Call from agency - practice of getting my CV?

whiskeyman

I was job hunting nearly 2 years ago, and handed my CV to a select few agencies.
One agency lined me up with a current job.
All great.

Got a phone call from the same person in that agency the other day, asking how I was and if I or any friends had any job needs as he had some vacent roles. (He never actually said he was calling on behalf of the agency then). Told him all was fine and I wasn't looking for employment.
Just before the conversation ended, he then told me he was calling on behalf of a new agency he had just setup.
Now, I didn't question it at the time, but this sounded very dodgy to me.
He left his old agency to setup his new company, and has taken mine (and probably lots of other) CVs with him. Surely this violates a few laws?
As well as me being slightly annoyed, I'm sure his former employers would have something to say about this?

Anyone ever experience anything like this, or would anyone take this further?

AARRRGH

Yeah it sounds like he took their CV database with him.

I would imagine his old employer is aware of this. Not sure what I would do in your situation...

monkey24

Why would you be annoyed. He rang up, asked a question and all you have to do is say "no i am grand".
I really think people love to complain in this country. On the right day, you may have been looking for a job and would of been happy to hear from them.

Recruitment is a sales industry, this type of stuff goes on all the time within sales, I wouldn't go getting yourself in a state over it.

watna

Yeah, it sounds like he took your contract details/CV with him which is most likely illegal. in recruitment you usually have something written in to your contract about stealing intellectual property.

In saying that, it's nothing really to do with you except you may not want to do business with someone that would do that. Seeming as you said you're not looking for work there's no real problem, unless you feel obliged to notify his previous company. I wouldn't get involved personally.

whiskeyman

monkey24 wrote: »

Why would you be annoyed. He rang up, asked a question and all you have to do is say "no i am grand".

Which is what I said. You're totally missing the point and your post is not helpful.

MY point is that by transferring such confidential data across to his new company, I believe he did so illegally and without my consent, or the consent of his former employers. What next would he do with my CV then? Sell it on to more 3rd parties?
And yes, I do have issues with this, and have every right to question and complain (if necessary) where I see fit.

Thanks for the info Watna. That's more along the lines that I was thinking myself.

The Hill Billy

To be fair, it is not that monkey24's post wasn't helpful - it just wasn't the answer you wanted.

If you are so annoyed at this person - just call him/her back & tell them to remove your details from their database & not to call you again. If you really want to get serious about take it to the Data Protection Commissioner.

monkey24

I know what your point was, I am not missing it. I don't think its a big deal. Unless you are a top secret agent working for the government ala James Bond, I think you can be safe in the knowledge that your CV will not be sold to the highest bidder.

I would forget about it, make a cup of tea and get back to doing more important things with your time.

:cool:

whiskeyman wrote: »

Which is what I said. You're totally missing the point and your post is not helpful.

MY point is that by transferring such confidential data across to his new company, I believe he did so illegally and without my consent, or the consent of his former employers. What next would he do with my CV then? Sell it on to more 3rd parties?
And yes, I do have issues with this, and have every right to question and complain (if necessary) where I see fit.

Thanks for the info Watna. That's more along the lines that I was thinking myself.

AARRRGH

Here's a possibility...

You CV is on one of the jobsites like Monster.ie.

Monster.ie allow agencies (for a fee) browse their CV database.

Most jobsites allow this.

Perhaps the new recruiter has simply accessed your CV in this way?

jam_mac_jam

dublindude wrote: »

Here's a possibility...

You CV is on one of the jobsites like Monster.ie.

Monster.ie allow agencies (for a fee) browse their CV database.

Most jobsites allow this.

Perhaps the new recruiter has simply accessed your CV in this way?

they do not have access to your telephone number, an email is sent to you on their behalf and they have no access to your name or contact details.

I would ring the original company and tell them, it is your information and you are quite within your rights not to let somebody do what they want with it.

monkey24

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

they do not have access to your telephone number, an email is sent to you on their behalf and they have no access to your name or contact details.

I would ring the original company and tell them, it is your information and you are quite within your rights not to let somebody do what they want with it.

Actually it all depends on how that person has uploaded their CV to monster. If you enter contact details on Monster and choose not to hide them, then any agent who has paid monster to browse CVs can see them. More often than not a CV will have a phone number and email on view.

They are also kept on monster for a very long time.

MIN2511

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

they do not have access to your telephone number, an email is sent to you on their behalf and they have no access to your name or contact details.

I would ring the original company and tell them, it is your information and you are quite within your rights not to let somebody do what they want with it.

Did you say they have no access to your details through Monster? THEY DO!!!!


+1 with monkey24
My CV was on Monster, i have removed it yet i still receive calls from agents

BostonB

whiskeyman wrote: »

Which is what I said. You're totally missing the point and your post is not helpful.

MY point is that by transferring such confidential data across to his new company, I believe he did so illegally and without my consent, or the consent of his former employers. What next would he do with my CV then? Sell it on to more 3rd parties?
And yes, I do have issues with this, and have every right to question and complain (if necessary) where I see fit.

Thanks for the info Watna. That's more along the lines that I was thinking myself.

Report him to the first agency, and ask them all to delete your details.
http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/Home/4.htm

mountainyman

BostonB wrote: »

Report him to the first agency, and ask them all to delete your details.
http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/Home/4.htm

Wow that's bad advice.
If whiskeyman is wrong about
[1] the license between him and the original agency or
[2] how the CV was accessed

He opens himself to a suit for slander.

And why? to assist the orginal agency?

I am baffled by whiskeyman's attitude tbh.

MM

pclancy

The lads are right your CV could be on monstor or any number of other websites, a lot of large agencies would pay to access I Profile as well which feeds CVs around the place.

http://www.miprofile.com/

Im amazed he was able to take their CV database when he left. Anyone that ever quit from the agency i worked with was escorted out of the building, they were very strong on data protection issues. My PC didnt actually have any way of me removing data now that I think of it....

watna

mountainyman wrote: »

Wow that's bad advice.
If whiskeyman is wrong about
[1] the license between him and the original agency or
[2] how the CV was accessed

He opens himself to a suit for slander.

And why? to assist the orginal agency?

I am baffled by whiskeyman's attitude tbh.

MM

I do understand whiskeyman's attitude. I'd be pretty p*ssed off myself that someone was throwing around my personal info. Yes, he could have got his info off CV databases (monster etc) but as whiskeyman hasn't confirmed this we shouldn't presume that that's how they got his CV. Yes, most recruitment consultants get escorted off the premesis if they're going to a competitor or just in any case but that desn't mean he couldn't have been taking CVs/personal info for the week before he/she handed in their notice.

However, I do think it's best not to get involved. Whiskeyman has already said he's not looking. If they contact you again I'd tell him you've moved out of the industry and could he/she remove your details so as not to contact you in the future. Even if you do need a new role in the future I know I wouldn't be keen on doing business with someone that would do that. I value business integrity quite highly. Tbh, I doubt he/she is selling your info to a third party. They probably just have your CV to help their own business.

If you are really uncomfortable and feel that you're worried about your info, I'd contact the recruiter and ask him/her how they got your CV as you never sent it in to their agency, only the previous one. If they can't confirm or tell you they kept your info you could tell their previous company or even just tell the recruiter you're extremely uncomfortable with them doing that with your info and are they spreading your CV around anywhere else?