Two agencies - same role - slightly different job descriptions...

[manubbo]

I was approached by a recruiter for a contract with a big company - in their job description the name of the team (they have multiple teams) wasn't included and I gave him the go for submitting my CV. Another recruiter then approached me for a contract with the same company - but the job description this time included the team and the location was different from the previous one (although the content was the same). I told 2nd recruiter that I already had a contact with them, but he said on the phone that may have been a different team. Having a different location, I though it was a different team so I told him - since it was a different team - it was OK for him to represent me. Heard back from 1st recruiter now, they send me a tech test and the team is the same of the 2nd recruiter.

I wrote the 2nd recruiter explaining him that since the team is the same, I can't have him representing me for that position so I asked him to pull off my application (main application with this guy is a different company though, this contract was a side one).

Did I do anything wrong? I'm still looking into contracts so I may have made some assumption errors accepting the 2nd only because I thought it was a different team.

[northernladuk]

I would like to know the 2nd recruiters response. Get's horribly messy at this point.

[BolshieBastard]

You could have asked each agency for the client's job reference when they contacted you about the roles. Some may say dont make more than one application at the same client but in the current market, that lessens your chances of getting work.

[manubbo]

That's a lesson learnt - never believe when they say "it's a different team". Although - the job description from the 2nd one not only had the team name but another location - but it was also Permanent. I told him and he said that's the only spec he had...

I know it's messy - but did I do good to tell directly the 2nd to pull me off?

[stek]

Two agencies - same role - slightly different job descriptions...

I know it's messy - but did I do good to tell directly the 2nd to pull me off?

Err, might be a forward, why not ask him out for a drink first?

[billybiro]

I know it's messy - but did I do good to tell directly the 2nd to pull me off?

Yeah, you did good. Most people have to pay good money for that. I hope you enjoyed it.

[manubbo]

Yeah, you did good. Most people have to pay good money for that. I hope you enjoyed it.

Not sure about the irony on this

What would you have done - in my shoes? I'm asking for a suggestion, of course it's the first time I've been in such situation...

[stek]

Two agencies - same role - slightly different job descriptions...

Not sure about the irony on this

What would you have done - in my shoes? I'm asking for a suggestion, of course it's the first time I've been in such situation...

I wouldn't have done it your shoes, my aims not that good....

[manubbo]

I wouldn't have done it your shoes, my aims not that good....

Usually they've been asking me for confirmation I didn't speak to that specific client before. When he told me about this client, I've been honest with him - he sent me a job spec which had a different location and a different team name (although on the 1st job desc the team name was not stated). I told him that should have been ok since the location was different - but also told him that the job description is the same.

I appreciate I may have done a mistake and burnt my bridge for the other position he forwarded my application for (which however I'm not too sure about it) but - in my opinion - it's better to be honest and telling him that this was a misunderstanding and apologising for it.

For newbies in the contracting world things sometimes aren't too obvious - trying to build my knowledge in this area also by asking people here. I may have done something really stupid - I know - but that's why I'm asking for an opinion

Thanks for all the answers.

[aoxomoxoa]

For newbies in the contracting world things sometimes aren't too obvious - trying to build my knowledge in this area also by asking people here. I may have done something really stupid - I know - but that's why I'm asking for an opinion

I think the stupid thing you've done is ask for an opinion here, given the puerile rubbish that some people think is big and clever to post here

Sorry can't answer your actual question though, as I'm a relative newbie too - just coming to end of my first contract that was obtained through ex-colleagues so haven't yet experienced the delights of dealing with agents.