Interviewer asking where I live

[Arielandflounder]

AIBU - I had an interview today. During the interview I was asked where I live. I didn’t want to tell them my exact location in an interview setting so I said I live in Buckinghamshire. The interviewer then said where do you live in Buckinghamshire. I then replied
I’m living in X village. It’s not the one I live in it’s the next village 5 minutes away.

Then they said about giving my CV to their client. This involves using my CV details on their corporate paper and then sending it out to their client. In all honesty i just sat there and thought you have no right to give out my information when you have not even made a job offer or asked if it’s even okay to do that. They even asked me to detail information which I told them I am prohibited from disclosing due the nature of the work I have done in the past.

As I went through an agency they do not have my home address but it’s the fact they thought they could just give out my details that got my back up. AIBU

Was this interview with an agency/recruitment consultant?

Of course they’ll pass your CV on to their clients, otherwise how will they get you a job? Why would you have information on your CV you’re not happy to be passed on?

A recruitment agent put me forward for a job. I was interviewed by a company and they now want to give my details to another company they will work with in the future

Are they looking to see where you live in order to ascertain that you can commute quickly and easily to work? My daughter is often asked this when applying for jobs in London. It's because the employers don't want the excuse of ' my train isn't running.' We live in Kent but there's only a branch line into London which takes forever and often doesn't turn up/gets delayed.

Why does the client of the company interviewing you want to know CV-level detail on their employees? I'm confused.

Is this not part of the t&c's of using a recruiter though? It sounds standard. Or do you mean the agency put you forward for a job with a prospective employer and they then asked this?

I/DP have always been asked our location when using agencies, they need to know where you live with a view to knowing your willingness and ability to travel relative to prospective employers HQ's. Your employer would also have your address if you got the job and has every right to ask this at interview for the same reasons. You I suppose have every right to decline to provide equally but I wouldn't be expecting a call back from them about the job kf you had (rightly or wrongly).

I was happy for the recruiter to give my details to the company that interviewed me - my reference is to the company then wanting to pass on to their client. So now my information has gone from me to the recruitment agent. Recruiter then given to the company that interviewed me who are now
giving my information to their client. I have no job offer at this point !

I dont understand your reluctance to be honest.

Buckinghamshire is a big place, your location is relevant unless the role is home based.

Do you do sensitive/secretive work?

It’s quite normal when job hunting to give out your address/location. I can’t see what the issue is?

Is the client the people who you’d ultimately be working for? They’re probably going to want to know where you live.

If someone asks me where I live I tell them. I don’t give them exact address but it’s not a weird question. Why are you afraid of giving it? Have you had bad past experiences?

I don’t think people understand what you are saying. It’s sounds odd to me to give your CV to one of their clients, why would a client be involved in their staff selection process? I’d find it strange too op

I live 35 minutes from central London and trains run every 15 minutes. I would be working on a project for the potential new employers client etc

In that case, both your location and work history are relevant to their client.

Is there any law preventing you from discussing your past work, such as Official Secrets Act, or have you signed a NDA with previous employers for a given period? Or is it more to do with safeguarding?

It's difficult to advise without more information.

The role is 3’days office 2’days at home.
Potential employers client is paying the salary to company for me to work on the project. It’s specialist work and it’s of sensitive nature.

That’s what agencies do! They’re not spying on you! 🤣

If you don’t want an agency to find you work, you need to put the time in yourself to find out who, in each company you want to work for, manages applications and apply direct.
Even then you may be forced to go through an agency as some companies outsource their recruitment to agencies.

Bullfinch - both

So you’re concerned about the official secrets act but you’re seeking advice on mumsnet? Yeah right

Well if the company is hiring you to work on a project with their client, of course they would want their client to be happy with you as well. If the client says yes, you get the job. If the client says no, what are they going to do with you having hired you?

They asked for your consent to give your details to their client. It is not as if they are giving your details to their client behind your back, which I am sure a lot of companies will do.

You can say no. That is the whole point of seeking your consent. Your CV goes into the bin. Or you can say yes and stay in the game and hope for an offer.

They don't have your exact address details.

Frankly if a candidate was so cagey at an interview, (why is general location of where you live an issue? It is not a protected characteristic), I doubt the company would take the risk on you anyway.

OP, forgive me but are you very young?

“ Potential employers client is paying the salary to company for me to work on the project.”

So it sounds completely reasonable that they are would need to know the same information as the recruiter/ employer. Why are you acting like he is giving your address to some rando on the street when it’s the person potentially paying your salary?

Imo it’s weirder that you are being so flakey about details to them and lying about where you live for no reason.

The other possibility is that the company who actually interviewed you is a type of Work Force Management agency who are handling / providing work force to their Client (multiple clients) but you'd actually have contract with them, possibly even getting paid by them and not the end Client. And the recruitment agency that initially contacted you is working with the WFM agency and not the end Client. This is very common for contract work. Otherwise I agree with @blueshoes

So unless I am missing something here, YABVU. You should have asked a bit more questions IMO.

Well if the job is in London and you currently live in Dundee then it might mean you have to relocate delaying your start?

Obviously you don't but how would they know if you don't tell them

I think you being unwilling to discuss this with them would probably be a red flag?

No one asked me in an interview where I live. I think it's a bit intrusive actually. But I work in the public sector and you can't ask stuff like that.