Reply to: Agency Withholding Company Name

[Whorty]

They tend to tell you when it gets that far, maybe sometimes not until they are interested but what's the problem not knowing the client apart from PiP's secario? . Annoying AF and bemusing why it's done like that but why stop them submitting just because you don't know the client in general?

I had this last week. X4Group (never heard of them until they called me). Some green recruiter - a few months in recruitment, 6 months previously in lettings and prior to that Uni, and he was talking like he was the bees knees. Wouldn't tell me the client, and didn't have a job spec he could share, but he was sure the client would interview me so wanted to send my CV.

Erm, no thanks dude. Tell me the client and I'll decide if I want to be put forward. He tried for a couple of days to let me send the CV.

My reading of it was he had spotted a role via another agent and wanted to put me CV in front of the client to try and poach the role. I don't for one second believe he actually had a role, and in any case he had absolutely no idea what I do or what such a role is technically (I questioned him) so there is no way a true client would have him search fro decent resources.

I already have something lined up for August so didn't need to play his games.

[rocktronAMP]

I keep getting calls from OPUS Recruitment, ostensibly for roles to which I'm ideally suited but they never divulge the company name when I ask who the client is. Even though they tell me they are going to submit my CV.

Is there are good reason for withholding the company name if I'm being submitted? I need to know where mt CV is going to avoid duplication.

Aye.

A certain Freddie Short and his gang down South here. Over several years, I found that they very rarely advertise a contract rate or rate band on their job specifications. I once to went to a F2F interview to a client in London, and it was completely bonkers the way the project manager / recruiter interview me.

So this time around on the bench, I decided to not respond to any ads from this particular agency. I am voting with two feet.

[LondonManc]

I don't let my cv go to companies without knowing the bame. I'm not going to divulge the name to someone else to reduce my own chances am I?

[FrontEnder]

The thing is, the agent's got to tell you who the client is at some point during the process, so why not dispense with the subterfuge and bullsh*t and just tell you up front.

I've had a couple of agents tell me that the client had asked them not to tell anyone until interviews are confirmed. Could be bulltulip, but the reasoning was that they've had clients mention it to other agencies and then they get calls etc.

[SueEllen]

Never had that at all.

I've no moral issues, it's all work and money...

I must sound more ethical than you.

[billybiro]

That's a very good point and one I spout when people ask about applying for gigs twice. Pip made that point earlier which I concede. I've had this happen to me but one agent said bank in Manchester, the other said finance in cheshire and ended up being the same gig. Agents started arguing with the client while I was sat in the car park for the interview and the client cancelled the interview.

So yes, something to be very wary of but I don't think should be enough to refuse to deal with all agencies just because more often than not they won't tell you to protect themselves from fishing. It's a balance.

The thing is, the agent's got to tell you who the client is at some point during the process, so why not dispense with the subterfuge and bullsh*t and just tell you up front.

[perplexed]

With moral objections agents normally ask you if you have issues working in the gaming, defence etc industry even if they don't give the client name.

Never had that at all.

I've no moral issues, it's all work and money...

I guess my point is more it's folly to expect anybody to be happy and willingly agree to be represented when you know nothing about who the end client is. For one thing, I'd want to be able to tailor my CV to reflect elements I can research about that end client that aren't in the job spec...

[Pip in a Poke]

Just had another one. Rocsearch this time.

Digital agency in centre of Bristol - really good match for your skillset - ReactJS, C# & C++. (Really?!!).

Where in centre of Bristol are they? Close to Temple Meads? Cue lots of mumbling & stuttering from agent: "err I can't tell you exactly where they are at the moment"

Me: "That's because they don't exist do they?". <click>

What an amateur - he'd obviously cherrypicked the core skills from my cv from the last 20 years and conjured up some role with the perfect skillset match.

[SueEllen]

Agents want to protect themselves from fishing; fine. Contractors are also entitled to protect themselves from fishing and other abuses.

The point from me is that when an agent wants you to give them exclusive rights to introduce your company to the end client, you cannot do so when you are lacking information. You can guess who the client is in a number of cases, sure. What happens when you can't or the spec is so generic it literally could be anyone in an area? It could be a client you have fundamental moral objections to. It could be a client that you know from others is a pretty crap client to engage with. Whatever the reason, it's an expectation that you blindly agree to be put forward to an anonymous client.

With moral objections agents normally ask you if you have issues working in the gaming, defence etc industry even if they don't give the client name.

[perplexed]

That's a very good point and one I spout when people ask about applying for gigs twice. Pip made that point earlier which I concede. I've had this happen to me but one agent said bank in Manchester, the other said finance in cheshire and ended up being the same gig. Agents started arguing with the client while I was sat in the car park for the interview and the client cancelled the interview.

So yes, something to be very wary of but I don't think should be enough to refuse to deal with all agencies just because more often than not they won't tell you to protect themselves from fishing. It's a balance.

Agents want to protect themselves from fishing; fine. Contractors are also entitled to protect themselves from fishing and other abuses.

The point from me is that when an agent wants you to give them exclusive rights to introduce your company to the end client, you cannot do so when you are lacking information. You can guess who the client is in a number of cases, sure. What happens when you can't or the spec is so generic it literally could be anyone in an area? It could be a client you have fundamental moral objections to. It could be a client that you know from others is a pretty crap client to engage with. Whatever the reason, it's an expectation that you blindly agree to be put forward to an anonymous client.

[northernladuk]

If you do not know where it's going you risk multiple CV's from different agents. In a lively market maybe not such a concern, but under current conditions best to avoid.

That's a very good point and one I spout when people ask about applying for gigs twice. Pip made that point earlier which I concede. I've had this happen to me but one agent said bank in Manchester, the other said finance in cheshire and ended up being the same gig. Agents started arguing with the client while I was sat in the car park for the interview and the client cancelled the interview.

So yes, something to be very wary of but I don't think should be enough to refuse to deal with all agencies just because more often than not they won't tell you to protect themselves from fishing. It's a balance.

[SueEllen]

If you do not know where it's going you risk multiple CV's from different agents. In a lively market maybe not such a concern, but under current conditions best to avoid.

That happened to me a couple of years ago.

I got the contract then refused to sign an exclusivity deal with the agency. I simply pointed out due to the agency not telling me the client's name I had been put forward before so couldn't sign it. To be fair on this agent they acted quickly.

Oh and the market wasn't lively I just lived in the right location to make the contract feasible as a commute.

[ruasonid]

They tend to tell you when it gets that far, maybe sometimes not until they are interested but what's the problem not knowing the client apart from PiP's secario? . Annoying AF and bemusing why it's done like that but why stop them submitting just because you don't know the client in general?

If you do not know where it's going you risk multiple CV's from different agents. In a lively market maybe not such a concern, but under current conditions best to avoid.

[SouthernHarrier]

I've spoken to an agent about a role before and bizarrely they accused me of being another agent. Not only do they attempt to cheat us it looks like they try it on each other as well. It's like the two references check. If they ring the contact for a gig and finds out it's xxx client they them just ring xxxx client and undercut the original agent. As annoying as it is it does make some sense.

You can often guess the client from location. I think we can all get a financial services client in Cheshire etc... The agents are quite happy to tell you once the CV is in anyway so it's not exactly a massive issue is it?

Quite a common tactic I'm afraid. When my wife worked as a recruitment consultant and was a new face in a new town she was encouraged to register at other agencies to see what they had, how much they were paying etc. Suffice to say, didn't stop in that job very long.

[BrilloPad]

Agree your CV can be submitted provided it has not been submitted by another agency first.