Ideal Job

[Gentile]

Lied to? You're right, I don't like being lied to either

But we are a competing business. This is business. Much worse things happens in business than an agency not informing you about being put forward.

I won't guess at a percentage but I'm positive most operate in this fashion.

I accept it, and I certainly wouldn't cut my nose off to spite my face should an agent be the ole route into a client co in th future.

Neither would I. Though in relation to contracting, I've only ever heard that particular expression used by agents when what they really mean is "acting in a way that isn't in the agent's self-interest". An individual agent is rarely if ever the only way to be represented for a particular gig. I deal fairly with everyone I work for and through. But any agent that behaved in the way described in the OP (i.e., saying they'd put my CV forward when in fact they hadn't to further their own interests) may well find me calling them at some point in the future to inquire about another gig. Then me telling them that I wasn't the candidate for them at the end of the call only to subsequently put myself forward for the gig or apply through another more trustworthy agent that hasn't mucked me about in the past. Hey, it cuts both ways, and this is just business after all, isn't it?

[Gentile]

Because there is f*** all I can do about agents and as I keep saying, it is just the way it is. As agencies turn more and more in to just sales shops staffed with young sales staff it is going to get worse. It is part of business so I learn to understand it and deal with it. I don't think it is right but I ain't gonna spend any time worrying about it.

I am a contractor so unethical actions by other contractors just piss me off. Period. It's like being a forum for say policemen and then other policemen come on asking how to break the law etc. I work hard and don't see why I should be tarred with people that don't know their business and cba to think about it. Ok the police is a terrible analogy but you get my meaning.

I doubt we'll agree on this one. I don't think I'll ever understand how you can use the logic that there's "f*** all you can do" about agents to excuse being accepting of their behaviour. The fact is there's f*** all you can do about other contractors either, so why spend time worrying about them?

[northernladuk]

I doubt we'll agree on this one. I don't think I'll ever understand how you can use the logic that there's "f*** all you can do" about agents to excuse being accepting of their behaviour. The fact is there's f*** all you can do about other contractors either, so why spend time worrying about them?

I just explained it :| Agents are business. Contractors affect me so will always annoy me. If one of my posts makes a different to some hidden permie contractor I will be a happy man.

I used to also like your posts to some extent but you ability to argue with everyone is tiresome.

[Gentile]

I just explained it :| Agents are business. Contractors affect me so will always annoy me. If one of my posts makes a different to some hidden permie contractor I will be a happy man.

I used to also like your posts to some extent but you ability to argue with everyone is tiresome.

I'm sorry, but are you of the opinion that the way agents behave doesn't affect you?

[northernladuk]

I'm sorry, but are you of the opinion that the way agents behave doesn't affect you?

Give it a rest..... Any moron can see what I am getting at.

[captainham]

Neither would I. Though in relation to contracting, I've only ever heard that particular expression used by agents when what they really mean is "acting in a way that isn't in the agent's self-interest". An individual agent is rarely if ever the only way to be represented for a particular gig. I deal fairly with everyone I work for and through. But any agent that behaved in the way described in the OP (i.e., saying they'd put my CV forward when in fact they hadn't to further their own interests) may well find me calling them at some point in the future to inquire about another gig. Then me telling them that I wasn't the candidate for them at the end of the call only to subsequently put myself forward for the gig or apply through another more trustworthy agent that hasn't mucked me about in the past. Hey, it cuts both ways, and this is just business after all, isn't it?

Not sure which area you contract in (as in, which IT speciality, etc), but you certainly have a far rosier view of how to deal with agents then I do.

I doubt very many contractors have the luxury of hearing about a gig from an agent that they don't like, then are able to put themselves forward for the same gig via another completely separate agent that they know/trust.

I immediately raise my hands to newbie naivety here but I'd be extremely lucky to get the client name before either signing an NDA first or at least verbally agreeing to the agent representing me to the client; and if the latter, yeah ok it's only verbal but I like to stick to my word regardless of the actions of others in the industry (including agents); reputation, professionalism and all that.

[Gentile]

Not sure which area you contract in (as in, which IT speciality, etc), but you certainly have a far rosier view of how to deal with agents then I do.

I doubt very many contractors have the luxury of hearing about a gig from an agent that they don't like, then are able to put themselves forward for the same gig via another completely separate agent that they know/trust.

I immediately raise my hands to newbie naivety here but I'd be extremely lucky to get the client name before either signing an NDA first or at least verbally agreeing to the agent representing me to the client; and if the latter, yeah ok it's only verbal but I like to stick to my word regardless of the actions of others in the industry (including agents); reputation, professionalism and all that.

I'm a .Net developer. Maybe other contractors work differently, but I need to know who the client is before I allow my CV to be put forward for any particular gig. How else would I know whether I'd be interested in working for the client involved, and hadn't already been put forward by somebody else?

[Gentile]

Give it a rest..... Any moron can see what I am getting at.

Perhaps that's the trouble? You're not talking to a moron, you're talking to someone that's politely pointing out some inconsistencies in your reasoning.

[captainham]

I'm a .Net developer. Maybe other contractors work differently, but I need to know who the client is before I allow my CV to be put forward for any particular gig. How else would I know whether I'd be interested in working for the client involved, and hadn't already been put forward by somebody else?

Wearing an agent hat, I would be a foolish agent if I blurted out to prospectives who the end client was before that person had agreed to let me represent him/her. If at that point the candidate says "No thanks, don't want to work for them" (or another agent is already representing them) then that's life and I move on.


(Contractor hat back on) I could lie to the agent and say that I had already been put forward (then try and find my own way in), but I wouldn't do that for reasons of professionalism etc.

[Gentile]

Wearing an agent hat, I would be a foolish agent if I blurted out to prospectives who the end client was before that person had agreed to let me represent him/her. If at that point the candidate says "No thanks, don't want to work for them" (or another agent is already representing them) then that's life and I move on.


(Contractor hat back on) I could lie to the agent and say that I had already been put forward (then try and find my own way in), but I wouldn't do that for reasons of professionalism etc.

I'm just being honest here, I don't try and muck agents about, but I always insist on knowing who the client is. The only occasions when I don't bother asking are when I already know, either through a bare minimum of research on LinkedIn or just via accumulated industry knowledge of which employers in which fields work in which places.

I'd never put my CV forward blind. I've heard things are different down South. I've never had an agent outright refuse to tell me who the client was up here in Scotland, though. They might be reluctant to, but if you're prepared to walk away rather than fly blind they always tell you. I've never used that information illicitly, but I'd have no qualms about doing so with an agent that had mucked me about in the past by claiming to send my CV when they hadn't.