A recruiter verbally abused me. Is it safe for me to make a complaint?

March 20, 2026 — 4:01am

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A recruiter from a well-established recruitment agency told me not to discuss how much remuneration I was expecting, even if their client asked me during an upcoming interview. In my nervousness, I forgot his advice and answered the question when it was put to me by the recruiter’s client.

I knew the job market was dead at the time, so I quoted a range that was at the lower end to make myself more marketable. The next day the recruiter called me enraged and yelled at me for ignoring their advice and for making myself look so cheap which in turn made his agency look like a bunch of money grabbers. Is there an industry or regulatory body that I can report him to and if so, would I be blacklisted by his agency?

I can see how you would have felt nervous and become flustered during this interview and let the advice of the recruiter slip from your mind. The job market is extremely competitive, and because the interview was held during a period of the year when job opportunities are fewer, your........

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