Denying recruiter calls if they don't tell you who their client is?

I often have recruiters reach out to me offering some details about a job I'm qualified for, but they won't disclose the name of their client company prior to getting on an initial call with me. I'll usually ask for the company name knowing they probably won't tell me, and then I'll say no thanks to the call. On the odd occasion they'll spill the beans, I'll look the company up, if it looks attractive I might take them up on the phone call.


I get it, they're in sales too and need to hit their numbers, but I could maybe equate this to asking someone to book a demo with you without telling them what you're selling.


How does everyone else handle these?

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16
Justatitle
Big Shot
7
Account Executive
I worked in agency recruiting prior to getting into SAAS. The reason this is the procedure is because if the agency submits you and you get hired they get the credit and get paid if they tell you the company they risk you going and applying directly and then they wonโ€™t get credit. I realize time is valuable but hopefully providing you some perspective helps to know why this is the way it is.
barney2021
Tycoon
2
Account Executive
Thats understandable. I get that. However I have had recruiters pitch the most amazing jobs to me and then to finally find out who the company is and its a bad company. Waste of a phone call.....I'd rather them to apply for me because the recruiter has the relationship. Oh well.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Yes and this is fair. The recruiter should lead with the company they are working with and itโ€™s also their job to sell you on the companyโ€ฆ can you imagine a call that went โ€œyeah so itโ€™s cuz company and 30% of the reps hit quota and they hate it.โ€ No one would apply lol.
ragnarlothbrok
Politicker
0
Key account manager
its all about this, especially if they think you are a good match for the position. they would be basically giving their commission away, just the way it is unfortunately. If the recruiter has a solid relationship with the client they will share the company name though as they will beย  relatively confident that if you did apply direct the client would tell them
RedLightning
Politicker
0
Mid-Market AE
I understand where the recruiter is coming from, but that keeps me blind on a few things. Like can't do homework on the company or even know where the office is. What if commute is a big deal for me? The value of a recruiter in my mind is to pass me directly to an interview. It keeps me from having to do all of the BS with job portals and follow ups.
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
If it is an internal recruiter than sure. Agency recruiters itโ€™s a much different story. Again I get it Iโ€™m just representing the other side of the coin and bringing light where there may be some blind spots.ย 
ragnarlothbrok
Politicker
0
Key account manager
I would assume what they want in the first instance is your permission to send over your CV, then they will divulge info. this is because lets say you then contact the company direct technically the end company are still obliged to pay some sort of fee as the recruiter got in there first with your CV. Its shitty, but it is what it is. like I said before hand, IF the recruiter has a solid relationship with the client they would have no issue divulging any info. So i would guess these guys do not recruit often for this client, may even be the first time

Justatitle
Big Shot
0
Account Executive
They could recruit very often for the company. If you go and apply direct and never reply to the agency they have no way of knowing that theyโ€™re the ones that should get credit for the candidate. Really there isnโ€™t a better way.
ragnarlothbrok
Politicker
0
Key account manager
you know what, i didnt even think about internal recruiters! good pointย 

RedLightning
Politicker
0
Mid-Market AE
My experiences were with agency recruiters. I'm in Austin so they just say "high growth software company" which doesn't narrow it down at all. Some companies are located very far north, commute is/was important to me. I wanted to know the name of the company to see how far I'd have to drive
nevercoldagain
Opinionated
0
Account Executive
Yea one thing I guess I could say is that as a salesperson myself, totally get missing the commission if I side-channel my application, I'd never do that to them. Maybe I'll add that next time I ask for the company name in advanceย 
RaymundoFlex
Opinionated
4
AE
how much does your solution cost?ย 
well i'd rather understand if there is even a fit, discovery, demo etc. before we get to price.

pretty similar - they want to position what they have the same way we do...
someoneinsales
Tycoon
3
Director of Sales
I donโ€™t talk to recruiters unless they tell me the company name. Why would I waste 30 minutes of my or their time if I can just tell them yes or know based off what I have heard of that companyโ€ฆ.after they say the name of I like it then itโ€™s better time spent for both of us.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
๐ŸฆŠ
I've had this conversation before. I politely told them I would not be contacting the company and I wanted to research before I wasted either of our time. Worked 2/3 times.ย 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
No company, no thanks. Total time suck to find out it's a shit company you'd never work for. They probably have like 5 other recruiting farms calling it too. Fuck that
CaneWolf
Politicker
1
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
Yup. Iโ€™m not going to put the work into applying myself without them. I simply donโ€™t want to waste my time.
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
I've never had this issue? I feel like I can get them talking about the company/product and slide in a quick "Whats their website?"

It seems to always get an answer.
cw95
Politicker
0
Sales Development Lead
Frustrating isnโ€™t it, do you reckon they canโ€™t disclose the company until they have you in a meeting? I personally think recruiters would get lots more traction if they said the company name but on the contrary, maybe their elaborate explanation doesnโ€™t align with what the company does?
nomdeguerre
Executive
0
Account executive
I'm with you I think its kind of annoying to... especially if they ask me if I'm interested in the position prior to the call but won't tell me the company. It's like MOFO how am I supposed to know without knowing who the gig is with.

At the same time, I understand that they are trying to protect their commission. But then again, what is preventing me from going direct to the company after the initial conversation. I know what you are going to say, after the call the recruiter will send my name to the company, but then again it depends on how quickly I reach out to the company (not that I would personally do that - I have nothing to gain). Bottomline is, if the recruiter helps me in the process then I have no interest in going around them, but if they are idiots I might. So in my opinion the recruiter should probably focus on being a value add and no one would want to bypass them, instead of not disclosing the name of their client, as I really don't think that will protect them anyway.

Just my two cents
hh456
Celebrated Contributor
0
sales
Yeah they should disclose. god forbid they are selling you to your own employer and you don't find out till they hand off your resume. you'll get fired.
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