One job by two agencies

[curtis]

I had this situation several years ago, a role was being advertised by several agents I applied through one and was chasing for a week and kept being told 'had no feedback' so I went for it through another agent and in a few days he had got me an interview and I got the job, that was a 15 month gig and I still think today if I had not gone with the other agent I would not have got the job and that job got me over the worst of the recession at the time.

To be fair although I knew there was a good chance with how the job advert was written by the other agent it was the same job there was no guarantees for sure as years and years ago I nearly did not apply for a permie role thinking it was the same one I had interviewed for a few days before as it was practically written word for word the same, as it happened it was a different place/job and again glad I did as I got that one also.

[bobspud]

This is what the agent should be offering to do, when they agree that you're right for the job. A quick call to the client opening with "you know what these agents are like", and going on to check out whether the client has the CV, should be fairly standard - saves them looking tulip, and saves you getting binned.

I'm not saying that's what happens - but it should be really.....

Always thought dumping CV's was a myth that piss poor HR managers put about to make them feel alpha. I still don't understand why a company that needs a skill would dump a CV just because two agents put it forward. If I was an agency I would be using that fact against end clients all the time. You all have access to mostly the same CV's via Jobserve /monster /etc, so you have a good idea who your competitors are working on... So its just a matter of playing trumps to get the top three or four guys CV's canned so you can come in with a second round of CV's and more price willing monkey's that are good enough.

Agent phones Rob about a job but Rob says sorry submitted already But the agent has Jane, Freddy and possibly bungle and zippy in the wings. So the first trick to pull is to submit Robs CV knowing damn well the idiot in HR has to now can the poor buggers CV. He also sends Jane and Freddy forward knowing that they would never have stood up to Robs CV in a fair fight so they end up with interviews and Robs wondering why he didn't get near a job that should be a shoe-in...

[malvolio]

It's more to do with hiring managers not wanting to get into an arguement about which agency owns the business. Simplest solution is not to take multiple CVs for the same applicant.

[TestMangler]

It's more to do with hiring managers not wanting to get into an arguement about which agency owns the business. Simplest solution is not to take multiple CVs for the same applicant.

Correct.

(See that Mal, we have agreement on something).

The one time it happened to me, I got a call from Agent A who told him Client had told them that they had also received my CV from Agent B. As a result, I was out of the running for the contract.

It does happen and Mal's post above outlines why. It would be daft for a client and two agents to be arsed getting themselves into that arguement about who is due what, when the easiest 'out' is to bin the candidate.

[The Agents View]

Always thought dumping CV's was a myth that piss poor HR managers put about to make them feel alpha. I still don't understand why a company that needs a skill would dump a CV just because two agents put it forward. If I was an agency I would be using that fact against end clients all the time. You all have access to mostly the same CV's via Jobserve /monster /etc, so you have a good idea who your competitors are working on... So its just a matter of playing trumps to get the top three or four guys CV's canned so you can come in with a second round of CV's and more price willing monkey's that are good enough.

Agent phones Rob about a job but Rob says sorry submitted already But the agent has Jane, Freddy and possibly bungle and zippy in the wings. So the first trick to pull is to submit Robs CV knowing damn well the idiot in HR has to now can the poor buggers CV. He also sends Jane and Freddy forward knowing that they would never have stood up to Robs CV in a fair fight so they end up with interviews and Robs wondering why he didn't get near a job that should be a shoe-in...

Your thoughts are right from a business perspective - nobody who has desperate need for skill should be rejecting because of multiple submission - and you're right, this is partially a myth that HR managers make up - unfortunately, those same HR managers, for reasons unbeknown to me (HR is for Permies, they shouldn't be anywhere near B2B relationships) often believe it is their place to vet Contractors profiles. Unfortunately, from their perspective, they just want an easy life, so they just bin multiple applications to punish the agents mainly!

As for the second part. This is flawed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it doesn't work like that consistently. Secondly, if you as an agent send duplicate CV's more than once, you're going to get kicked off of a PSL.....and thirdly, Agents aren't usually intelligent enough to think things through in quite that much detail.....

[bobspud]

Your thoughts are right from a business perspective - nobody who has desperate need for skill should be rejecting because of multiple submission - and you're right, this is partially a myth that HR managers make up - unfortunately, those same HR managers, for reasons unbeknown to me (HR is for Permies, they shouldn't be anywhere near B2B relationships) often believe it is their place to vet Contractors profiles. Unfortunately, from their perspective, they just want an easy life, so they just bin multiple applications to punish the agents mainly!

As for the second part. This is flawed for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it doesn't work like that consistently. Secondly, if you as an agent send duplicate CV's more than once, you're going to get kicked off of a PSL.....and thirdly, Agents aren't usually intelligent enough to think things through in quite that much detail.....

Would have just thought an email stamp from the first agency past the post would solve the problem without needing any drama. If all the agencies know that anyone can introduce any candidate up until a deadline the best candidates would get introduced almost immediately rather than holding all the CV's until the deadline and having bod's lied to about being put forward.

[acontractor]

The correct answer is when any agent contacts you about a role, you give them exclusive rights to submit you for a limited period.

This can be as short as 12 - 24 hours providing they will confirm in writing \ email that they have submitted you to the end client.

Alternatively, you could give them a larger window of exclusivity say, 48 to 60 hours after which, if you havent secured an interview via them the period of exclusivity ends and you are free to be submitted by any other agent you contact \ who contacts you.

I think the mistake from my part (a) not asking for email confirmation and (b) not stating in the conformation email that this exclusive right is only valid for next 12/24 hours.

I rang the agency again and she told me that she should hear from me by end of this week. Last night she was telling me that she is going to be in touch with the client and I should hear by end of the day!

[lukemg]

This does happen and if contacted by another agent I just say look, Agancy A say they have put me forward but I am not certain they have definitely done so. Agency B can usually check via a phonecall - job done. On the 2 occasions this has happened, Agency A HAD submitted but you never know...

[acontractor]

This does happen and if contacted by another agent I just say look, Agancy A say they have put me forward but I am not certain they have definitely done so. Agency B can usually check via a phonecall - job done. On the 2 occasions this has happened, Agency A HAD submitted but you never know...

I have contacted the Agency B and told him about the situation. I agent said that they are going to find out if my CV have been forwareded or not?

I have told verbally to Agency B that if the CV is not with the client then I am happy for Agency B to send the CV.

Now it is it possible that agency B might do some mischief about my application with agency A at the client so that my chances of getting the interview would be in jeopardy? Or is it too much to think? I have told the agency B about the agency A and my application.

[bobspud]

My point exactly. On that seems to have been missed on two points after mine. The worst that can happen isn't the agents arguing, it is you getting binned. It happened to me so it does happen. I applied for a finance role in North West and a banking client in Cheshire. Despite asking the agents they wouldn't divulge anymore. Got asked for interview, came up 2nd agent had me. Argument ensued and I had my interview cancelled. Do not play the agents against each other. It will always work out bad for you.

Thought I'd Update this.

I had a very nice girl trying to "set me up with an interview" at the end of last year. It was one of the roles where both the supplier and client were competing for the same guys and there were tonnes of agencies advertising. I had 4 agents offer to put me forward and as I didn't want the job any way I agreed to all of them to see what would happen.

I got an interview from the smallest most obscure agency with the highest rate. When I heard this I though it was a bit odd so I phoned round the others for feedback... and got the sorry you were not successful crap.

My educated guess was that the others were sweeping the floor to clear the competing candidates up.

SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IN THIS MARKET IS: THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CV GETS TO THE CLIENT IS TO PHONE THE HR DEPARTMENT OF THE END CLIENT AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN THEIR STACK. IF NOT OFFER TO SEND YOUR CV REPRESENTING YOURSELF BECAUSE NOONE ELSE IS.