Interview & reference requirement lies

[RichardCranium]

After 241 applications (yes, 241!) (but most were generic PM roles so I don't care about most of them) I have an interview. It's only a telephone interview but it's a start. Anyway, that's not my point.

The role is requesting what I have been doing for some years. It is a perfect match. And I'm in a very small specialised market.

Agencies A, B and C all have the role; I applied through all three.

Agency A gets me the 'phone interview within one day (it's in a few hours from now).

Agency B said "It always takes ClientCo at least a week to make a decision". I have to wait three more days before I am to hear anything from them.

Agency C requested a CV rewrite (how I HATE doing that) because I "do not demonstrate enough relevant experience". Also, they said, the client insists every CV must be accompanied by references, so I have to provide referees. Also, the person who actually advertised the role then went on leave for a week and won't be back before Thursday. I might have been on site for two days by then!

Agency D spoke to me three weeks ago when he had a sniff of this role coming up. I called and emailed him when I saw this role advertised; he didn't get back to me.

According to my records, someone at Agency A upset me a few years back.

I asked the interviewer's name, checked LinkedIn and found a common connection who has worked for him! My mate has sent me a run-down on the interviewer. I think that's the first time LinkedIn has done anything for me.


So, for anyone new to contracting, remember:

• recruitment agents lie about needing references;
• just because the agent isn't there, doesn't mean they don't have a colleague who can help;
• if you know your CV is right for the role, it might not need changing;
• not all agents are bonus driven, some are bone idle;
• just 'cos one agent says they put you forward, don't let that stop you going with someone else;
• don't wait for agents who make promises, you'll starve;
• do not bother making up a blacklist of agencies, you are only restricting your options, but do make a note of their behaviour;
• professional social networking might be worthwhile;
• recruitment agents lie about needing references.

[RichardCranium]

The rates

I forgot. The rate differences.

Agent A: "£425 / day"
Agent B: blank
Agent C: "£350 - £400 /day"
Agent D: "circa £400 / day"

And yes, it definitely is the same role.

P.S. Did I mention agents lie about needing references?

[Pondlife]

Great post.

Hope the call goes well RC!

[malvolio]

Now here's a question for you al to ponder...

If there were a register of contractors set up where in exchange for you providing ID check information, residency check information, the names of two real referees and an agreement only to go for roles that are properly relevant to your eskills and expereince, then you got a fast track to a job board where you got first sight of the roles by around 24 hours - would you go for that? The advantage to the agency being that they won't have to go through all that checking themselves and they get 20 CVs rather than (as in one recent role I went for) 500...

And let's assume all data protection angles are properly and fully covered off, of course.

[RichardCranium]

This warranted its own thread.

an agreement only to go for roles that are properly relevant to your skills and experience

One major weakness. I wouldn't trust others to stick to that. Actually, I wouldn't trust me to stick to that!

[pmeswani]

Now here's a question for you al to ponder...

If there were a register of contractors set up where in exchange for you providing ID check information, residency check information, the names of two real referees and an agreement only to go for roles that are properly relevant to your eskills and expereince, then you got a fast track to a job board where you got first sight of the roles by around 24 hours - would you go for that? The advantage to the agency being that they won't have to go through all that checking themselves and they get 20 CVs rather than (as in one recent role I went for) 500...

And let's assume all data protection angles are properly and fully covered off, of course.

Not only would I be up for it, I would start a company up and put some of the money up for getting it off the ground.

[dropcliffsnotbombs]

So, for anyone new to contracting, remember:

• recruitment agents lie about needing references;
• just because the agent isn't there, doesn't mean they don't have a colleague who can help;
• if you know your CV is right for the role, it might not need changing;
• not all agents are bonus driven, some are bone idle;
• just 'cos one agent says they put you forward, don't let that stop you going with someone else;
• don't wait for agents who make promises, you'll starve;
• do not bother making up a blacklist of agencies, you are only restricting your options, but do make a note of their behaviour;
• professional social networking might be worthwhile;
• recruitment agents lie about needing references.

Some good points there, especially the first and last.

I am interested in how you get on with your CV being sent from multiple agencies for the same role. Have you ever had any issues with this?

[expat]

Some good points there, especially the first and last.

I am interested in how you get on with your CV being sent from multiple agencies for the same role. Have you ever had any issues with this?

I was going over this yesterday with The Voice of Reason, my partner. I described how you could end up with your CV going to one client through 2 or more agencies. Well, she said, that's a result of everybody being stupid and not letting you know where your CV is going, I'm surprised you let them get away with that. But, I said, the problem is that you can then get dumped... so? she interrupted, one of the agencies gets dumped and the client uses the one they prefer, what's the problem? No, I said, the client doesn't want any hassle so they bin both copies of your CV and you don't get the contract. That's ridiculous, she said, why would the client reject a good candidate just to keep both agencies happy? Especially since both agencies will actually be unhappy?

So: is this idiotic situation really how it works (she had trouble believeing it), or is it a fairy story put about by agencies to keep their control?

[NotAllThere]

Your VoR is talking sense. When I was a hiring manager, if I received the CV from two sources, I dealt with the agent (I said) I got it from first.

I've never heard of a hiring manager binning a CV with multiple submission, except in contractor forums. However, I can see it happening if the role is fairly low level, and one candidate is pretty much going to be the same as another.

It's more agency FUD.

[PM-Junkie]

I was going over this yesterday with The Voice of Reason, my partner. I described how you could end up with your CV going to one client through 2 or more agencies. Well, she said, that's a result of everybody being stupid and not letting you know where your CV is going, I'm surprised you let them get away with that. But, I said, the problem is that you can then get dumped... so? she interrupted, one of the agencies gets dumped and the client uses the one they prefer, what's the problem? No, I said, the client doesn't want any hassle so they bin both copies of your CV and you don't get the contract. That's ridiculous, she said, why would the client reject a good candidate just to keep both agencies happy? Especially since both agencies will actually be unhappy?

So: is this idiotic situation really how it works (she had trouble believeing it), or is it a fairy story put about by agencies to keep their control?

An excellent question, and I must admit I have often wondered the same thing myself. However, I've been on the other side of the desk and received a CV from an agency for a person I had already received from another....and the reason I kicked her into touch was because one or both agencies had rewritten her CV and there were striking differences.

Maybe that is the issue?

Had the CV's been the same I would have just told the second agency that I already had the CV, and to go away and find someone else. I really can't see what the problem is.