Job Agency Problem - Help!

carlychick

hi, i am currently unemployed. it is a nightmare. i have been to lots of job agency interviews and they are hopeless. i believe some of them are just killing time and telling me about jobs that don't exist.
this morning i was in with a job agency (for a job, apparently the company want to meet me, she sent in my cv last week i met a colleague of hers a couple of years ago) and at the end of the interview she asked could she ring my referee's. i said 'no way' not until she had a job offer on the table. ( i am sincerely not hiding anything - i have 2 good references from previous positions unfortunately i was unlucky with my past 2 jobs - the company closed in one position and the last job i was on contract and all contract staff were let go due to lack of funds it was in the civil service)
this lady was not impressed with me. i am now very afraid she wont fight my corner for me and that she might think i am hiding something. from my perspective, i feel that why should i give her referees - i have gone for so many job interviews and i havent got the job - i dont want to bother my referees. this lady tried to convince me her looking for referees was normal practice. i have never heard of it. can anyone advise me - what do i do next???? i feel bad now maybe i have jeopardised my chances with this agency and hence the company although i was told when i went in this morning that i have an interview when the CEO gets a chance to meet with me. how do i go forward with this agency? i have had so many bad experiences with agencies (this lady also asked me what secondary school did i go to! i thought this was so unprofessional as well - what does it matter. i went to a private boarding school as it turns out but i keep that extremely quiet as i hated it etc and i believe in the public education system and community/ vocational schools none of this private nonsense etc. another debate!!! )

herya

It's weird indeed, normally references are only checked after the offer is made and in most cases the company prefers to do it themselves unless they have a really close working relationship with the agency.

My guess is that the consultant wanted to cover herself in case you were accepted but your references turned out dubious. Which is a good sign as she must find you employable. You are right in not giving her your permission if you don't want to but try and convince her that you are legit, maybe she found something suspicious in what you were saying.

avalon68

It varies. I have had three interviews recently (not via agencies) and all of them checked references before the interview

CorkFenian

Did it once last year, never again..No need to give anyone references before an interview, I did it cos I was desperate...But if u think again, its pure fishing for jobs themselves..No good agency (not that many of them) has ever done that!!!

pow wow

It's maybe a little bit of what CorkFenian said and wanting to know you're fully 'legit' before sending you forward for jobs. If they know where you worked already from your CV then they don't need the references as inroads to market themselves to your previous employers, they'll do it regardless....but if you are sent out and interview well and then your references are poor it makes them look bad.

I've always let them contact referees but have only registered with a couple of agencies so my referees wouldn't get hacked off with endless requests. That's not always an option in the current climate I know.

eth0_

They should be sensitive to your wishes about referee checking, especially if you're in employment at the moment!

Can you imagine how p*ssed off your former employers would be if recruitment agencies kept ringing them for references when you haven't even gotten to the job offer stage?

jeckle

I can understand where you’re coming from, but, especially in the current climate it’s probably prudent to go along with any policy that an agency might have IMO, especially if you feel that they might be able to help you secure employment in the long-run. If you don’t co-operate with them they are highly unlikely to co-operate with you.

Maybe you could meet them half way & supply them with written references for the time being if you have any. This might be enough for them to comply with their own internal procedures. You could specify that you do not want them to contact anyone until a job offer is on the table.

Might be worth a try!

miec

Hi Op

I have only had two interviews via a recruitment agency and both times they asked for referees, I gave them and they checked them both before I had the interview with their client, I was unaware that you didn't have to give them until a job was offered. So it sounds to me that a lot of them are doing this. (Incidentally, I didn't get either job which is annoying now because my referees were contacted but I have cleared it with them but maybe I should rethink things).

As for the secondary school question, have you gone to university? You mentioned a former job so you have work experience, so there was no need for her/ him to ask you that question. I would ask why is that question relevant. I can understand your frustration with recruitment agencies but you have to keep open minded because in amongst the dung, you might get the right job, or in today's a case, a job.