Reply to: recruitment agency games

[Mordac]

If the Agent says (s)he is going to send your CV to the company, ask them when they are going to send it and to whom. Wait a day or two, then phone up the named contact at the company and ask if they have received your CV. You then get your answer as to whether your CV has been sent or not. I have tried this before and it worked well.

They won't tell you whom may or may not have received your CV. Not before hell freezes over, anyway. I've been inside the tent, so to speak, and the goldenist of all golden rules is never give out a client's name. Unless they're a sh!t agency, in which case you may well have other issues....

[LondonManc]

If the Agent says (s)he is going to send your CV to the company, ask them when they are going to send it and to whom. Wait a day or two, then phone up the named contact at the company and ask if they have received your CV. You then get your answer as to whether your CV has been sent or not. I have tried this before and it worked well.

Good luck getting to the named contact if it's not Human Remains.

[TonyLopez]

If the Agent says (s)he is going to send your CV to the company, ask them when they are going to send it and to whom. Wait a day or two, then phone up the named contact at the company and ask if they have received your CV. You then get your answer as to whether your CV has been sent or not. I have tried this before and it worked well.

[Mordac]

The key point here is, it's not necessarily the agency, but the individual agent. I've had bad dealings and good dealings with the same agency. People move around. They are on commission, and some are less scrupulous than others. I've provided IT services to a couple of agencies in the past, one paid me a fortune to babysit them over Y2K, which I knew wouldn't cause them any problems, but I was able to exploit their paranoia. It cuts both ways. In over 25 years I've seen my fair share of contractors messing agencies around, and I've done it myself once or twice. We're all in business, and you don't always cut it by playing by the rules, sometimes you have to bend them a bit. If you're moaning about agency shenanigans all the time, you have to ask yourself if you're really COTBAC...

[Agent]

This is a well known trick that agencies use, especially when they are only allowed to forward a limited number of cv's and they have reached that limit, but it will take you off the market as a potential good fit that can be used by another agency.
This has been many times described in the business branch on this board.

To get around it say in your confirmation of representation email, you're happy to be represented by them, provided that your cv will be forwarded to the end client within 24 hours.
When another agency calls you about the same role, tell them agency xyz told me that they forwarded me but I don't believe them, they are always happy to check. If you were forwarded they won't call you anymore, if you weren't they'll be back on the phone within minutes

In my experience, it's pretty rare that agencies have a limited number of submissions. It's obviously best practice to send a few good ones rather than 10's of candidates. If the agency has any level of relationship with the client then they'll always be able to submit further candidates.

[cosmic]

Catching them out is smart of you. Posting it in General is not.


Playing agents off is a dangerous game and can go wrong if they both submitted you. In this case they didn't and you got away with it but could have easily gone the other way. Problem is how do you know if they have put you forward or not which you don't so the game goes on.

I'm not a fan of naming because in many cases it's the newbie contractor that's either got it wrong, misunderstood the game or sounds like a whining lickspittle. If you are absolutely sure it will actually add any value rather than just being a 'Cool story' then go for it. So 'X' agency pulled a fairly standard trick. I'm sure they all have at one time so just goes in the 'Agents being underhand/selfish/greedy/ignorant and so on' bucket.

LOL i put it in the general section as its a good story to tell nothing more. As its not a rule of naming and shaming the agency was Nigel Frank International.

I caught them out as i tried to contact him several times, caught him off gard and promised to get back to me when they have allocated interview slots... its becuase they did the exact same thing to me last year so this time i called the bluff.... had nothing to lose but a rejection on a contract. Yes it did pan out for me quite well and booked some holiday too , client is happy and said I will add the time off ontop of the agreed contract so i dont miss on any pay. Even willing to send me on training courses if i want but i dunno about that.

Point of the story is they dont have to be dicks about it and he end up losing a contract, contractor and a client!

end of the day im running a business whilst they are playing a game rather then putting forward people who are fit for the job.

[cosmic]

This is a well known trick that agencies use, especially when they are only allowed to forward a limited number of cv's and they have reached that limit, but it will take you off the market as a potential good fit that can be used by another agency.
This has been many times described in the business branch on this board.

To get around it say in your confirmation of representation email, you're happy to be represented by them, provided that your cv will be forwarded to the end client within 24 hours.
When another agency calls you about the same role, tell them agency xyz told me that they forwarded me but I don't believe them, they are always happy to check. If you were forwarded they won't call you anymore, if you weren't they'll be back on the phone within minutes

hah thats a good point! I will do that from now on! thanks!

[Eirikur]

The point I’m trying to make is the second recruitment agent plucked me out and said he was putting me forward when in fact he saw me as a threat and wanted a different candidate to put forward and was trying to get as much of the competition out of the way as possible. Thank god, I called his BS and went with another!

This is a well known trick that agencies use, especially when they are only allowed to forward a limited number of cv's and they have reached that limit, but it will take you off the market as a potential good fit that can be used by another agency.
This has been many times described in the business branch on this board.

To get around it say in your confirmation of representation email, you're happy to be represented by them, provided that your cv will be forwarded to the end client within 24 hours.
When another agency calls you about the same role, tell them agency xyz told me that they forwarded me but I don't believe them, they are always happy to check. If you were forwarded they won't call you anymore, if you weren't they'll be back on the phone within minutes

[northernladuk]

well don’t know if they are or not but I think I caught them out this time.

Catching them out is smart of you. Posting it in General is not.

I had two competing recruitment agencies after me, first was a lower rate second was higher. I went with the second one obviously and was told that they (client) is going through the selection process. so, I waited a week nothing. Called up on Friday as he said that’s when they are selecting the candidates and was told to wait, Monday came along and nothing. Another whole week had passed!

I had another call the following week, this time from a third recruitment agency. He gave me the same rate as the second recrutiment agent and was in constant contact with him. He also told me that they are looking at my cv right now. I put the phone down and half hour later got a call back that they want to do a telephone interview. I was also told out of four recruitment agencies that they need to select 2 candidate from the pool of contractors as there was too many. This recruitment agency then said that the client said "you’re the most technical and best suited . The client really likes you and you’re the only one in for a telephone interview and most likely will get the job" ...... the rest is history (got the job after a face to face 2 days later).

The point I’m trying to make is the second recruitment agent plucked me out and said he was putting me forward when in fact he saw me as a threat and wanted a different candidate to put forward and was trying to get as much of the competition out of the way as possible. Thank god, I called his BS and went with another!

if I’m allowed to name the recruitment agency I would since its bad practice and a dirty tick’s. (it’s one of the so called big agency that no one ever seems to get a job through hint hint)

Playing agents off is a dangerous game and can go wrong if they both submitted you. In this case they didn't and you got away with it but could have easily gone the other way. Problem is how do you know if they have put you forward or not which you don't so the game goes on.

I'm not a fan of naming because in many cases it's the newbie contractor that's either got it wrong, misunderstood the game or sounds like a whining lickspittle. If you are absolutely sure it will actually add any value rather than just being a 'Cool story' then go for it. So 'X' agency pulled a fairly standard trick. I'm sure they all have at one time so just goes in the 'Agents being underhand/selfish/greedy/ignorant and so on' bucket.

[Old Greg]

Enough, already!

But our old friend needs to make sure the owners are not just in it for themselves.

[sasguru]

Of course.

Enough, already!

[Old Greg]

An agency is an agency - if they pay my invoice on time and accurately then that's all I require.

Of course.

[Zigenare]

Are you wondering if the agency is owned by someone who belongs to that group of people that you won't work for?

An agency is an agency - if they pay my invoice on time and accurately then that's all I require.

My question revolved around the fact that the OP thinks (s)he can't "name and shame". I merely wish to know who is likely to prevent him/her from naming and shaming.

[Zigenare]

I would of thought its a big taboo not to name and shame?

Yes they are dirty little f***ers, this isnt the first time that this recruitment agent has done this and had a feeling that they did this last time but didnt have any proof like I do this time as i didnt want to hinder my chances by applying via multiple agencies.

FFS!

Do you know what punctuation is?

[Old Greg]

Who's preventing you from naming and shaming?

Btw, they're agents, don't expect "Honesty and Integrity" most of 'em would sell their mothers!

Are you wondering if the agency is owned by someone who belongs to that group of people that you won't work for?