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Had Enough of Agencies??

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    Had Enough of Agencies??

    Hi All

    Another contractor working with me on my current job has just referred this to me:

    www.cynanto.com

    I've not yet had chance to look into the finer details of their terms etc, but at first glance it looks like a new site that's finally bridging the gap between us contractors and our clients!! Is this what we've all been waiting for? I can't seem to find any catches in there, but it seems all a bit too good to be true. They claim to "cut out the middle man" (the agent) and allow clients to find contractors direct, and then contractors can reply direct to clients to work out terms without the need of an agent.

    It's free to register and they're also offering quite a descent incentive scheme - to build the numbers as it's a new site I guess....

    Definitely worth a look I'd say - if there's a chance that we could avoid the endless issues that we experience with agencies then it sounds good to me!!

    #2
    The problem with these schemes is that the vast majority of employers who want to source somebody can't be arsed to plough through CV's to sort the chaff from the wheat, so they get an agent to do it instead.

    or

    HR doesn't want to run temp contracts or B2B contracts for contractors so they just get set up a PSL agreement with an agency and source the work that way.

    Good luck though

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by jdedev
      Hi All

      Another contractor working with me on my current job has just referred this to me:

      www.cynanto.com

      I've not yet had chance to look into the finer details of their terms etc, but at first glance it looks like a new site that's finally bridging the gap between us contractors and our clients!! Is this what we've all been waiting for? I can't seem to find any catches in there, but it seems all a bit too good to be true. They claim to "cut out the middle man" (the agent) and allow clients to find contractors direct, and then contractors can reply direct to clients to work out terms without the need of an agent.

      It's free to register and they're also offering quite a descent incentive scheme - to build the numbers as it's a new site I guess....

      Definitely worth a look I'd say - if there's a chance that we could avoid the endless issues that we experience with agencies then it sounds good to me!!
      That looks great!! Could you post some more detail??

      Comment


        #4
        How many times. Contractors might hate agents but clients LOVE them.

        Agents:

        1. Tell clients what they want to hear.
        2. Take clients out to expensive lunches and schmooze them.
        3. Pressure contractors to drop rates.
        4. Undercut rivals
        5. Arrange interviews and take care of all the hassle of chasing the contractor
        6. Provide payroll services (factoring).


        How does a website do this for clients?

        Comment


          #5
          And not only do clients have to p*ss about sifting through CVs littered with words they don't understand, but contractors have to pay £300pa for the "privilege" of getting in touch with said clients.

          Stupid idea.

          If clients want to go direct to contractors, they can do so already. It's called "advertising on Jobserve".

          Comment


            #6
            My clients absolutely HATE agencies, so I'll be having a look at this when I have time.

            Comment


              #7
              Ouch hadn't read that far in

              £300 to respond to somebody asking you if you can do XXX role, you're having a laugh!!!

              A one off finders fee of £20 per confirmed gig would be more realistic.

              Comment


                #8
                Don't get carried away just yet. There are about 25 of these sites out there and more appearing every day. Until someone changes the market, they are going nowhere.
                Blog? What blog...?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by King Cnvt
                  How many times. Contractors might hate agents but clients LOVE them.

                  Agents:

                  1. Tell clients what they want to hear.
                  2. Take clients out to expensive lunches and schmooze them.
                  3. Pressure contractors to drop rates.
                  4. Undercut rivals
                  5. Arrange interviews and take care of all the hassle of chasing the contractor
                  6. Provide payroll services (factoring).


                  How does a website do this for clients?
                  1. True
                  2. True
                  3. True but imaterial as agents don't pass on these saving to the clients
                  4. True but by squeezing contractors twice as much (they would cut off their right hand before dropping their margins)
                  5. True, it really is a lot of work to pick up phone/send email saying "client would like to see you, you advalible tomorrow at 2pm?"
                  6. No benefit to client this one. This is ONLY benefit contractors get for using agents

                  Main reason clients like agents is, they cut down on hassle for client, instead of having to advoid pointless calls from 1000 contractors everyday they only have to advoid calls from about 10 agents

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I have considered setting up a co-operative of likeminded contractors to try and remove the agency step in the chain, the only problem is that you end up turning into an agency yourself..

                    ..on my last contract the agent was getting 6% so to be honest I don't begrudge them that sort of cut myself.

                    Comment

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