References before Interview. Ever not a lead scam?

[teabag]

Got a call about an interesting role. At first seemed genuine etc, but at the end of the call was given the whole 'need two references' line. What does the floor think of this. Have you ever come across an instance where the agency really does need references before forwarding a candidate. I personally think that this is always BS and that often even if a role does exist that agencies will tag this on at the end just to get leads. What does everybody reckon is the best thing to do in these circumstances ? Tell them to go F*** themselves, tell them to send you an e-mail, give them the contact details of a mate / your second phone etc??

[DaveB]

Tell them references will be provided once you have met the client and discussed the role.

[Dalek Supreme]

To be honest Teabag, in 15 years of contracting I've never had a client who requires references at all, never mind before the interview.

[threaded]

I've never had a client ask for references, so I can only guess that when a pimp asks for them, then they are scamming.

[privateeye]

Got a call about an interesting role. At first seemed genuine etc, but at the end of the call was given the whole 'need two references' line. What does the floor think of this. Have you ever come across an instance where the agency really does need references before forwarding a candidate. I personally think that this is always BS and that often even if a role does exist that agencies will tag this on at the end just to get leads. What does everybody reckon is the best thing to do in these circumstances ? Tell them to go F*** themselves, tell them to send you an e-mail, give them the contact details of a mate / your second phone etc??

Very rarely do clients want references prior to an offer - struggle to even remember one instance.

Ask the agency if they would like to have the client place the job on www.recruitcop.com and let the client specify if they wish to have references.

[DimPrawn]

It's a scam 100%.

Do you think clients want references for people they haven't met? of course not. It's just a convenient excuse for the vile agents to gain leads.

In my experience, if they are asking you for references, you haven't got the contract. Pure and simple. Either the role is fake or they already have their chosen placements and they are just using what's left over to update their cold calling database. Why waste good meat?

So to summarise, just say "no references until after interview, if that's a problem, I can't help you in filling this contract, thank you and goodbye" and then forget it and move on.

[BobTheCrate]

Dim Prawn speaks the cold truth. Any agency asking for references before an interview is shouting to you, "this is a totally false job prospect - it doesn't exist for you. We're only after leads".

Do yourself a favour and do as DP says.

[Lucifer Box]

I'm with Dalek Supreme and Threaded on this one. I've never had a client ask for references at all, whether before or after interview. You can be 100% certain that any agent asking for references before they will even divulge the client has no contract for you.

[wendigo100]

Although I'd agree that asking for references usually means a scam, I was asked for some back in December for a role, and I got the interview. The agency was Volt.

[Bovvered]

To break the mould I once capitulated to this; it turned out to be genuine and quite a money spinner...