Reply to: Here fishy fishy..

[dax81]

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Same thing happened to me, first cal from agency and they ask for references, stupid,idiots, called them however you want !

[Mich the Tester]

It is a wider and important point: agents depend on "knowing the market" better than contractors.

Talk to each other, guys, it's the way to beat them!

Agents have to try and know the whole market to some degree; very few will know a niche market really well, and that’s where the contractor can have an advantage. I once had an agent on the line saying he had 120 applicants for a job which listed a qualification that less than 50 people in the Netherlands had at the time; I started asking whether Pete Smith, John Brown, Phil Bates (names obviously imaginary) had applied. Wow, he said, you know the testing market really well. Yes, I said, and can you give me an accurate figure on how many suitable applicants there are? 'About 3' (obviously not 2.8 or 3.2) was his answer. I got the contract as I was only person the client interviewed.

[expat]

Maybe there aren’t actually 100 people applying and the agent’s bluffing. Seeing as I know most of the testers in the Netherlands who have the same qualifications as myself, I usually know how many of them are available for work. Some agents really seem to assume that we’re all ignorant twits.

It is a wider and important point: agents depend on "knowing the market" better than contractors.

Talk to each other, guys, it's the way to beat them!

[Mich the Tester]

If there are fewer contracts and therefore 100 people applying per contract, maybe they can afford to be fussy. Also, maybe agents don't want to sieve through so many CVs and want to reduce the number of applications they look at.

Maybe there aren’t actually 100 people applying and the agent’s bluffing. Seeing as I know most of the testers in the Netherlands who have the same qualifications as myself, I usually know how many of them are available for work. Some agents really seem to assume that we’re all ignorant twits.

[d000hg]

Are you seriously telling me that a client is going to request the agency ref check all candidates as a means to creating a short list rather that the experience and skill set they have???

Utter rubbish..

If there are fewer contracts and therefore 100 people applying per contract, maybe they can afford to be fussy. Also, maybe agents don't want to sieve through so many CVs and want to reduce the number of applications they look at.

[badger7579]

Well I don't see you have a lot to lose to be honest, especially in the current market place. Your not giving away genuine hiring manager contact names so you are not causing any problems for anyone.

Are you seriously telling me that a client is going to request the agency ref check all candidates as a means to creating a short list rather that the experience and skill set they have???

Utter rubbish..

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Mmmm the fact that its obviously an automated response doesn't give the fishing game away.

Pull the other one its got bells on

Well I don't see you have a lot to lose to be honest, especially in the current market place. Your not giving away genuine hiring manager contact names so you are not causing any problems for anyone.

[badger7579]

Or instead of being so obtuse, why don't you provide your previous 2 HR/Agent contacts as references? You might actually find yourself forward for a role and who knows you may even get to interview stage.

Mmmm the fact that its obviously an automated response doesn't give the fishing game away.

Pull the other one its got bells on

[Doggy Styles]

yeah and monkeys might fly outta my butt (to quote Waynes World).

I think one flew out of mine yesterday.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Or instead of being so obtuse, why don't you provide your previous 2 HR/Agent contacts as references? You might actually find yourself forward for a role and who knows you may even get to interview stage.

yeah and monkeys might fly outta my butt (to quote Waynes World).

[Pogle]

Or instead of being so obtuse, why don't you provide your previous 2 HR/Agent contacts as references? You might actually find yourself forward for a role and who knows you may even get to interview stage.

[Another Dodgy Agent]

Or instead of being so obtuse, why don't you provide your previous 2 HR/Agent contacts as references? You might actually find yourself forward for a role and who knows you may even get to interview stage.

[minestrone]

Look up you local cop shop's web site and find an officer name. Give that out with number, done it before.

[Mich the Tester]

Mr A Gentfisher
0123 456789

Why not just form a little network of contractors you’ve befriended to give each other references?

[badger7579]

Where is that list of fake names???

Manager - Mr A King Kock
Tel : 08906 123 456