Reply to: Consequences of being submitted to a client by two agencies

[CalmEddie]

Another dirty trick in this scenario taught me to pick one, but do not tell the other agent. Simply tell that agent the job's not for you.


A bad agent will see you as an opportunity to take one of their competitor's players out of the game. "Here are our 3x CVs. We had this other guy called <your name> who we thought was really suitable, but in our due diligence we found out <this bad thing>."

I've had this happen once to me, and seen it happen to others when I've been on the hiring side of the desk.

[quackhandle]

It can work for you, I had pimp ring me about a role in Cheshire for a role (MSE) but wanted references, I wouldn't give him them. I rang former colleagues who were working there at the time who said there are vacancies I will get HR to ring you. They used a previous app I'd sent a year previous so pimp didn't have any come back.

Ended up going direct for five months, and it was very enjoyable telling the pimp this (after I'd refused to take any calls from him for about month).

Small victory for the freelancer.

qh

[ShandyDrinker]

Contrary to some of the comments on this thread, while I think it is sometimes wise to tread carefully, you also have to have your BS senses alert to agencies pulling a fast one.

A good few years ago, I was put forward for a contract via one agency which, according to the agent, said that my skillset didn't match what the client required and that the client had rejected me out of hand. I thought screw it, and applied for the same role via a different agency and eventually ended up being offered a contract with said client. I admit, I was churlish enough to get in touch with the original agent on offer of the contract to gloat.

Ok, it's not applying via 2 agencies at the same time, but the bottom line is that often agencies just don't forward you for contracts as their preferred c̶a̶s̶h̶ ̶c̶o̶w̶s contractors get put forward instead, regardless of suitability.

[northernladuk]

Neither agent contacted me again. I was perfect for the role itself, I usually hear from 90% of the roles I apply for due to some niche skills but didn't hear back in this case.

Bummer. Sorry to hear. Onwards and upwards.

[cannon999]

Was it? Did it become an issue where neither agent wanted to deal with it and you got dropped or is it that just neither agent contacted you again which is pretty common stuff.

Neither agent contacted me again. I was perfect for the role itself, I usually hear from 90% of the roles I apply for due to some niche skills but didn't hear back in this case.

[northernladuk]

Well the consequence turned out to be that I didn't hear back from either agency..

Was it? Did it become an issue where neither agent wanted to deal with it and you got dropped or is it that just neither agent contacted you again which is pretty common stuff.

[cannon999]

Well the consequence turned out to be that I didn't hear back from either agency..

[MyUserName]

How did the original agent know that you had been interviewed for the role?

It was a few years ago, I cannot remember the details. I remember we were talking about it on the phone (I was young, foolish and overshared with agents!) but I am not sure why we ended up discussing it, possibly he had contacted the client to push his application forward and been told I was already on their system or something.

I remember he was very interested in finding out whether the agent had said the client's name first or I had.

[SueEllen]

Happened to me years ago.

Agent asked about me working somewhere, I agreed and he put me forward. Heard nothing.
6 weeks later another agent phoned about a roll which sounded good and he put me forward. Interviewed and it all went well and they were going to make an offer.

Original agent phoned, apparently it was the same roll. I did not care as it was the second one who actually got me the interview.

Apparently both agents threatened legal action and the client binned me and went with someone else as they could not be bothered with the hassle.

How did the original agent know that you had been interviewed for the role?

[MyUserName]

Happened to me years ago.

Agent asked about me working somewhere, I agreed and he put me forward. Heard nothing.
6 weeks later another agent phoned about a roll which sounded good and he put me forward. Interviewed and it all went well and they were going to make an offer.

Original agent phoned, apparently it was the same roll. I did not care as it was the second one who actually got me the interview.

Apparently both agents threatened legal action and the client binned me and went with someone else as they could not be bothered with the hassle.

[Eirikur]

Preferred supplier agency got in touch about a role.

In 9 out of 10 cases they lie about the fact that they are preferred supplier. Ask for proof if they claim that.

I've been double submitted a couple of times and that's always because one (or more) of the agencies refused to give the end client's name.

[SueEllen]

Don'r F... with ex-contractors. They are quick to anger and not very subtle

I've noticed.

Every time an agency has tried to be tulipty, if there is an ex-contractor involved in hiring me for the role they have back tracked....

[cannon999]

It happened to me as a hiring manager. I took that one that got to me first. The second agency threatened the candidate with legal action. So I called them. And told the agenty they'd just got themselves on my "do not do business with" list.

"Anything I can do to prevent that?" said the agent
"No". said I. And hung up.

I didn't take the candidate. He was crap.

(Don'r F... with ex-contractors. They are quick to anger and not very subtle).

Not too worried about legal action, I don't have a contract with either agency

[NotAllThere]

It happened to me as a hiring manager. I took that one that got to me first. The second agency threatened the candidate with legal action. So I called them. And told the agenty they'd just got themselves on my "do not do business with" list.

"Anything I can do to prevent that?" said the agent
"No". said I. And hung up.

I didn't take the candidate. He was crap.

(Don'r F... with ex-contractors. They are quick to anger and not very subtle).

[Fraidycat]

Back in 2001 this happened to me.

One of the agents phoned me up and then dictated over the phone an email that i should write.

Something along the lines of 'Only agency X is acting as my agent for role Y at client Z. No other agent is allowed to act on my behalf'

I was benched at the time and desperate, as the contract market around here had gone belly up, so i did what she said.

Nothing came of that role, never even got an interview.