Asymmetric Lock-in

That's what I call a policy of certain agencies or individual recruiters whereby candidates are told that if they are sent on an interview they must commit up front to accepting an offer in case one is made.

An example of asymmetric lock-in (first item)

What makes this lock-in asymmetric is that the client company is never committed to making an offer in the interview.

This is problematic because one of the fundamental tenets of "free enterprise", as we are all taught from birth, is that the relation between an employer and a human resource (formerly a "person") is one of full equality and symmetry.  This is why unions are unnecessary, as we are constantly being told these days.

I can understand if recruiters are chasing commissions or points or whatever that they want some guarantees when they spend time on something.  I'm sorry, but there are no guarantees in this business:  free enterprise is about risk.  But I will guarantee that if I find out there's a policy of Asymmetric Lock-in,  I'm not playing.