recruitment consultants

Of course they're after sales leads. It's their job.

I just say to them "Look, I know what your after and I'll give you all the leads I can if you get me a contract.".

That usually shuts 'em up.

no naming of client, demand for references before interview - is this generally a trend?

It is a trend. But be under no illusions, these references are being requested for the sole reason of obtaining sales leads.
These agencies are sales led and consultants are urged to play the numbers game.

Reading what someone actually wrote! Very strange.

Well, if you read what I actually wrote it might help, but I'm willing to be patient. It took me 10 minutes of polite explanation to bring the agent round after he said he had to take my references.

I maintain a veneer of buddyness with the agents right up until the point where I decide never to talk to them again. On previous job searches, I tried being abusive up front and found it didn't work so well

God, are you just as slow as the agent?

My experience has been that it takes them just over 10 seconds to get to the "Could you give me a reference for you current place".

> Orangehopper, I don't get it. What are you on about?

Don't worry - Most people don't get what OrangeHopper is on about half the time on this board.

(or am I thinking of Darmstad?)

OK they're members of REC. I'll drop them a letter, plus their managing director. Purely out of a desire to see things done properly. Nothing to do with spite or vengeance.

Orangehopper, I don't get it. What are you on about?

It took me 10 minutes of polite cajoling to get to the point where I would give him my references after an interview.

I don't believe this story! Utter twaddle! 10 minutes? Don't make me laugh!

What's the deal on this forum about naming recruitment consultants in a very negative context? I dont want to write a whole spiel and then find the sysadmin has pulled off my message.

They are probably concerned about being sued for libel. There's a similar issue on the boxing forums, where you aren't allowed to mention Frank Warren as his lawyers frequently vistit to check what is being posted. If you ever visit such a forum and read about someone called 'allegedly', then you know who it is

Can I actually lodge a complaint against these people with anyone?

That depends...if they are members you could complain to REC or ATSCO. You could also try complaining to the DTI about the fake adverts, but I doubt they will do anything.

Lodge a complaint with the DTI.

Mailman

What's the deal on this forum about naming recruitment consultants in a very negative context? I dont want to write a whole spiel and then find the sysadmin has pulled off my message.

Anyway, let's call him Nat from No IdeaPP agency. He just called me this morning because I sent him my CV after reading his ad on Jobserve.

He liked my CV, went through the usual 'what was this, what was that' rigmarole on my contract history and then said he'd like to forward my CV to his client and he wants to 'get my references ready'.

It took me 10 minutes of polite cajoling to get to the point where I would give him my references after an interview.

He was then about to hang up when I asked him who the client was. Another 10 minutes later, but he wouldn't have it. He had a non-disclosure agreement with the client and would under no circumstances tell me, so did I wish to continue with this?

So I told him why I was being so cautious, which is in fact true, which is that his colleague, let's call her Belly, had run the same sort of process over me six months previously when I was looking back then. She advertised a contract, got my CV, and foolishly I let her take my first reference. She phoned my referee and tried to flog her services and I never heard any more from her - oh no that's not quite true, I did get to speak to her about 10 days later after hounding her by email and voicemail. Apparently the job had been shelved or something.

So I told this to Nat and he then repeated his whole 'by the book' routine, so I told him to talk to his colleague and get the reference from her, which being a professional she would have recorded, and in the meantime I would think about it.

The politeness had worn off at this point. On the humorous side, I was so wound up I had problems saying the word 'sceptical'. I wish I'd recorded it.

So I bid the great recruitment consultant goodbye, and 2 minutes later the phone rings and it's Belly! She never phoned my referee. Great. At this point all I could do was slam the phone down.

End of story. I am now calming down and can reflect on this. It seems a couple of other agencies this time round also took this position - no naming of client, demand for references before interview - is this generally a trend?

Can I actually lodge a complaint against these people with anyone? Apart from your good selves, of course?