References before interview

[NadJ]

I know that traditionally when you hear an agent say they require references prior to any interview, they are talking out of their ass but anybody here have experience of an occasion where they thought that this was a genuine request to satisfy some internal policy?

An agent has been in touch recently, given me lots of information regarding a job and even named the client but says he cannot proceed until he has two references from previous two contracts. I gave him the details but one of my referees is being a lazy barsteward right now and not getting back....as such no interview for over a week!

[DimPrawn]

Are you blind? See sticky above this post.

[Turion]

You've let yourself be blagged by a scumdog agent

Ask yourself - why does this contract need refs b4 your CV is even put forward. The client may not even be interested in your CV. Even in permie jobs, no refs are taken before offer made and accepted.

There is no job for you. You just gave two leads for nothing.

[DimPrawn]

[SuperZ]

I once had this and actually allowed it. Both referees were treated well apart from a final 'please consider us if you need candidates in the future'. The recruiter later came through and offered me two interviews, one at the company he inititially mentioned as the reason he needed the references up front so it was cosha after all

[Turion]

I once had this and actually allowed it. Both referees were treated well apart from a final 'please consider us if you need candidates in the future'. The recruiter later came through and offered me two interviews, one at the company he inititially mentioned as the reason he needed the references up front so it was cosha after all

Agent posting alert

[Not So Wise]

How things are meant to be:
To comply with the Employment Agency Regulations 2003 (the whole Opt in/out thing) agency should check your identity and references before submitting your CV to client

How things are: 99.999% of the time if agency asks for references at any time it is generally a blag to get potential sales leads

[NadJ]

Well to be fair, I spoke to one of my referees and he said he didn't feel a sales pitch at all. Agent was more interested in finding out if I had definitely worked with a certain technology.

You all misunderstand me, believe me I have told many an agent to piss off in the past but that was when I knew nothing about the the job or client. On this occasion I do.

[SlimRick]

Might I suggest a couple of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/O2-Pay-As-You-...3A1%7C294%3A50

[pzz76077]

No need to give references before job offer

If an agent asks you for references before an interview he is fishing for leads and will pi** off any former boss whos contact details you provide as they will be hounded forever more by pimps calling of the slim chance that they may get a drink out of it. Much less chance of being reemployed by a former client if you do this.

If the pimp tells you that he needs the references to verify your identity re the 2003 law etc, then a copy of your passport certified by a brief is better than anything else that I can think of for this purpose and is better than a verbal reference with someone that may have never met you or has vague recollections of you working under them for, or better still your mate from down the pub who has even less of a recollection of you after last Friday night!

Like any personal data (and you may potentially be giving someone elses personal details without their prior consent), I always question for what purpose it will be used for and who will receive it. If I am not satisfied that the pimp is being straight with me, then a call to said client at said company will usually suffice in confirming if the pimp has a genuine job offer or is fishing at my expense (as is usually the case 99.999% of the time). If the pimp cant tell you who he will be sending your reference details then...well if he doesn't know then there is no job offer.