Recruiting company demands references [closed]

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I was contacted by a recruiting agency about a couple of jobs, but as part of their onboarding process they demanded 4 references, with complete contact information. I told them that I would give them references when a tangible opportunity is available, and that it didn't feel right disclosing other people's information without their consent. That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

recruitment

share|improve this question

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

closed as primarily opinion-based by Elysian Fields♦, Jim G., jcmeloni, mhoran_psprep, Rhys Jul 20 '14 at 11:45

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  What problem are you trying to resolve?
  – Elysian Fields♦
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @enderland what ? the question is clear.
  – NimChimpsky
  Jul 18 '14 at 17:14
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
  – Carson63000
  Jul 18 '14 at 22:10
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
8
down vote

favorite

I was contacted by a recruiting agency about a couple of jobs, but as part of their onboarding process they demanded 4 references, with complete contact information. I told them that I would give them references when a tangible opportunity is available, and that it didn't feel right disclosing other people's information without their consent. That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

recruitment

share|improve this question

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

closed as primarily opinion-based by Elysian Fields♦, Jim G., jcmeloni, mhoran_psprep, Rhys Jul 20 '14 at 11:45

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  What problem are you trying to resolve?
  – Elysian Fields♦
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @enderland what ? the question is clear.
  – NimChimpsky
  Jul 18 '14 at 17:14
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
  – Carson63000
  Jul 18 '14 at 22:10
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
8
down vote

favorite

up vote
8
down vote

favorite

I was contacted by a recruiting agency about a couple of jobs, but as part of their onboarding process they demanded 4 references, with complete contact information. I told them that I would give them references when a tangible opportunity is available, and that it didn't feel right disclosing other people's information without their consent. That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

recruitment

share|improve this question

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

I was contacted by a recruiting agency about a couple of jobs, but as part of their onboarding process they demanded 4 references, with complete contact information. I told them that I would give them references when a tangible opportunity is available, and that it didn't feel right disclosing other people's information without their consent. That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

recruitment

share|improve this question

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

asked Jul 18 '14 at 13:26

user1220

4,80622644

4,80622644

closed as primarily opinion-based by Elysian Fields♦, Jim G., jcmeloni, mhoran_psprep, Rhys Jul 20 '14 at 11:45

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

closed as primarily opinion-based by Elysian Fields♦, Jim G., jcmeloni, mhoran_psprep, Rhys Jul 20 '14 at 11:45

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  What problem are you trying to resolve?
  – Elysian Fields♦
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @enderland what ? the question is clear.
  – NimChimpsky
  Jul 18 '14 at 17:14
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
  – Carson63000
  Jul 18 '14 at 22:10
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  What problem are you trying to resolve?
  – Elysian Fields♦
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:29
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @enderland what ? the question is clear.
  – NimChimpsky
  Jul 18 '14 at 17:14
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
  – Carson63000
  Jul 18 '14 at 22:10
  

  
  
  
  

1

1

What problem are you trying to resolve?
– Elysian Fields♦
Jul 18 '14 at 13:29

What problem are you trying to resolve?
– Elysian Fields♦
Jul 18 '14 at 13:29

9

9

@enderland what ? the question is clear.
– NimChimpsky
Jul 18 '14 at 17:14

@enderland what ? the question is clear.
– NimChimpsky
Jul 18 '14 at 17:14

2

2

So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
– Carson63000
Jul 18 '14 at 22:10

So it goes. Never forget - there are a million recruiting companies and they need you more than you need them.
– Carson63000
Jul 18 '14 at 22:10

suggest improvements | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
21
down vote



accepted

That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused
to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

Some recruiters use your references to vet you, before recommending you to a hiring manager. Particularly with contractors, I've found this to be common.

I too don't give out my list of references until I have an offer on the table (I'm not a contractor). Thus, I wouldn't work with a recruiter who demanded otherwise.

I've been able to find head-hunters and recruiters who would work with me on this. If you are willing to wait long enough, you'll like be able to do the same.

I would never use anyone as a reference without obtaining their consent first. When I start a job search, I talk to each of them. And when I get to the point in a particular interview scenario where they will be contacted, I give my references a quick heads-up.

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
  – user1220
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:32
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
  – user22432
  Jul 18 '14 at 14:53
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
5
down vote

My personal experience

When I started looking for my first job out of college, a recruiter from a recruiting company contacted me and asked me for my resume, along with my references. Note that he didn't actually have any specific jobs for me in mind yet, he just wanted my information, which I assumed he was going to use to look around for a suitable job match.

I foolishly gave my list of references to him, which was a huge mistake. He ended up contacting one of my references weeks later. I'm not exactly sure why, because this recruiter never got back to me personally about having found a possible job opening. I only found out that the recruiter had contacted my reference because my reference brought it up to me himself.

It was extremely embarrassing. My reference had spent his time giving me a glowing recommendation to this recruiter, who had not contacted me since I gave him my resume and references, and who hadn't contacted me after speaking with my reference either. I have no idea if he was trying to vet me for a specific job, or just vetting me in general. Either way, the point is, my reference's time was being wasted for nothing.

Guard your reference list

I would suggest that you only hand out your list of references to companies who are actually interviewing you directly, instead of passing them off to a 3^rd-party. You don't know and have no control over how that 3^rd-party is going to use that list.

You can find more answers to that effect at Should references in a resume be upfront, or upon request?.

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

suggest improvements | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
21
down vote



accepted

That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused
to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

Some recruiters use your references to vet you, before recommending you to a hiring manager. Particularly with contractors, I've found this to be common.

I too don't give out my list of references until I have an offer on the table (I'm not a contractor). Thus, I wouldn't work with a recruiter who demanded otherwise.

I've been able to find head-hunters and recruiters who would work with me on this. If you are willing to wait long enough, you'll like be able to do the same.

I would never use anyone as a reference without obtaining their consent first. When I start a job search, I talk to each of them. And when I get to the point in a particular interview scenario where they will be contacted, I give my references a quick heads-up.

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
  – user1220
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:32
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
  – user22432
  Jul 18 '14 at 14:53
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
21
down vote



accepted

That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused
to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

Some recruiters use your references to vet you, before recommending you to a hiring manager. Particularly with contractors, I've found this to be common.

I too don't give out my list of references until I have an offer on the table (I'm not a contractor). Thus, I wouldn't work with a recruiter who demanded otherwise.

I've been able to find head-hunters and recruiters who would work with me on this. If you are willing to wait long enough, you'll like be able to do the same.

I would never use anyone as a reference without obtaining their consent first. When I start a job search, I talk to each of them. And when I get to the point in a particular interview scenario where they will be contacted, I give my references a quick heads-up.

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
  – user1220
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:32
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
  – user22432
  Jul 18 '14 at 14:53
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
21
down vote



accepted

up vote
21
down vote



accepted

That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused
to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

Some recruiters use your references to vet you, before recommending you to a hiring manager. Particularly with contractors, I've found this to be common.

I too don't give out my list of references until I have an offer on the table (I'm not a contractor). Thus, I wouldn't work with a recruiter who demanded otherwise.

I've been able to find head-hunters and recruiters who would work with me on this. If you are willing to wait long enough, you'll like be able to do the same.

I would never use anyone as a reference without obtaining their consent first. When I start a job search, I talk to each of them. And when I get to the point in a particular interview scenario where they will be contacted, I give my references a quick heads-up.

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

That was the end of the conversation and they were adamant and refused
to proceed unless such references were provided.

Is this common? Should I have given them the references?

Some recruiters use your references to vet you, before recommending you to a hiring manager. Particularly with contractors, I've found this to be common.

I too don't give out my list of references until I have an offer on the table (I'm not a contractor). Thus, I wouldn't work with a recruiter who demanded otherwise.

I've been able to find head-hunters and recruiters who would work with me on this. If you are willing to wait long enough, you'll like be able to do the same.

I would never use anyone as a reference without obtaining their consent first. When I start a job search, I talk to each of them. And when I get to the point in a particular interview scenario where they will be contacted, I give my references a quick heads-up.

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

answered Jul 18 '14 at 13:31

Joe Strazzere

224k106657926

224k106657926

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
  – user1220
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:32
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
  – user22432
  Jul 18 '14 at 14:53
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
  – user1220
  Jul 18 '14 at 13:32
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
  – user22432
  Jul 18 '14 at 14:53
  

  
  
  
  

Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
– user1220
Jul 18 '14 at 13:32

Thank you, Joe. It felt somewhat like they were mining for data, and I would never offer other people's information without their consent.
– user1220
Jul 18 '14 at 13:32

1

1

Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
– user22432
Jul 18 '14 at 14:53

Great answer @Joe. (@user1220 I don't know if they were datamining or not...but Joe's definitely right about finding a headhunter and/or agency that will work with you and not demand things out of their proper turn. I also personally shy away from companies that want my SSN before they have a firm offer to tender to me, let alone before they've sent me any jobs to look over. I have spent years as both a contractor and a regular hire, and I won't give references out before I have an offer either. My references don't need to be hounded with phone calls from world + dog.)
– user22432
Jul 18 '14 at 14:53

suggest improvements | 

up vote
5
down vote

My personal experience

When I started looking for my first job out of college, a recruiter from a recruiting company contacted me and asked me for my resume, along with my references. Note that he didn't actually have any specific jobs for me in mind yet, he just wanted my information, which I assumed he was going to use to look around for a suitable job match.

I foolishly gave my list of references to him, which was a huge mistake. He ended up contacting one of my references weeks later. I'm not exactly sure why, because this recruiter never got back to me personally about having found a possible job opening. I only found out that the recruiter had contacted my reference because my reference brought it up to me himself.

It was extremely embarrassing. My reference had spent his time giving me a glowing recommendation to this recruiter, who had not contacted me since I gave him my resume and references, and who hadn't contacted me after speaking with my reference either. I have no idea if he was trying to vet me for a specific job, or just vetting me in general. Either way, the point is, my reference's time was being wasted for nothing.

Guard your reference list

I would suggest that you only hand out your list of references to companies who are actually interviewing you directly, instead of passing them off to a 3^rd-party. You don't know and have no control over how that 3^rd-party is going to use that list.

You can find more answers to that effect at Should references in a resume be upfront, or upon request?.

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

suggest improvements | 

up vote
5
down vote

My personal experience

When I started looking for my first job out of college, a recruiter from a recruiting company contacted me and asked me for my resume, along with my references. Note that he didn't actually have any specific jobs for me in mind yet, he just wanted my information, which I assumed he was going to use to look around for a suitable job match.

I foolishly gave my list of references to him, which was a huge mistake. He ended up contacting one of my references weeks later. I'm not exactly sure why, because this recruiter never got back to me personally about having found a possible job opening. I only found out that the recruiter had contacted my reference because my reference brought it up to me himself.

It was extremely embarrassing. My reference had spent his time giving me a glowing recommendation to this recruiter, who had not contacted me since I gave him my resume and references, and who hadn't contacted me after speaking with my reference either. I have no idea if he was trying to vet me for a specific job, or just vetting me in general. Either way, the point is, my reference's time was being wasted for nothing.

Guard your reference list

I would suggest that you only hand out your list of references to companies who are actually interviewing you directly, instead of passing them off to a 3^rd-party. You don't know and have no control over how that 3^rd-party is going to use that list.

You can find more answers to that effect at Should references in a resume be upfront, or upon request?.

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

suggest improvements | 

up vote
5
down vote

up vote
5
down vote

My personal experience

When I started looking for my first job out of college, a recruiter from a recruiting company contacted me and asked me for my resume, along with my references. Note that he didn't actually have any specific jobs for me in mind yet, he just wanted my information, which I assumed he was going to use to look around for a suitable job match.

I foolishly gave my list of references to him, which was a huge mistake. He ended up contacting one of my references weeks later. I'm not exactly sure why, because this recruiter never got back to me personally about having found a possible job opening. I only found out that the recruiter had contacted my reference because my reference brought it up to me himself.

It was extremely embarrassing. My reference had spent his time giving me a glowing recommendation to this recruiter, who had not contacted me since I gave him my resume and references, and who hadn't contacted me after speaking with my reference either. I have no idea if he was trying to vet me for a specific job, or just vetting me in general. Either way, the point is, my reference's time was being wasted for nothing.

Guard your reference list

I would suggest that you only hand out your list of references to companies who are actually interviewing you directly, instead of passing them off to a 3^rd-party. You don't know and have no control over how that 3^rd-party is going to use that list.

You can find more answers to that effect at Should references in a resume be upfront, or upon request?.

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

My personal experience

When I started looking for my first job out of college, a recruiter from a recruiting company contacted me and asked me for my resume, along with my references. Note that he didn't actually have any specific jobs for me in mind yet, he just wanted my information, which I assumed he was going to use to look around for a suitable job match.

I foolishly gave my list of references to him, which was a huge mistake. He ended up contacting one of my references weeks later. I'm not exactly sure why, because this recruiter never got back to me personally about having found a possible job opening. I only found out that the recruiter had contacted my reference because my reference brought it up to me himself.

It was extremely embarrassing. My reference had spent his time giving me a glowing recommendation to this recruiter, who had not contacted me since I gave him my resume and references, and who hadn't contacted me after speaking with my reference either. I have no idea if he was trying to vet me for a specific job, or just vetting me in general. Either way, the point is, my reference's time was being wasted for nothing.

Guard your reference list

I would suggest that you only hand out your list of references to companies who are actually interviewing you directly, instead of passing them off to a 3^rd-party. You don't know and have no control over how that 3^rd-party is going to use that list.

You can find more answers to that effect at Should references in a resume be upfront, or upon request?.

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:48

Community♦

1

1

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

answered Jul 18 '14 at 19:01

TheWarriorNamedFoo

22516

22516

suggest improvements | 

suggest improvements |