Agency request I 'sole permission' before sending my CV

[MarillionFan]

Standard process. Stops your CV going to a client from numerous agents. If this happens, they fight and you lose.

[Not So Wise]

I have to say that second school of though is a bit, dunno how to put it, over the top??? You can't put a penalty clause in to an agent like this surely. Which dumb ass agent is going to accept that?

The ones that are equally as dumb as contractors who would sign an "exclusivity agreement" with agents for absolutely nothing in return, not even an assurance that agent will actually submit them for the role?

Asking for exclusivity after they submitted you and client confirmed they want to see you is fine, asking for it before hand without giving anything in return, even a basic guarantee that they will submit the CV..well…

Every agent I have been through has done this and it has always been for no other reason that he has evidence he first dibs on me. End of.

And you do realize if you get job via other route because agent did not even submit you, you are legally obligated to pay agent?

[Ravello]

Tell them you will be exclusive with them from the time at which they can confirm they have sent your CV to the client. Ask them to confirm in writing when the CV has been sent to the client (e-mail will do).

If later you find out they didn't send the CV then the agreement will be null and void.

But equally not worth a jot anyway since the CV never made it to clientco.. or am I missing something

I agree with other posters, if OP has worked previously for clientco this should be a straight forward exercise of tapping up contacts.. Can't possibly be difficult getting a CV in front of someone when you've worked there before? Possibility of going direct, or at very least finding out which agency is on PSL...

Either way I wouldn't give agreement of exclusivity to the agent..