2 agencies + 1 client == Blurgh

[MarillionFan]

Dogs and bones spring to mind.

Unlucky. It's happened to a lot of us over the years. Add the agents names to your list and move on. (you'll get your own back one day)

[northernladuk]

Interestingly the question of 'Do I send my CV to mulitple agencies when I know it is same client' comes up regularly and I always say absolutely not as I got stung in a three way tie in exactly the same situation as this. There is always a set of people that come on and say F*** it apply, more applications the more chance you have of getting the job. At last so more evidence that doing this is likely to be more harmful that it is good.

I feel for you in this position having been in exactly the same. The client I applied for according to the three agents was based in Manchester, North West and Cheshire all with 3 diff titles. How I was supposed to guess they were the same from that I will never know..

Onwards and upwards...

[The Agents View]

You've previously accepted that blocking happens & it's bad.

The question is who to trust? Nobody? Everybody? Hard to tell until you've been at this game for a while.

As I think about it - I accept the logic behind blocking people - I'd actually doubt whether a recruiter would have enough time, patience (or to be honest, in most cases intelligence) to make this happen though.

I completely accept that it's a difficult situation for you guys - but consider this - our living depends on you guys, as much as yours depends on us for certain opportunities - so actually we have to be careful who we trust as well - All I'm saying is perhaps be a little more open to suggestion initially - contractors are hardly known for being squeaky cleaen themselves. I would also suggest that when someone shafts you, make sure you rip them to shreds for it.

[Moscow Mule]

It's worth changing your mindset though - agents are not here to block you - we want to help you - its what makes us money ultimately. Yes there are dirty tricksters out there, and I know you've all got tales to tell - but how about innocent until proven guilty? We're not all as bad as you think we are.

You've previously accepted that blocking happens & it's bad.

The question is who to trust? Nobody? Everybody? Hard to tell until you've been at this game for a while.

[The Agents View]

Of course and I'm sure most consider that, but do you not think someone who the agent says will put forward for the position needs to know who the end client is?
And is it or is it not against agency regulations to not disclose who the client is to applicants when they are put forward to the client? If this rule is kept to there wouldn't be an issue. So if an agents says they'll put us forward for an interview yet withholds the client co we should assume they are fishing and/or blocking us from applying through another agency and we should apply through another agency. If two CV's then end up on client co desk, first agency has breached the regs and deserves to be put out of business or fined.

Sorry for slow replies - general anaesthetic, teeth removal, puss, anti biotics, codeine - I'm sure you can imagine the rest.

So - to break it down. There aren't really any regulations in recruitment - just guidelines. You can be struck out of the REC for example for continued and consistent malpractice - but half the industry seems to get away with it.

I would point out that I would never condone not giving the name of the client, except in exceptional circumstances (ie when you are ousting someone who is in post already, or are in a VERY competitive situation - at which point I would normally ask some fairly heavy qualifying questions!).

It's worth changing your mindset though - agents are not here to block you - we want to help you - its what makes us money ultimately. Yes there are dirty tricksters out there, and I know you've all got tales to tell - but how about innocent until proven guilty? We're not all as bad as you think we are.

[Manic]

Now here's a little lesson for you all.

If an agent calls you with a job like that - there's possibly a good reason for hiding who the client is - could be exclusivity - could be stopping the spread by word of mouth, could be that there's an incumbent that needs ousting.

But - USE YOUR BRAINS A LITTLE BIT would you? As an example: IT Project Manager, SAP, in Croydon, Rate about £500, 6 month contract, travel industry - if two people call you about a role like this (think, if it sounds familiar, there's a reason) then tell the second agent that it sounds like a role you were discussing previously and that makes you nervous. They might crack, but seriously, if it sounds the same, do yourself a favour and pull out with the second agent regardless...... We're not frikkin mind readers you know.

Because 9/10 Agent 2 says....

Programme Manager South East Software Systems £450

[TopNotch]

Hmmmm, surprised the OP even entertained the idea of being put forward for a client the Agency wouldn't divulge - wot if it were a lap dancing gig and the OP had to wear a sequined jock strap as part of the T&Cs.

I've Had to turn gigs down myself for the retail sector as I normally work in the banking sector -most banking clients will only consider your last gig before they offer you a position (in my experiance) - but I've always been told who the jobs were with and I have politey declined if it went against my interest.

I also suspect the Agency is working outside the law by not informing the OP who they are putting him forward for.

[SuperZ]

Errr...How are you going to to that, if you don't know who the client is?

Errr, because at some point you will know who the client is due to the conflict that occurs because of it. One of the two dodgy agents will probably tell you as they fight for their commission (as is probably the case of the original poster of this thread)

You seem to be kind of sticking up for this behaviour and probably use this tactic yourself, is it not against the agency regs to withhold client name from candidates who are put forward? Therefore this problem should not occur, period.

[SuperZ]

Now here's a little lesson for you all.

If an agent calls you with a job like that - there's possibly a good reason for hiding who the client is - could be exclusivity - could be stopping the spread by word of mouth, could be that there's an incumbent that needs ousting.

But - USE YOUR BRAINS A LITTLE BIT would you? As an example: IT Project Manager, SAP, in Croydon, Rate about £500, 6 month contract, travel industry - if two people call you about a role like this (think, if it sounds familiar, there's a reason) then tell the second agent that it sounds like a role you were discussing previously and that makes you nervous. They might crack, but seriously, if it sounds the same, do yourself a favour and pull out with the second agent regardless...... We're not frikkin mind readers you know.

Of course and I'm sure most consider that, but do you not think someone who the agent says will put forward for the position needs to know who the end client is?
And is it or is it not against agency regulations to not disclose who the client is to applicants when they are put forward to the client? If this rule is kept to there wouldn't be an issue. So if an agents says they'll put us forward for an interview yet withholds the client co we should assume they are fishing and/or blocking us from applying through another agency and we should apply through another agency. If two CV's then end up on client co desk, first agency has breached the regs and deserves to be put out of business or fined.

[The Agents View]

Once I was told I would be put forward for a position where they wouldn't tell me who the client was and I think it was simply a blocking excercise. For that reason alone I will not let an agency put me forward for a position if they will not tell me who the client is, there's got to be something fishy about it in my opinion if they won't name the client. And as you have learned, it's easy to be put forward for the same position by another agency if you're kept in the dark over who the clients.

Would other business submit tenders to unknown companies for work? No. UNfortunately we have to use these agents in our business.

I'm more than happy to sign a piece of paper indicating I will not disclose who the client is to other agencies, but I won't let them submit to 'secret' clients.

Ah, I have just remembered. Apparently it is AGAINST AGENCY REGULATIONS for an agency to do this, so tell them to kiss yer butt if they try this on!!!! ANd take it to the client if you have to, tell them the agencies they are using for recruitment are working against the agency regulations and ask whether they should be associated with such businesses.

Now here's a little lesson for you all.

If an agent calls you with a job like that - there's possibly a good reason for hiding who the client is - could be exclusivity - could be stopping the spread by word of mouth, could be that there's an incumbent that needs ousting.

But - USE YOUR BRAINS A LITTLE BIT would you? As an example: IT Project Manager, SAP, in Croydon, Rate about £500, 6 month contract, travel industry - if two people call you about a role like this (think, if it sounds familiar, there's a reason) then tell the second agent that it sounds like a role you were discussing previously and that makes you nervous. They might crack, but seriously, if it sounds the same, do yourself a favour and pull out with the second agent regardless...... We're not frikkin mind readers you know.

[The Agents View]

Once I was told I would be put forward for a position where they wouldn't tell me who the client was and I think it was simply a blocking excercise. For that reason alone I will not let an agency put me forward for a position if they will not tell me who the client is, there's got to be something fishy about it in my opinion if they won't name the client. And as you have learned, it's easy to be put forward for the same position by another agency if you're kept in the dark over who the clients.

Would other business submit tenders to unknown companies for work? No. UNfortunately we have to use these agents in our business.

I'm more than happy to sign a piece of paper indicating I will not disclose who the client is to other agencies, but I won't let them submit to 'secret' clients.

Ah, I have just remembered. Apparently it is AGAINST AGENCY REGULATIONS for an agency to do this, so tell them to kiss yer butt if they try this on!!!! ANd take it to the client if you have to, tell them the agencies they are using for recruitment are working against the agency regulations and ask whether they should be associated with such businesses.

Errr...How are you going to to that, if you don't know who the client is?

[SuperZ]

Once I was told I would be put forward for a position where they wouldn't tell me who the client was and I think it was simply a blocking excercise. For that reason alone I will not let an agency put me forward for a position if they will not tell me who the client is, there's got to be something fishy about it in my opinion if they won't name the client. And as you have learned, it's easy to be put forward for the same position by another agency if you're kept in the dark over who the clients.

Would other business submit tenders to unknown companies for work? No. UNfortunately we have to use these agents in our business.

I'm more than happy to sign a piece of paper indicating I will not disclose who the client is to other agencies, but I won't let them submit to 'secret' clients.

Ah, I have just remembered. Apparently it is AGAINST AGENCY REGULATIONS for an agency to do this, so tell them to kiss yer butt if they try this on!!!! ANd take it to the client if you have to, tell them the agencies they are using for recruitment are working against the agency regulations and ask whether they should be associated with such businesses.

[gingerjedi]

I've got a feeling the same thing happened to me, I was put forward by one agency and heard nothing, 6 weeks later another agency put me forward and I was called for interview, the agent kept me hanging on with updates every day for 2 weeks saying there were snags that needed ironing out then the calls stopped.

I suspect the first CV submission may have scuppered my chance.

It's a murky world where we have limited info about whats really going on, in a normal market you'd just brush it off but when gigs are scarce it can be extremely frustrating.

[XperTest]

5 months on and the client was still looking for the same role..? I would tell SmallAgency to stuff it. You didn't hear from them in five months and then they stop you from taking a contract through another agency? Did you agree to be represented by them exclusively?

[grumpygit]

I'm sorry: this is my first post and I'm going to have a good rant.
Sorry again.

In October last year, SmallAgency contacted me about a contract.
The job spec was pretty generic and SmallAgency told me they
weren't allowed to tell me the name of the client. I let them go
ahead and submit my CV. I heard nothing more and forgot about it.

At the end of February this year, LargeAgency contacted me about
a contract. The job spec was pretty generic and LargeAgency weren't
allowed to tell me the name of the client. The client were interested,
and I interviewed for the contract. The next day, LargeAgency
sent me an offer, which I accepted. LargeAgency told me that the
actual contract would be issued the next week. And then nothing
happened. LargeAgency told me that Client had encountered 'problems
getting sign-off on the purchase order for the contract'. They're
still telling me the same to this day, > 2 months later. Meantime,
speaking to SmallAgency about something else, it turns out that the
two contracts were the same one. Shortly after I got offered the
contract via LargeAgency, SmallAgency visited Client, got wind of the
fact that they'd interviewed me via LargeAgency, and kicked up a fuss
about it. Presumably, Client then walked away from the contract.

GRRRR.

James