Reply to: Has anyone else put you forward for this role?...

[northernladuk]

Exactly, so why would Agent 2 give a monkeys if your CV is already in via Agent 1?

Surely he'll just submit it, hope the client doesn't notice the duplication and hope that Agent 1 doesn't get wind of it and start a bun fight. And even if that does happen, he just walks away and has lost nothing, all the while having something to potentially gain?

Bearing in mind he can only submit 2 or 3 CV's you'd hope he would use his allocation to get people in that haven't been submitted so he's got a chance of getting someone placed rather than ending up in a situation where the client drops the candidate and reduces the chances of both agents getting someone placed.... but this are agents we are talking about.

[billybiro]

For example, trusting an agent to do something for you as per your item 1) is just inviting disaster. Agents work for themselves, not for you. They will quite happily screw your chances up if there is the slightest chance they can make a quick buck and so on.

Exactly, so why would Agent 2 give a monkeys if your CV is already in via Agent 1?

Surely he'll just submit it, hope the client doesn't notice the duplication and hope that Agent 1 doesn't get wind of it and start a bun fight. And even if that does happen, he just walks away and has lost nothing, all the while having something to potentially gain?

[billybiro]

How do we know which agent will put forward the CV?

Why should we care?

[northernladuk]

But what works for me doesn't work for everyone, clearly. It'd be a boring world if it did

Lol. Amen to that.

[missinggreenfields]

There is no right or wrong answer or process to follow. Every option has pro's and con's and we could go on for ever. What you need is a very good understanding of the process, what's in it for the agents and then make a decision in each situation. For example, trusting an agent to do something for you as per your item 1) is just inviting disaster. Agents work for themselves, not for you. They will quite happily screw your chances up if there is the slightest chance they can make a quick buck and so on. They will quite happily ignore item 2), do item 3) regardless and 4) becomes irrelevant because you are in the hands of 2 greedy pimps who care nothing about your situation... and so on.

Guess I've just been lucky then

When it's been a case of doing this, I've always had the agent come back to me and say "your CV is already in there, so I won't bother". I guess they could be lying and they haven't bothered doing anything, but in that case I can't see why they would bother ringing me to tell me that?

But what works for me doesn't work for everyone, clearly. It'd be a boring world if it did

[northernladuk]

1) Get the second agent to check whether your CV is already in front of the client or not, but not submit yours
2) If it is already there, then they have no authority to put your CV in, and all is good
3) If it's not there, give them permission and tell the first agent that they don't have permission to submit your CV any more
4) Keep a record of when each agent had authorization to act on your behalf

In the past, I've had the second agent come back and tell me that the CV is in, so at least I've known it was there for the client to look at.

There is no right or wrong answer or process to follow. Every option has pro's and con's and we could go on for ever. What you need is a very good understanding of the process, what's in it for the agents and then make a decision in each situation. For example, trusting an agent to do something for you as per your item 1) is just inviting disaster. Agents work for themselves, not for you. They will quite happily screw your chances up if there is the slightest chance they can make a quick buck and so on. They will quite happily ignore item 2), do item 3) regardless and 4) becomes irrelevant because you are in the hands of 2 greedy pimps who care nothing about your situation... and so on.

[quackhandle]

I do try this,but so far my personal experience is the 2nd agent seems to lose interest (much like if you were to tell them you went for an interview recently ) as they see their odds shortening and, presumably, decide to go after more certain leads that require not talking to another agent.

Maybe even agents don't want to have to deal with agents

Would never work as they would be "not at their desk right now can I call back later?"

qh

[youngguy]

1) Get the second agent to check whether your CV is already in front of the client or not, but not submit yours

I do try this,but so far my personal experience is the 2nd agent seems to lose interest (much like if you were to tell them you went for an interview recently ) as they see their odds shortening and, presumably, decide to go after more certain leads that require not talking to another agent.

Maybe even agents don't want to have to deal with agents

[SlipTheJab]

Cool story bro :-)

(Sorry couldnt resist it!)

[missinggreenfields]

This is a no win situation.

Agent A says they have put you forward and you have no real way of telling if they did.

If you put yourself in with a 2nd agent there is the risk of both putting you forward which annoys everyone.

I'd like to see a system where the agent has to prove they put you forward....I know, this is quite a pipe dream !

1) Get the second agent to check whether your CV is already in front of the client or not, but not submit yours
2) If it is already there, then they have no authority to put your CV in, and all is good
3) If it's not there, give them permission and tell the first agent that they don't have permission to submit your CV any more
4) Keep a record of when each agent had authorization to act on your behalf

In the past, I've had the second agent come back and tell me that the CV is in, so at least I've known it was there for the client to look at.

[psychocandy]

I've lost an interview because two agents submitted me and then had a massive argument in front of the client as to who got in first.

Cool story bro :-)

(Sorry couldnt resist it!)

[youngguy]

In the agents opinion. This doesn't mean that the client will not see you as the strongest client either.

I have faced situations in the past where I have been told that my CV will be submitted, only to find out that then it actually wasn't. Had I gone with a second agent (although appreciate this is not always the best approach), this risk would have been reduced.

This is a no win situation.

Agent A says they have put you forward and you have no real way of telling if they did.

If you put yourself in with a 2nd agent there is the risk of both putting you forward which annoys everyone.

I'd like to see a system where the agent has to prove they put you forward....I know, this is quite a pipe dream !

[kaiser78]

And there is the rub. You don't but IMO asking multiple agents to put you forward isn't going to end well. TBH if the first doesn't put you forward it's because you werent the strongest candidate so even if the second does put you forward you are in the back foot already.

In the agents opinion. This doesn't mean that the client will not see you as the strongest client either.

I have faced situations in the past where I have been told that my CV will be submitted, only to find out that then it actually wasn't. Had I gone with a second agent (although appreciate this is not always the best approach), this risk would have been reduced.

[SueEllen]

And there is the rub. You don't but IMO asking multiple agents to put you forward isn't going to end well.

You could get lucky e.g. agent one blocks your CV while agent 2 puts it forward and you get the gig.

But ALWAYS presume it will go wrong.

[northernladuk]

How do we know which agent will put forward the CV?

And there is the rub. You don't but IMO asking multiple agents to put you forward isn't going to end well. TBH if the first doesn't put you forward it's because you werent the strongest candidate so even if the second does put you forward you are in the back foot already.