Reporting an Agency?

[DodgyAgent]

It turns out that an ex-workmate is in charge of recruitment for this role. He called me asking if I'd be interested in it, and I said I was already forward. He knew I certainly wasn't, and the agency is not on their PSL.

Is this not blatant fraudulent activity? An agency claiming they have a role, when they don't, and then lying about your CV going to the client? He had the cheek to tell me to ignore other agencies calling me about the position. Were it not for having an insider, I could have lost out on the chance of a contract which is ideal for me.

Point taken regarding getting things in an email from the agent, I didn't in this case. But I will certainly be asking for it in the future being I agree to get my CV sent anywhere.

There is an opportunity here for a web site to give information about PSLs

[stillooking]

d I said I was already forward. He knew I certainly wasn't, and the agency is not on their PSL. .

I'd already come to the conclusion this sort of things happens quite regularly, but it would be helpful if you could state the agency concerned...

[SorenLorensen]

How do you find out that your CV has not actually been submitted?

It turns out that an ex-workmate is in charge of recruitment for this role. He called me asking if I'd be interested in it, and I said I was already forward. He knew I certainly wasn't, and the agency is not on their PSL.

Is this not blatant fraudulent activity? An agency claiming they have a role, when they don't, and then lying about your CV going to the client? He had the cheek to tell me to ignore other agencies calling me about the position. Were it not for having an insider, I could have lost out on the chance of a contract which is ideal for me.

Point taken regarding getting things in an email from the agent, I didn't in this case. But I will certainly be asking for it in the future being I agree to get my CV sent anywhere.

[Ruse]

How do you find out that your CV has not actually been submitted?

You can ask another agency who has the role to check. This happened to me recently. A second agency approached me and suggested this. They had direct access to HR as they were on PSL, within 30 mins they confirmed that my CV had not been received at that client. I have since been offered an interview there. It goes without saying that the first agency is now on my black list.

[Jeebo72]

"Are you happy for me to put forward your cv and to represent you to the company"

"I'm only happy for you to represent me if you secure me an interview".

[Lewis]

No it isn't "all in the contracting game". It's a scum agency practice and it's called CV blocking, there was a recent thread on this.

Agency should not tell you they have submitted your CV if they have not.
If you didn't make the cut then all they need to do is to tell you they had already filled their quota of CV's.

This practice of hoovering up all the CV's on the market, only submitting a handful and then telling everyone their CV has been submitted seems sadly to be widespread. Clearly it then prevents other agencies from getting the CV's and reduces competition.

As has been said before insist on a written e-mail from the agent confirming your CV has been sent. If they don't do this but only respond by phone just continue sending your CV to other agencies for the same role.

This has burnt me quite a few times in recent months. However what the OP or anyone else can do about it is probably nothing due to the lack of any proper regulation of agencies(or at least that I'm aware of).

How do you find out that your CV has not actually been submitted?

[DodgyAgent]

If an agency contacts me with a contract, and say they are putting me forward, but in fact it turns out that they do not have the role at all and the client does not get my CV, can I report them to a governing body? The role itself is real, but is being dealt with via other agencies.

Write to your MP
Write a letter to the Times
Write to Watchdog

or learn from the experience

[Ruse]

What is the problem here? Seems like a subco to a preferred supplier has put your CV forward to the PS, but the PS has decided you didn't make the cut of CV's to be presented to the end client. All in the contracting game, isn't it?

No it isn't "all in the contracting game". It's a scum agency practice and it's called CV blocking, there was a recent thread on this.

Agency should not tell you they have submitted your CV if they have not.
If you didn't make the cut then all they need to do is to tell you they had already filled their quota of CV's.

This practice of hoovering up all the CV's on the market, only submitting a handful and then telling everyone their CV has been submitted seems sadly to be widespread. Clearly it then prevents other agencies from getting the CV's and reduces competition.

As has been said before insist on a written e-mail from the agent confirming your CV has been sent. If they don't do this but only respond by phone just continue sending your CV to other agencies for the same role.

This has burnt me quite a few times in recent months. However what the OP or anyone else can do about it is probably nothing due to the lack of any proper regulation of agencies(or at least that I'm aware of).

[pzz76077]

If the agent has offered to put your CV forward to the client and you have agreed that the agent will represent you then a contact containing the required offer and acceptance is in place.

If you have any emails etc to support this activity then you should go ahead and report them as they have clearly not upheld their end of the bargin.

PZZ

[Worzel]

What is the problem here? Seems like a subco to a preferred supplier has put your CV forward to the PS, but the PS has decided you didn't make the cut of CV's to be presented to the end client. All in the contracting game, isn't it?

Sort of, but when you have been told you have been put forward to the "client" then it's a different matter. I must admit in the past I have just taken all this with a pinch of salt and moved on but recently this has irritated me far more than normal, partly because theres much less work out there. The preferred supplier/2nd tier arrangement is fairly pointless for the end client as quite often they wont ever get to see the most suitable candidates as the agencies are working to a different agenda (whoever they can make the most money on) And then theres the CV blocking games which sounds like what might have happened to the OP....Sigh...it gets so tedious and all adds to the mockery of using agencies!

[XperTest]

What is the problem here? Seems like a subco to a preferred supplier has put your CV forward to the PS, but the PS has decided you didn't make the cut of CV's to be presented to the end client. All in the contracting game, isn't it?

[thunderlizard]

That was against the ATSCO code of practice last time I looked.

[Lewis]

If an agency contacts me with a contract, and say they are putting me forward, but in fact it turns out that they do not have the role at all and the client does not get my CV, can I report them to a governing body? The role itself is real, but is being dealt with via other agencies.

Maybe they realised you're just a figment of Lola's imagination ;-)

[SueEllen]

Depends.

If they are signed up to one then they should have the logos on their website.

Otherwise try this:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/empl...page27003.html

[SorenLorensen]

If an agency contacts me with a contract, and say they are putting me forward, but in fact it turns out that they do not have the role at all and the client does not get my CV, can I report them to a governing body? The role itself is real, but is being dealt with via other agencies.