How can you prevent recruitment agencies sending your C.V. to your current end client

[sbakoola]

How can you prevent recruitment agencies sending your C.V. to your current end client ?

I was just wondering, as during my travels I've heard of a few stories where contractors are taken into an office at the current client site to discuss why they have sent their C.V. out there to potentially look for another contract whilst their current contract is still in force.
How can you prevent recruitment agencies sending your C.V. to your current end client

Now many of you will probably be thinking, that a contractor has every right to do this as it is his business yet the end client "manager" of course doesn't see it this way, they see it as someone who can disrupt the flow of work and potentially damage their own permie position. I'm asking what steps can one take to prevent your C.V. from landing at the current end client contract site and what recourse is there if say the end client receives your current C.V. from a malicious recruitment agency and then terminates your contract on the basis that you are looking for work elsewhere ?

Is there anyway you can put in some legal jargon on your C.V. that stops agencies sending your C.V. to your current end client ? can you sue the recruitment agency if they have deliberately sent your C.V. to the current end client and you have lost your contract as a result of this (and you have strong proof that points to this) ?

This is all hypothetical (it hasn't happened to me but I know quite a few people who have been embarrassed when this has happened to them and in one case sacked on the spot).

[Old Greg]

If you're worried. Why not send your CV to agents with a rider that they may only send it to any named client with your written permission.

If hauled into an office my first instinct would be to say that I've never heard of the agent and they must have got the CV from jobserve and are now spamming clients with quality CVs to win business.

[tractor]

...

Can't be stopped I am afraid.

Stupidity and the human condition prevents it. Of course there are other reasons not to put your current client on the cv - at least in name, but this actually increases the chance of it happening through no fault of the agent.

[norrahe]

I've had the situation recently of going to an interview and finding that the clientco had 2 copies of my CV sitting in front of them. One had been sent by someone who was representing me and another was a speculative CV. Thankfully it didn't harm my chances, as the clientco told me they were only using one agency but were curious as to why my CV had been sent in by another. Thankfully they understood that this was sent in on spec.

Needless to say a terse e-mail was sent to all at the speculative CV pimp saying they could not send my CV to clients without my express permission.

If your CV ends up on the table at your clientco, then deny everything and say they must have got it off jobserve.

[minsky1]

The sad truth of the matter is you can't. Agents are not really interested, and probably don't even spare the time to think about the logistics. They are selling you as a commodity, and your CV is cannon fodder.

From the other side of the table, I often get agencies ringing up asking if I have any contract or perm requirements in the pipeline. One then goes on to tell me that he has a "superb candidate" he can offer me, he's local and actively looking .... I ask for details, obviously cant tell me the name, so I ask for a rough postcode of where he is and the skillset .... the retarded agent gives out his postcode in full .... and as I expected, its one of the perm guys already working for me.

Happened a few times in the past with a specific agent, and he has recently started doing it again - i've noticed he's with another agency now - he rings up my office number asking to speak to the guy mentioned above, I ask him who's calling etc .... needless to say the call never gets through.

So the upshot is, don't expect agents to apply any discretion. CV's often get forwarded to me speculatively, and although they are "washed" of most personal detail, it wouldn't be difficult to crosscheck who they are if you really wanted to find out. Most, if not all, give some form of previous employer detail.

If its a contract position, I doubt very much if they will seek permission to send it, unless its a very niche skill with with a small portfolio of possible customers.

[northernladuk]

For a start I wouldn't take 'stories' and hearsay too seriously. People like to spin a good yarn. God knows how many 'my mate told me this' questions that are utter crap on here.

The guy that go walked (not sacked, he is a contractor) will be for more than just a CV turning up out of the blue. It is highly likely he has been caught lying on his CV.

If one CV looks different to the other they should be similar enough to be able to explain it away. Just tell the client the CV has been altered to emphasise skills required for the role you applied for. You can demonstrate the skills shown on both CV's.

If you have purposely doctored your CV to get the job then you need to start worrying. It's a pretty stupid thing to do, particularly if you are changing job titles and dates. That is just plain fraud. If you get walked then it's your own fault, not the agents.

[sbakoola]

How is it though with the data protection act etc that an agent can issue personal information pertaining to yourself without your permission ? Take an extreme case where you sent me your private medical health records expressing the wish in writing for me not to forward them on without written confirmation but then I decided to ignore this and email everyone in the country with your medical records ?

Would I face no comeback from doing this ? Why is a CV different .?

[cojak]

For a start I wouldn't take 'stories' and hearsay too seriously. People like to spin a good yarn. God knows how many 'my mate told me this' questions that are utter crap on here.

The guy that go walked (not sacked, he is a contractor) will be for more than just a CV turning up out of the blue. It is highly likely he has been caught lying on his CV.

If one CV looks different to the other they should be similar enough to be able to explain it away. Just tell the client the CV has been altered to emphasise skills required for the role you applied for. You can demonstrate the skills shown on both CV's.

If you have purposely doctored your CV to get the job then you need to start worrying. It's a pretty stupid thing to do, particularly if you are changing job titles and dates. That is just plain fraud. If you get walked then it's your own fault, not the agents.

I do have different CVs out there.

The dates are always the same but I've highlighted different aspects of those contracts depending on what work I'm pitching for - and that includes job titles.

I can explain every CV I've ever sent out and I suppose that is the point.

[Old Greg]

How is it though with the data protection act etc that an agent can issue personal information pertaining to yourself without your permission ? Take an extreme case where you sent me your private medical health records expressing the wish in writing for me not to forward them on without written confirmation but then I decided to ignore this and email everyone in the country with your medical records ?

Would I face no comeback from doing this ? Why is a CV different .?

CV (and even salary) is not sensitive personal information.

[Old Greg]

For a start I wouldn't take 'stories' and hearsay too seriously. People like to spin a good yarn. God knows how many 'my mate told me this' questions that are utter crap on here.

The guy that go walked (not sacked, he is a contractor) will be for more than just a CV turning up out of the blue. It is highly likely he has been caught lying on his CV.

If one CV looks different to the other they should be similar enough to be able to explain it away. Just tell the client the CV has been altered to emphasise skills required for the role you applied for. You can demonstrate the skills shown on both CV's.

If you have purposely doctored your CV to get the job then you need to start worrying. It's a pretty stupid thing to do, particularly if you are changing job titles and dates. That is just plain fraud. If you get walked then it's your own fault, not the agents.

'Job' title? YACNCOTBAC.

I change role titles now and then because I define them as a company director.