Reply to: Exclusivity Agreement

[SueEllen]

Last time I did "exclusivity" it went wrong but I still ended up with the gig.

In other words they are a waste of time. If the agent acts quickly and puts you forward there is no need to sign an exclusivity deal.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

I never agree to this. I always say, tell you what, get my CV over there, get me an interview and you have a 40% chance that you're sorted.

[psychocandy]

I never agree to this. I always say, tell you what, get my CV over there and get me an interview and you're sorted.

Too much opportunity for agent to lie and not submit your CV and take you off the market for my liking.

Think about it - agency get told 2 CVs max please - this happens. They get 3 very good candidates so they pick 2 and send the CV off. Third one they get to agree exclusivity but then like and don't send the CV off.

Win/win for agent. Hes got 2 good CVs in and hes stopped someone else who might otherwise compete from another agency being in the race.

[NotAllThere]

The sad thing is one of the main reasons they wont give the clients name until they have your CV is because other agents try get the information and then go to the client to try and sell their services. Because that's what they did.

FTFY.

Another reason for trying this on is that they're not on the PSL. Agencies who are on the clients PSL tend not to play this game. They've no real need to.

[SlipTheJab]

You've mentioned this a number of times now. Where have you found all these clients that are willing to take contractors direct when they also use an agent? They should be very rare.

+1 even if you 'go direct' clients invariably punt you towards a tame pimp to handle the payroll, the best you can hope for is no handcuff clause and weekly billing.

[northernladuk]

I can't help but think many calls are speculative, especially when companies are happy to hire direct.

I'd be interested to know how likely it is for a recruiter to have an arrangement with the client. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I can totally see these shady ****s getting wind of these jobs and blasting CVs at the client with hopes of a deal.

I've spoken to pimps who offered me a job, and when I said I was already put forward for it, they say 'but we are the only people/one of two companies with exclusivity, which agency was it?' which makes me think more about opportunistic vultures

You've mentioned this a number of times now. Where have you found all these clients that are willing to take contractors direct when they also use an agent? They should be very rare.

[NibblyPig]

I think you mean agent messing him about. You can't go direct to a client just because an agent is messing about. They use agents so they don't have to deal with contractors.

I can't help but think many calls are speculative, especially when companies are happy to hire direct.

I'd be interested to know how likely it is for a recruiter to have an arrangement with the client. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I can totally see these shady ****s getting wind of these jobs and blasting CVs at the client with hopes of a deal.

I've spoken to pimps who offered me a job, and when I said I was already put forward for it, they say 'but we are the only people/one of two companies with exclusivity, which agency was it?' which makes me think more about opportunistic vultures

[northernladuk]

If the client does look like they're messing you about, do you then immediately apply direct to clientco? Or wait for another agent to call you about the role?

I think you mean agent messing him about. You can't go direct to a client just because an agent is messing about. They use agents so they don't have to deal with contractors.

[NibblyPig]

You dont give them 7 days exclusivity (or at least I dont). If I give an agent exclusivity (very rarely do, tend to tell them to feck off if they want to play silly games about who the client is but not tell me), I give them 48 hours to confirm they have submitted my cv.

If they say they cant make a decision in 48 hours I point out this is only a decision to submit my cv to the client and if they are taking longer than this to reach a decision, they're clearly still gathering cv's and I wont restrict my chances of the role thanks very much.

It is up to each to decide how to play it but if you give the agent the upper hand, they'll play you like a fiddle.

If the client does look like they're messing you about, do you then immediately apply direct to clientco? Or wait for another agent to call you about the role?

[NibblyPig]

Exclusivity is for the agent to protect him from other agencies. It doesn't mean you can they apply direct (in the very rare instance this is even possible) the agent will still have dibs on you which the client is most likely going to honour for an easy life.

My last gig though an agency picked up a guy's CV and didn't put him forward, he spoke to someone at clientco and they said they never received it, and they ended up going direct.

The pimp later said they were kicking themselves over not putting him forward, but didn't suggest they had any legal recourse.

I don't know how the relationship with clients works, perhaps if they have a PSL but if they just mail 10 recruitment companies saying find me candidates I'd assume that the recruiters would only expect money if they actually put someone forward.

[squarepeg]

Hello,
i just got a call from an agency about a contract but they will not reveal the client name or details until i sign and exclusivity agreement. Is this normal? Sorry if it is, as i am new to all this.
thanks

Don't sign anything of the sort. The agent will use that as a blank consent to claim exclusivity of representation and keep submitting your CV to more than one client and will put your forward at the rate he/she wants to, not giving you any say in the process. Tell them to go to hell if they cannot give you the client's name.

[BolshieBastard]

I see a lot of people saying give them limited exclusivity, but surely if you say you have even 7 days then it's usually too late and the role is gone.

How would you know the roles gone, and would you apply direct after this time? I can't really figure out what the best approach is.

You dont give them 7 days exclusivity (or at least I dont). If I give an agent exclusivity (very rarely do, tend to tell them to feck off if they want to play silly games about who the client is but not tell me), I give them 48 hours to confirm they have submitted my cv.

If they say they cant make a decision in 48 hours I point out this is only a decision to submit my cv to the client and if they are taking longer than this to reach a decision, they're clearly still gathering cv's and I wont restrict my chances of the role thanks very much.

It is up to each to decide how to play it but if you give the agent the upper hand, they'll play you like a fiddle.

[Dallas]

Be Loud and proud an agent whore!

Make them work for it, you are a business.

[northernladuk]

I see a lot of people saying give them limited exclusivity, but surely if you say you have even 7 days then it's usually too late and the role is gone.

How would you know the roles gone, and would you apply direct after this time? I can't really figure out what the best approach is.

Exclusivity is for the agent to protect him from other agencies. It doesn't mean you can they apply direct (in the very rare instance this is even possible) the agent will still have dibs on you which the client is most likely going to honour for an easy life.

[NibblyPig]

I see a lot of people saying give them limited exclusivity, but surely if you say you have even 7 days then it's usually too late and the role is gone.

How would you know the roles gone, and would you apply direct after this time? I can't really figure out what the best approach is.