If the CV is different, ask to see it

[RichardCranium]

Agents always "refine" your CV against the client's needs.

This wasn't one of those, nor a case of it being Fred Bloggs' CV with my name on.

It was a total rewrite that I had never seen. There were no dates or durations, fewer roles than I have actually done and some achievements bullet points that never came from anything I wrote.

It was an intentionally deceptive CV designed to guarantee an interview but which did not stand up to scrutiny in a face-to-face situation.

Had I been sent a copy in advance, and had I been a liar, I may have got the gig.

Still, maybe that's the way all the Indian recruitment agencies work (this was a Bob Recruitment Co). If so, it would explain a lot. Edit: it is not fair of me to single out Indian agencies, since I hate ours too.

Always always take copies of your CV with you because it gives you the chance to give your contact details to the client.

Common enough advice; the point I was making was that in this exceptional case, don't just give them your CV but demand to see the CV they are working from so you can undo the damage the agent has already caused.

[Gordon Ice]

Reality Check

Agents always "refine" your CV (a.k.a. emphasise the key elements) against the client's needs. Nothing wrong with this if it gets you an interview, plenty wrong with it when some imbecile destroys the perfection of your layout, uses the English skills of a 5yr old (sorry 5yr olds!), and basically lies.

Always always take copies of your CV with you because it gives you the chance to give your contact details to the client. Couple this with getting a direct contact number from the Hiring Mgr and when/if the Agent starts to mess you around (e.g. Agent says "the client can only afford £50 per day less.." ) you can discuss matters directly with the client (e.g. I'm sorry that I'll have to turn down your kind offer, the Agency says you cannot afford to pay the advertised rate...)

Business is business, knowledge is power, and Agents hold all the cards as they see the entire contract daisy chain. Don't get angry, get equal.

[Wanderer]

I'm shocked that some agents would do such a thing. Can you sue them for defamation if they made unauthorised changes to your CV to misrepresent you to the client and make you look like an idiot at the interview thus damaging your reputation? Yeah, I know that these sort of lawsuits are a money pit but it would be satisfying to get a lawyer to send a threatening letter to the scum bag agent who did such a thing.

I don't mind tailoring my CV to highlight how I would fit the needs of a particular client but I will do that with a bit of advice from the agency - I wouldn't want the agent making their own changes without telling me.

[MarillionFan]

It's happened to me.

Luckily for me the words were things I had done as routine and as usual I demanded to see a copy of my CV before I was interviewed.

Unfortunately for the agent, when the client was interviewing more people for different roles and wondering why people's experience didn't match their CVs I told them.

I have been asked to change my CV to match a job advert, including adding stuff I don't have. I refused, interviewed on it and the client said thanks for being honest, the last person I interviewed didn't have the stuff their CV said.

[SueEllen]

Seems difficult to believe that an agency would change your CV that much. I know the CV that I sent to an agent and review that before I go but to have it changed?

It's happened to me.

Luckily for me the words were things I had done as routine and as usual I demanded to see a copy of my CV before I was interviewed.

Unfortunately for the agent, when the client was interviewing more people for different roles and wondering why people's experience didn't match their CVs I told them.

[configman]

I did a stupid thing in an interview. When I realised the client was looking at a CV that I had never seen before, I did not handle the situation correctly.

I should have stopped the interview and said "I cannot proceed until I have seen what you have been told" and not budged until they had let me quickly review the CV the agent had sent them. I could then have told them what was not correct.

Instead I said "I have never seen that CV before. Here's my copy, work from that one" and passed them the CV I take with me. I then let the interview carry on but the interviewer carried on referring to the agency-provided one.

I never got to see what the discrepancies between the agency CV and the truth were; the interviewer clearly did not believe me and it was all over very quickly.

So, if you are in the position where the agent has sent a CV that they wrote, you need to see it to continue with the interview in any realistic way.

Many years ago I was using a 4GL programming tool that had only existed for one year, the agent embellished my CV to show I had ten years experience. The client gave me a copy of the CV - and I gave them an original copy. I was asked to reaply via another agent at a later date and got the gig.

[MarillionFan]

Seems difficult to believe that an agency would change your CV that much. I know the CV that I sent to an agent and review that before I go but to have it changed?

[d000hg]

The Shoe-In - The Daily WTF

[craig1]

Most times in my experience an agency will cut out contact information to stop them going directly to you. Some other times they'll cut, reorganise or reword things to suit their perceived idea of what the client wants to read. It's only happened once that an agent has added completely new things without my permission.

I always start interviews by handing all attendees a copy of my CV and asking them if they'd mind quickly scanning to see if there were any changes. Most clients with experience of agencies will know this happens and won't even raise an eyebrow.

[BlasterBates]

That has happened to me, where the Agent embellished the CV, embarassung aint it. I don't think it matters how you do it, it will always be a negative. At the time it didn't seem to be a big problem, as he the interviewer could understand the "mistake". Yes a good idea to ask the agent for a copy beforehand and get him to correct "bloomers".

[The Agents View]

Thanks for the tip.

I believe there are legal implications for "adjusting" someone's CV. Got to be honest, I don't know what they are, but then I've never been in a situation where I felt it was appropriate.

[Fred Bloggs]

Thanks for the tip.

[RichardCranium]

I did a stupid thing in an interview. When I realised the client was looking at a CV that I had never seen before, I did not handle the situation correctly.

I should have stopped the interview and said "I cannot proceed until I have seen what you have been told" and not budged until they had let me quickly review the CV the agent had sent them. I could then have told them what was not correct.

Instead I said "I have never seen that CV before. Here's my copy, work from that one" and passed them the CV I take with me. I then let the interview carry on but the interviewer carried on referring to the agency-provided one.

I never got to see what the discrepancies between the agency CV and the truth were; the interviewer clearly did not believe me and it was all over very quickly.

So, if you are in the position where the agent has sent a CV that they wrote, you need to see it to continue with the interview in any realistic way.