why does asking for a job spec scare them off?

[AnonAgent]

My experience is that if there is a real job, they almost want to force the specs on you.

If they are just fishing, they have some generic opportunity and ask for a new CV and then try to fish for the names of managers.

I would say there really isn't any job.

If its banking, I always get a spec. If its not, then I hardly ever have a written spec. And usually I bin it because its often written by someone in HR without much of a clue about the role.

[snarfblat]

My experience is that if there is a real job, they almost want to force the specs on you.

If they are just fishing, they have some generic opportunity and ask for a new CV and then try to fish for the names of managers.

I would say there really isn't any job.

[sunflower]

A good agent will have a project spec if the role is real. Sounds like fishing. Had one ring me up about a possible forthcoming gig at an old client, no job spec yet but he was very curious about the names of the managers I had worked for.

[blacksta]

If the gig was real they would tell you who it was with, otherwise you might be approached by another agent and unwittingly apply for the same gig which is not good.

If you as an agency had spent money on a jobserve account, and you wanted to know who is on the market and needed their cvs then putting bogus ads on the board is a cheap means to an end.

So you post bogus ads, get cvs in which mean you can make a pile of the shiniest ones and ring round all your contacts saying "need a good java guy, cos I got this killer java guy that's coming on the market soon"

Then you ring up said java guy and say " who did you report to at xyz company" then they call xyz company and ask if they need any java guys as they now know the name of the hiring manager and what skill set they use.

If you rely solely on agents for contract work then there's very little you can do other than swallow hard, accept the market conditions are not their fault and let them play their games.

The op clearly has a game plan by asking for a job spec. If it was a bogus role then they are unlikely to take the time to write a bogus job spec as well.

If you are really fed up with it and fancy a laugh you could always feed them bogus names like the ones Bart Simpson uses to call Mo's Tavern.

"Yes I worked at xyz firm, I think the project manager was Hugh Janus"

[suityou01]

That's my view. I had a long conversation with an agent today about a role I applied for, they won't tell me who the client is unless I get invited for interview and I refused to let them put my CV forward unless they tell me who the client is.

Straight fishing call as the agent kept asking for companies where they shouldn't send my CV. I told them that as they won't send my CV anywhere without my agreeing, then there isn't an issue.

Not expecting to hear anymore.

If the gig was real they would tell you who it was with, otherwise you might be approached by another agent and unwittingly apply for the same gig which is not good.

If you as an agency had spent money on a jobserve account, and you wanted to know who is on the market and needed their cvs then putting bogus ads on the board is a cheap means to an end.

So you post bogus ads, get cvs in which mean you can make a pile of the shiniest ones and ring round all your contacts saying "need a good java guy, cos I got this killer java guy that's coming on the market soon"

Then you ring up said java guy and say " who did you report to at xyz company" then they call xyz company and ask if they need any java guys as they now know the name of the hiring manager and what skill set they use.

If you rely solely on agents for contract work then there's very little you can do other than swallow hard, accept the market conditions are not their fault and let them play their games.

The op clearly has a game plan by asking for a job spec. If it was a bogus role then they are unlikely to take the time to write a bogus job spec as well.

If you are really fed up with it and fancy a laugh you could always feed them bogus names like the ones Bart Simpson uses to call Mo's Tavern.

"Yes I worked at xyz firm, I think the project manager was Hugh Janus"

[worzelGummidge]

It is because there is not a role.
They are wasting your time.
Just move on - or ask for a contract requirement specification via email first.

If any half arsed agent that I speak to can't even be bothered or is capable of scraping together a specification on a role that they are trying to sell me then I am not interested in them or their pretend role.

You have to remember that there are a high number of spotty college "graduate" no-nothings out there along with a good measure of barrow boys and girls. So if you happen to come across one of these then the best thing to do is move on.

There are also some very professional people out there in agency land so you are best off speaking to them.

[bluetoaster]

lots of bogus jobs on the boards at the moment

That's my view. I had a long conversation with an agent today about a role I applied for, they won't tell me who the client is unless I get invited for interview and I refused to let them put my CV forward unless they tell me who the client is.

Straight fishing call as the agent kept asking for companies where they shouldn't send my CV. I told them that as they won't send my CV anywhere without my agreeing, then there isn't an issue.

Not expecting to hear anymore.

[suityou01]

There is no job!

whs

lots of bogus jobs on the boards at the moment

[BolshieBastard]

I've had 2 jobs in the last few weeks where the agent has called, there was no fishing just straight talking about the role, I then get asked "is it something that sounds of interest?"

I say yes and ask if there is a job spec to which they say yes so I ask can they send it for me to look over. I like to look the job spec over if they have one as they don't always mention everything on the phone.

Then I hear nothing, nothing is sent through, does it put them off that I am asking to see the spec?? Are they thinking as I have not said yes straight away to what they have said I'm not really that interested???? Surely its better that I'm sure and who would not want to see a job spec if there is one?

There is no job!

[northernladuk]

Maybe because the are looking for contractors not permies?

[Zippy]

IME about 50% of the time I don't get a job spec. I guess that is because 49% of the time there is no job.

[tranceporter]

Maybe there is no real role, except for warm words and getting your CV? Or maybe the agent has yet to get a written spec from the client (unlikely)? It happens a lot to me as well, but I just ignore them. End of the day, if the agent has a genuine gig and he is interested in representing you, he will. It's even more irritiating when the pimps call from a blocked or unknown number, effectively making it near impossible to chase them about the role (since they rarely send e-mails after the call).

[curtis]

I've had 2 jobs in the last few weeks where the agent has called, there was no fishing just straight talking about the role, I then get asked "is it something that sounds of interest?"

I say yes and ask if there is a job spec to which they say yes so I ask can they send it for me to look over. I like to look the job spec over if they have one as they don't always mention everything on the phone.

Then I hear nothing, nothing is sent through, does it put them off that I am asking to see the spec?? Are they thinking as I have not said yes straight away to what they have said I'm not really that interested???? Surely its better that I'm sure and who would not want to see a job spec if there is one?