Submitted Rate Reduced Before 1st Interview

[ladymuck]

Has the role been advertised with another agency? Although you've agreed to representation, there's no harm phoning another agency pretending to be interested in the role and finding out what rate they will pimp you out at. If it's the original rate (or higher) then go back to the original agency and tell them agency x are saying the rate is y and perhaps they would like to match it?

[CountryGirl]

Thanks a lot guys.
You've been a great help for me in making the right decision.
Really appreciate your good advises and quick response.

[northernladuk]

Thanks a lot guys.
You've been a great help for me in making the right decision.
Really appreciate your good advises and quick response.

Our what?

[SuperZ]

Another tactic being used these days is that if there is a remote working element involved, they try to get your rate down, apparently because commute costs are lower. Could not stop laughing at that one. When will they learn?

I don't mind that so much as long as long a it's the client saving the money not the agent pocketing it which is hard to know but I'd raise it with the client. I travel 260 miles a week, pay £22 a night when away, spend up to another hour getting to and from the office(an hour a day of my life gone). Now I'm getting older I'd be happy to knock a bunch of money off my rate, firstly for the reduced costs, secondly so I can do without all the hassle.

[Scruff]

Doing the needful - we are most gracious in your thankfulness.

[psychocandy]

Yep deffo going in agents back pocket....

Tell him you'll only agree if he agrees for the client to contact you directly concerning this. Bet it'll disappear.

Worked with a guy who went perm with client. It was his first contract. When he went perm we were speaking about contracting in general and he said it'd been good apart from the rate cut the day before we started. Told him I'd not had that conversation.

Of course, going perm he was in position to talk to his new employer and they confirmed there'd been no rate cut from them. They did kick off for a bit, but nothing ever happened and I know agency are still supplying there.

Crooked of course it is. But, in a way, fair play to the agent for getting away with it. I think he knew even if he got found out he could blag it at this client anyway.

[northernladuk]

Yep deffo going in agents back pocket....

Tell him you'll only agree if he agrees for the client to contact you directly concerning this. Bet it'll disappear.

What? All that is going to do is confirm your newbie eejit status to the agent. You have no contractual relationship with the client. This has no chance of working.

[BlueSharp]

As others have suggested: Thank the agent and tell them you have been approached by another agent offering the old rate so will ask them to put you forward instead.

[northernladuk]

Has the role been advertised with another agency? Although you've agreed to representation, there's no harm phoning another agency pretending to be interested in the role and finding out what rate they will pimp you out at. If it's the original rate (or higher) then go back to the original agency and tell them agency x are saying the rate is y and perhaps they would like to match it?

This isn't going to work and is more likely to cause more harm that good. The second agent will get in to you and quite likely put you forward for the gig which put's you in an awful position. Also remember the second agent will say exactly what the first would and then (if he's got any sense) contact the OP and drop the rate later so you aren't gaining anything except the potential for a world of problems.

Playing agents off against each other when it's them that hold the gig you want is probably the very last idea you want to try. They are good at this. The OP probably not so. Grow some and deal with the situation with the one agent and get on with the gig.

[BrilloPad]

This isn't going to work and is more likely to cause more harm that good. The second agent will get in to you and quite likely put you forward for the gig which put's you in an awful position. Also remember the second agent will say exactly what the first would and then (if he's got any sense) contact the OP and drop the rate later so you aren't gaining anything except the potential for a world of problems.

Playing agents off against each other when it's them that hold the gig you want is probably the very last idea you want to try. They are good at this. The OP probably not so. Grow some and deal with the situation with the one agent and get on with the gig.

More likely the OP will lose the gig entirely. It happened to me once with agents fighting. Late 1990. Recession time. I was very upset.

Amazingly I have not repeated my mistake since. Usually I repeat mistakes several times just to be sure.