserve you will end up getting calls from indian internet prowidings.

[VAt Collect0r]

Morning Billy.

The correct answer is, "If you get me the gig, I'll chuck a few contact details your way (for companies I don't want to work at again) while we celebrate over a couple of pints that you're going to buy me at the end of my first week on site."

who the f__ is billy

[northernladuk]

ROC Search are the worst. I gave them mates name once and they promised not to hassle them with sales calls. You can guess - 5 minutes later they called him.

So he told them he'd never recommend me because I'd shagged his mrs and got her up the duff....

[FrontEnder]

Try reading what I wrote.

The CLIENT said they would like to interview him.

Then the AGENCY said "Hi, you've got the interview with the client. We however are a bunch of ***** called an agency, so we would like to try it on with you, so please give us a reference. If you don't, since it is not in our interests to can a perfectly good sales lead, you will have an interview anyway."

The latest ***** to try it on with me today were Square One - avoid them, don't apply for their sh!t on Jobserve you will end up getting calls from indian internet prowidings.

I did read what you wrote. You said that he should hang up when asked for 2 references. If this happened before the interview offer, during the initial call he wouldn't have got an interview.

I've had a good long and well paying contract though Square One. Went back to the same client through them 9 months or so after it ended. Weekly billing, paid next week and helpful and friendly agents. They're a large agency, so to write off the whole lot because one of their agents annoyed you is a bit stupid.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

ROC Search are the worst. I gave them mates name once and they promised not to hassle them with sales calls. You can guess - 5 minutes later they called him.

So he told them he'd never recommend me because I'd shagged his mrs and got her up the duff....

So true, I've actually blacklisted them. One of them phone me twice on the same day, with a different fake job each time, trying to sniff references out of me.

I called them out on it saying they already spoke to me and they flat out denied it. I was like err, all my calls are recorded, and I keep a log of which pimps I deal with and what time they phone me.

Next day a different roc search person phoned fishing as well, so I just blacklisted them.

I'm wondering if they're actually a recruitment agency at all or if they just fish for leads and sell them on.

[psychocandy]

So true, I've actually blacklisted them. One of them phone me twice on the same day, with a different fake job each time, trying to sniff references out of me.

I called them out on it saying they already spoke to me and they flat out denied it. I was like err, all my calls are recorded, and I keep a log of which pimps I deal with and what time they phone me.

Next day a different roc search person phoned fishing as well, so I just blacklisted them.

I'm wondering if they're actually a recruitment agency at all or if they just fish for leads and sell them on.

I did wonder that whether they just sell leads. Anyone ever got a gig through them?

They emailed me once for a 6 month temp job as sales associate in carphone warehouse. It wasn't even local.