Reply to: Recruiter says they cannot disclose the company's name but want to forward CV

[NobotTheRobot]

Not quite. It is not uncommon for clients outside of the UK to be provided with two references per candidate (why just two I don't know, but I've seen the actual documents from such clients). It is becoming increasingly common in the UK as well.

While the agent might be BSing you when asking for references, they might just as well be speaking the truth and just doing what is required for a submission to the client. It is impossible to tell which one it is. Just make sure to have very good references who can confirm your abilities and, in the rare case they would instead be sold to, can just tell the caller to not bother calling again.

My policy is never give any references before an interview. I can only ask so much of my referees' time so I have to pick very carefully. The agents who were serious and who got me interviews never really bothered with references so I tend to keep my policy intact.

[m0n1k3r]

Most of the time there is no role and the agent is BS-ing you. If in the same conversation the agent also asked for 2 references it's 100% certain there is no role.

Not quite. It is not uncommon for clients outside of the UK to be provided with two references per candidate (why just two I don't know, but I've seen the actual documents from such clients). It is becoming increasingly common in the UK as well.

While the agent might be BSing you when asking for references, they might just as well be speaking the truth and just doing what is required for a submission to the client. It is impossible to tell which one it is. Just make sure to have very good references who can confirm your abilities and, in the rare case they would instead be sold to, can just tell the caller to not bother calling again.

[DaveB]

From my understanding under GDPR the recruiter will have to confirm the destination of your CV (i.e. end client) as they are sharing the data with a third party and therefore needs your approval. Unless they have approval specifically to share your details with a list of clients or you provide approval for sharing to anyone.

No, they just have to inform you what your information will be used for and how, not specifically who it will be shared with. They may not even need specific consent from you if they can justify it under Legitimate Interests. They would just need to issue you with a privacy notice explaining what they will do with it, how and why. I.E. They are a recruitment business, you are looking for a role, it is in both their and your legitimate interest to share your data with potential clients.

The wording will be similar to what you see on opt in marketing now. "Your personal information may be entered into a data base, used to match your skills and experience with client requirements and shared with selected third parties in order for us to provide you with recruitment services." or words to that effect.

In practice most of them will tell you who the client is before submitting a CV as it avoids multiple submissions, and get you to agree to them being your sole representative for the gig.

GDPR doesn't actually change your rights, it just enforces them more specifically and with bigger penalties for not doing it properly.

[SueEllen]

Not sure that's true...is it?

Even if it was true individual agents would breach it as they breach the Equality Act regularly.

(Anyone who cannot guess someone's approximate age who has their qualifications on their CV is a complete fecking dumbass.)

[MrButton]

Not sure that's true...is it?

I didn’t think there were any changes from DPA -> GDPR which would make this true either.

But interested to hear from some experts.

[northernladuk]

From my understanding under GDPR the recruiter will have to confirm the destination of your CV (i.e. end client) as they are sharing the data with a third party and therefore needs your approval. Unless they have approval specifically to share your details with a list of clients or you provide approval for sharing to anyone.

Not sure that's true...is it?

[saptastic]

Is this a normal practise in contracting?

Apparently financial institutions has asked for candidates but cannot disclose the name of the bank/organisation.

From my understanding under GDPR the recruiter will have to confirm the destination of your CV (i.e. end client) as they are sharing the data with a third party and therefore needs your approval. Unless they have approval specifically to share your details with a list of clients or you provide approval for sharing to anyone.

[Stevie Wonder Boy]

Not the whole picture that though is it. One scenario maybe.

Or some other scenario that doesn't involve you getting any work. If they can't tell you who the client is, that's fair enough. Its when the asshats ask you for exclusivity without revealing the clients name or tell you your rate is too high.

I've done some serious soul searching and decided that there really isn't much point to any recruitment agency.

[stek]

I'd love to work for a porn site, I could JFT (Jerk from toilet).

[billybiro]

There was no rate I would have worked for them. Could never work for a tobacco company. It was a shame as the role looked great but knowing how these companies push their products at youngsters in third world countries to build new markets, there is no way I could be a part of that.

As the great American wrestler, Ted DiBiase (aka The Million Dollar Man) once said, "Everybody's got a price!".

[Whorty]

What rate would you have done it for?

There was no rate I would have worked for them. Could never work for a tobacco company. It was a shame as the role looked great but knowing how these companies push their products at youngsters in third world countries to build new markets, there is no way I could be a part of that.

[northernladyuk]

I've refused an interview with a tobacco company on moral grounds. A perfect role for my skills, an easy commute and better than market rates money. They came back to me a number of times to ask me to reconsider but I declined. By all accounts I wasn't the only one who had refused to work with them.

What rate would you have done it for?

[Whorty]

An unbiased viewpoint

Maybe, but still awful advice. As bad as some agents can be, if you build up a good relationship with a couple of decent ones they can look after you for years. Shaft a couple like this and you could find it very hard to get a decent gig.

[Whorty]

Well I've seen a lot of strange things on here over the years but someone refusing a gig on moral grounds isn't one of them that I can remember. Even if they don't tell you the name of the company it shouldn't be too hard to get them to tell you the nature of the business if the gig does exist.

I've refused an interview with a tobacco company on moral grounds. A perfect role for my skills, an easy commute and better than market rates money. They came back to me a number of times to ask me to reconsider but I declined. By all accounts I wasn't the only one who had refused to work with them.

[Whorty]

Is this a normal practise in contracting?

Apparently financial institutions has asked for candidates but cannot disclose the name of the bank/organisation.

I always say no. If the agent really thinks I'm suitable and have a chance at the role they won't want to risk losing me so will tell me the client. To be fair, I rarely get agents playing this game, but on the couple of occasions it has happened, one came up with the client name (I confirmed via email that I would keep the name confidential) and the other agent didn't so clearly didn't have a real job - the one who wouldn't disclose a name wanted to know who I had been put forward to "to just check that my CV hasn't gone to their client" .... this is a classic move where they don't really have a client and are fishing.

At the end of the day it's your call, and depends how keen you are to get a new role, but for me it's a red flag and no-no. If the agent can't give me the client name then they don't get to represent me.