"Have you got anything else going on.."

[NickFitz]

They ask this so as not to send your CV to the same place, its very unprofessional when this happens and can lead to the client completely dropping you.

I know that's what they claim, but if so they're doing it wrong.

If they assume that any other agents will have told you the name of the end client, all they have to say is "The client is HyperGlobalMegaCorp's frobnosticator division, has anybody else put you forward?"

By using the vague "Anything else..." question they hope to get information about possible leads from you. Also, they can then easily disguise the fact that the gig they advertised doesn't actually exist by picking any one of the gigs you tell them about and claiming that this is the same client.

If they won't tell you up front who the client is yet want chapter and verse from you, they aren't trying to avoid duplicate CV submissions, they're fishing pure and simple.

[norrahe]

Too right

I always give agents all details including company names and the names of interviewers just to make sure

And you make sure that you have already given two references as well.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

I know that's what they claim, but if so they're doing it wrong.

If they assume that any other agents will have told you the name of the end client, all they have to say is "The client is HyperGlobalMegaCorp's frobnosticator division, has anybody else put you forward?"

By using the vague "Anything else..." question they hope to get information about possible leads from you.

I have actually had an agent ask me what the other client was ("to make sure it's not the same one"), but refuse to tell me the name of her client.

[minestrone]

They ask this so as not to send your CV to the same place, its very unprofessional when this happens and can lead to the client completely dropping you.

If the gig is real they will be telling you the clients name first.

At which point you will be saying "oh, maybe I did send my CV there recently after all thanks anyway"