How much do recruitment agents take?

[oracleslave]

Well there are always exceptions but generally speaking factoring means you get paid regularly and don't have to wait too long. Without it the end client could leave your invoices in limbo for a few month before they pull their finger out which would not be fun.....

Maybe I have just been lucky when going direct or unlucky when via an agent but I have always gotten paid more regularly and more timeously when an agent has not been involved at all.

[WetBehindTheEars]

I'm just trying to work out what service the agencies offer, either to the contractor or to the client. I'm serious when I say it is not obvious to me. They charge bundles for this "service". Who benefits most the client or the contractor?

If we didn't have recruitment agencies wouldn't all contractors be 25% richer? Or at least the client would save 25% which might mean hiring contractors is more atractive than it might be.

[Ardesco]

Ymmv

[oracleslave]

I'm just trying to work out what service the agencies offer, either to the contractor or to the client. I'm serious when I say it is not obvious to me. They charge bundles for this "service". Who benefits most the client or the contractor?

If we didn't have recruitment agencies wouldn't all contractors be 25% richer? Or at least the client would save 25% which might mean hiring contractors is more atractive than it might be.

If you didn't have agents, how much time would you spend having to find leads? How much time would you have to spend on the phone with managers, finding out about their requirements, future plans, upcoming projects etc etc. How much time and effort would you have to spend networking, chasing dead ends etc etc.I suspect a lot of effort goes in behind the scenes in order for opportunities to be fleshed out before they become publically advertised.

Sure I agree some contracts and hence commissions fall into agents lap. Doesn't mean they dont have to put in the hard graft on others. This is a cut-throat business with loads of competitors that shoudl not be dimissed off-hand imo.

[TheFaQQer]

How much do recruitment agents take?

As much as they can get.

[VectraMan]

I'm just trying to work out what service the agencies offer, either to the contractor or to the client. I'm serious when I say it is not obvious to me. They charge bundles for this "service". Who benefits most the client or the contractor?

Clients choose to use agents because they see doing the recruiting themselves as too much effort (i.e. sifting through thousands of inappropriate cvs). As a contractor you don't really have a lot of choice about going through the agent if the client is using an agent for a role, so the "service" to the contractor is in making it possible.

I have no real gripe with the agent taking a big cut on a new contract. What always annoys me is come extension time, they continue to take a big cut despite the extension being all your work and not theirs.

I think what we'd all like is some transparency. I have no idea what my agent makes, but I suspect it's reasonable, maybe 15%. On my previous contract, I suspect the agent was taking a much bigger cut, mainly because the impression I got from the client was that I was expensive, and I felt I was working for peanuts. You can say it shouldn't matter as long as you're happy with the rate, but it clearly does if the client's expectations are far higher than the rate you get would suggest.

I assume clients do know the agent's rate, but then I also assume that a lot of agents lie about it.

[shoes]

An agency is a client like any other. They are your customer! You don't have to work for an agency if you don't want to, it is possible to find other clients that are not agencies, and in so doing you might find you can charge more for your services. That's up to you. If you are at an agencies client site (for it is their customer and not yours) and working for an agency the cost of you to the end client is technically nothing to do with you. You took the gig with your customer the agency for a cost you have agreed, and they placed you at one of their clients sites. If you want to have a closer relationship with the end client you'll need to find one that is ok with hiring contractors on an individual basis.

It's worth remembering who you are invoicing! That is your customer.

[IH33]

I contract for an IB and to be fair, I'd have no idea which department and which manager is hiring for which skillset. I don't know what my agent is making but I'm more than happy with my rate. People complaining shouldn't have signed the contract in the first place!!!

[tim123]

An agency is a client like any other. They are your customer! You don't have to work for an agency if you don't want to,

That's a bit naive isn't it?

Usually, you cannot dump the agency without dumping the client, and in some sectors dumping the client (even with contractual notice) is a major blot on you CV.

tim

[Jason]

That's a bit naive isn't it?

Usually, you cannot dump the agency without dumping the client, and in some sectors dumping the client (even with contractual notice) is a major blot on you CV.

tim

I think what Shoes was meaning is if you don't like agents, build your network and go direct. For most this is a much harder option, hence the proliferation of agents.

I agree that in many circumstances agents have a "lockin" on oportunities with clients, but by not means in all cases. I have managed to work with well over 30 clients so far with no agencies involved.

As I said at the start though, agencies are here because mostly it is hard to network and get your name out there, so making a call to someone can generate work. Agencies already have the relationship, so for most people are a way in where without them they would not have one.