Agent speak

[DodgyAgent]

I am discussing with an agent about a potential new role. He contacted me and seems genuinely enthusiastic over it BUT he

1) won't reveal the client unless I get shortlisted for an interview

2) he wants references prior to interview if I am short listed (I intend to hand these directly to the end client at interview).

Part of me suspects a rat but another part of me thinks this could be all genuine. I am going with the flow for now but I would be interested to hear what you think.

If it is all a fake, what would the agents motivation be?

(Almost) all comments welcome.

If the job were real he would not compromise the possibility of attracting the best contractors by adding the burden of providing references. It is a reference fishing ploy.

Sorry answered it before

[qska]

"So who was you working for their?"



"there"

[Lewis]

I am discussing with an agent about a potential new role. He contacted me and seems genuinely enthusiastic over it BUT he

1) won't reveal the client unless I get shortlisted for an interview

2) he wants references prior to interview if I am short listed (I intend to hand these directly to the end client at interview).

Part of me suspects a rat but another part of me thinks this could be all genuine. I am going with the flow for now but I would be interested to hear what you think.

If it is all a fake, what would the agents motivation be?

(Almost) all comments welcome.

Rat ... I would never allow my CV to be send to a company I didn't know. I might not be interesting in contracting there!

[DS23]

I had a good one today

Agent One - Calls and says he has a role in Bracknell and I have the skills that suit. Than asks if I have done any client facing roles? At this point my attitude to him was downhill but I kept with it - told him to refer to the cv during periods "so and so". "Ahhh! Yes - We recruit exclusively for them" Now this bit! WHAT A BLOODY CHEEK. He reels off names that DO NOT EXIST THEIR! With the intention of me YET AGAIN saying "oh no, they dont know me but so-and-so" anyway - moving along we than hit me with the "So who did you work for?" At this stage I ask "Who are you recruiting for their as Ill know them" at which point he pretended to read my CV paused and said "My account manager will be calling you soon".

20 mins later

"Hi, you just spoke to my colleague about a role." To which i explained that no I didnt, he was telling me he had a role to fill and then went off on a tangent. He then followed up with "So who was you working for their?" at this point I asked why he wants to know. He explanation was so that he can check I was their. LOL.

At this point I said I wouldnt work their as their tulip and have have no desire to excel in their market. Fone went down.

These guys are getting really desperate!

[Liability]

I get dispensation - I am illiterate and also cant read and write.

[Pogle]

I was under the impression that if your CV was being sent off to a client you had a legal right to know who the client was?
Otherwise, how could you agree to it being sent on - it may be going to someone you don't want to work for.

I would not allow my CV to be sent out unless i was told who it was going to.

Sounds to me like you had captain Birdseye on the phone!

Pogle

[Ken Dodd]

references required

I did a contract last year and was asked for references by the agency after I had secured the gig. I gave them one work/client referee and one personal referee. None were contacted.

I was asked again for my current role at initial CV submission stage, and I trotted-out my new answer; "I am more than happy to give you contact details for referees, but the previous clients (the referees) have said specifically that I must ring them first to forewarn them that an Agency would be contacting them AND they do not want to be contacted unless there is a firm contract offer. They are very busy people." Since then, no-one has mentioned this again, and I have been here nearly two months. It makes you wonder.

If every applicant gave gives you two names of referees, you will soon fill your contacts database.