Trial start

[Joe Black]

Have just had an agent on the phone asking me if I'm willing to be put forward for a position on a trial start basis.

If you're wondering what that means then welcome to the club because I'd never heard anyone, certainly in contracting, use the term until now either. But I'm in Belgium so who knows...

Put simply the agent is suggesting that instead of doing an interview I do a one day trial with the client. If the client's happy with the work then I get paid for the day and get the contract. If not then I don't get paid and, well you get the picture...

On the one hand part of me thinks, hmm...sounds dodgy and a days work given away, on the other, well...potential chance to start Thurs and have a short fill-in contract until Christmas.

Opinions, anyone done this/risked this?

The agency is Computer Futures if anyones wondering.

[n5gooner]

well if you're not on a contract, then go for it, however I'd want to be paid for hte days work, even if it was a reduced rate......

[Dundeegeorge]

How peculiar

still, if they don't pay you for the day you will of course delete/remove/de-engineer the work you've done that day, on the basis that it's not good enough, so should be removed. I assume.

[DimPrawn]

I have seen this a few times.

I think it is a much better selection process than an interview as it allows you you interact with people in a much more natural way than a question and answer style interview process.

Usually on the day they give you some bugs to find and fix or a small piece of work to complete and document. If they like what you produce and you get on with people you will probably get the contract. Quite simple really.

Of course, you might not get it in which case you will have lost some travel expenses etc.

Good luck.

[DodgyAgent]

commitment

I have seen this a few times.

I think it is a much better selection process than an interview as it allows you you interact with people in a much more natural way than a question and answer style interview process.

Usually on the day they give you some bugs to find and fix or a small piece of work to complete and document. If they like what you produce and you get on with people you will probably get the contract. Quite simple really.

Of course, you might not get it in which case you will have lost some travel expenses etc.

Good luck.

Get the agency to share the risk by say agreeing to pay you whether you stick or not, even if it is only half a day.

[BoredBloke]

I would say the least they could offer you is something to cover your expenses.

[milanbenes]

sounds a bit noddy to me

Milan.

[The Lone Gunman]

Tell them your normal rate for a 1 day consultancy is 2K chargeable whether they keep you or not but you are willing to build that into a much longer term should they offer you longer.

[milanbenes]

sounds a bit wierd that they can't suss out from an interview whether or not you have the required skills, which suggests either:

a, they don't know what they are talking about and do not consider themselves qualified enough to interview - therefore they are a noddy organisation if they have people running projects who don't know what they are on about

or

b, they are not confident enough in what you have presented so far, but they are despo for someone to do the work and will therefore compromise on a day's trial

Milan.

[DodgyAgent]

not helpful

Tell them your normal rate for a 1 day consultancy is 2K chargeable whether they keep you or not but you are willing to build that into a much longer term should they offer you longer.

That is not helpful, you may as well say no.

The point I am trying to make is that you need to check that the agency and the client are serious. If you go along and it turns out to be a waste of time then the loss is yours. The client nor the agency will take you seriously because they have lost nothing.

If the agency is serious then they have a good deal to gain if you go along and do a good job, to test that they are serious they should share the risk. Once they have paid you money you can be damned sure that they will not allow the exercise to be a waste of time.

Make it easy for them by agreeing to their terms (and by being positive about staying on-even if you are not- after the trial) but get something back from them. Also if you are tough and honest they will think that you will aquit yourself well once you are there.

If they are not prepared to share the risk then it is likely that the job is not a serious one anyway.