Dodgy Agency Practices

[gpmh79]

I've been contracting for 8 years, so I have no illusions about the general integrity of agents.

Back on the market after about 18 months or so I've noticed a strange pattern of behaviour in a number of agents that goes something like this:

1) I send off my CV in response to a job posting/agent e-mail
2) Agent calls me, goes through the usual bluster
3) Agent then says they need 2 references to "meet SLA with client" etc etc

The first couple of times it happened the alarm bells went off and I asked them to e-mail me, saying that I'd respond with the referee's details. Of course, they didn't e-mail me. The third or so time, out of curiosity, I gave them details of the Dev Mgr on a previous contract (who happens to be a good friend of mine). They went to bother of taking up a proper reference and then started hassling him a few days to see if he wanted contractors (until I phoned the agent concerned and gave them what for).

What puzzles me is that I got stroked with this type of thing ONCE in the bad days following the dot com crash, which leads me to conclude that it has always been going on and I've never encountered it before, or something has changed recently. The agency that took up the reference were one that I had worked a contract for before, so I made the schoolboy error of regarding them with slightly more esteem than the rest of them.

Has anyone else experienced this? Things seem to be turning down slightly, but even so, the pimps are wheeling out contact farming with alarming speed....?

[swamp]

This behaviour is rife. More so for the fools that fall for it

Tell them you can't provide a reference because you were sacked for gross incompetence. That will keep them quiet.

[Rebecca Loos]

Sorry to hear you've experienced that. I have never seen it myself, but I know it goes on. Here are a few other agency practices:

- fake job ads, e.g. on Jobserve - they just want CVs
- real job ad, you send CV, you talk to them, everything is going well, until you don't hear anything for a few days. They will never tell you the truth (the client doesn't like your CV) but keep you hanging on so you don't think it's completely dead. They usually keep you hanging on by saying "and even if it doesn't work out, I have a few other roles here that I think would be good for you...." yeah yeah yeah
- real job, you fit, but the agency want you to work thru one of their preferred umbrellas and they want to control how you get paid, i.e. PAYE only
- at renewal time, they negociate a rate rise with the client, but don't tell you (they tell you the client is not being flexible blablabla) and keep the increase for themselves - on the back of your hard work

There's loads of stuff like that - keep your wits about you at all times when speaking / dealing with agents

Some of them are good tho', and it's their misfortune that they are being viewed with suspicion just like their not so good colleagues, initially anyway.

As contractors, the same goes for us - many of us are viewed with suspicion / contempt by permies, because some contractors are greedy and no good - the onus is on us to prove we are OK.

Dealing with agents makes life interesting and there are lots of life lessons in there!

[voron]

It's pretty common.
Last night I received a call from a very 'sharkish' pimp from an agency (let's just they work a lot with Computers and People). He tried all the old tricks to get some names out of me for my current client. Current client has jerked me around recently, so I was half tempted to set the pimp on them.

[gpmh79]

I've had various pimps trying to get contact names out of me down the years. What I couldn't get over RE: the "2 references" was that they actually bothered to take them up before abusing the contact - if they're contact farming why not cut to the chase and stop wasting time?

Just had a call from someone at Computer People, promised me the earth and then asked me for a contact name at a client where I contracted 4 years ago, needless to say they didn't get much purchase from me!

[voron]

Just had a call from someone at Computer People, promised me the earth and then asked me for a contact name at a client where I contracted 4 years ago, needless to say they didn't get much purchase from me!

I either give them a name in the public domain (e.g. CEO/Director) so that they aren't learning anything, or I give them a false name (like yesterday).

[Not So Wise]

The reference gig is an old scam of agencys.

Though if anything i noticed in the last few years that the practice has dropped off, not because agents have become more honest but because most people contracting these days are longer term contractors not just permies who jumped ship because they see money signs, thus fewer newbies for the agencys to scam.

Only ones ones encountered doing this these days are the larger ones like comp people and comp futures (though not directly from either as refused to send either of them my cv for nearly 8 years now, never mind give them references)

[Mailman]

What is with agents? I got the run around recently where the agent lied through her teeth (it wouldnt have been so bad if it wasnt so blatant!). I knew what was going on with the position but the agent kept on coming up with excuses as to why no decision had been made.

After about 3 weeks of playing I contacted one of the general managers and complained directly. I thought it would be a waste of time but the upshot was the agent got the sack (got a couple friends to check and sure enough, "Im sorry but skanky hoe no longer works here)

Its actions like this that reinforces the notion that agents are nothing more than sharks. I just wish the government would pass legislation that would TRUELY clean up their act!

Mailman

[ratewhore]

What is it with agents? They're all cnuts. Apart from mine of course who's taking me out again for more curry and beers - luverly...

[Fleetwood]

What is it with agents? They're all cnuts. Apart from mine of course who's taking me out again for more curry and beers - luverly...

He's paying for it out of money you've earnt for him. Don't forget.