Major Blue chip...6 month contract..20/hr

[BradNeedsYourHelp]

I spoke to the agency, I have the contract but the rate is 20.67.

I wonder were the 0.67 came from!?

[BoredBloke]

"I wonder were the 0.67 came from!?"

Usually it is because the agent is on a fixed percentage.

I did 9 months for a consultancy a bit ago and really enjoyed it. I was on a day rate and the hours were quite long (usually 8am to 18:30), but I found them to be pretty flexible in terms of where I worked. So long as the work got done and you didn't cock things up they were fine. Get either of these wrong and you'd be out of the door pretty sharpish though.

The pay I was on was significantly better than £20 per hour though.

[Cowboy Bob]

"I wonder were the 0.67 came from!?"

Usually it is because the agent is on a fixed percentage.

And with a little bit of maths (assuming the original rate is a round number - which it usually is) you can work out what that percentage is...

[_V_]

Possible answers.

The rate is £159/hr and the agent is taking 87%
The rate is £53/hr and agent is taking 61%
The rate is £39/hr and agent is taking 47%

All the whole number answers indicate a rather greedy agent.

[Ardesco]

Just ask the agent what percentage they are taking. I belive they are supposed to tell you now (not that i normally bother as i don't really want to know what the scum are getting for free..)

[BradNeedsYourHelp]

Hello,

I think I have been foolish.

Two questions.

1) Is it a rule of law that says Agencies must declare their margins to candidates?

2) Is it too late to tell the agency I want a fairer deal?

There is of course, the chance they will just tell me to get lost and give the deal to another candidate.

Its been 2 days since I said yes to the contract. I have not signed anything, it starts in 1.5 weeks.

What should I do?

[oraclesmith]

I think I have been foolish.

Maybe.

1) Is it a rule of law that says Agencies must declare their margins to candidates?

Nope. Agencies are businesses. They are in it to make profits, not make you rich.

2) Is it too late to tell the agency I want a fairer deal?

Nope. You haven't signed anything yet and the verbal agreement was presumably without your knowledge of the contract detail. The agent won't use you again though, and will whinge about you to the client. When you say fairer, what you really mean is that you want to negotiate an increase in rate. There is no 'fair'.

There is of course, the chance they will just tell me to get lost and give the deal to another candidate.

There is a very good chance. Only do this of you feel you are in a position of strength - ie. have another contract in hand or skills in great demand. In my opinion. Work is better than nothing so long as you don't get locked in.

[Charl1e brown74]

A fool and his money.....

Hello,

I think I have been foolish.

Two questions.

1) Is it a rule of law that says Agencies must declare their margins to candidates?

2) Is it too late to tell the agency I want a fairer deal?

There is of course, the chance they will just tell me to get lost and give the deal to another candidate.

Its been 2 days since I said yes to the contract. I have not signed anything, it starts in 1.5 weeks.

What should I do?

I think you should go home and find out more about contracting. How can you be so naive as to enter into the world of contracting without finding out about 'how things work' first?? You do know that this is not a game? This site exsists as a means of finding out about things in a proactive way not reactive as you obviosly seem to work!

[BradNeedsYourHelp]

Yes, I want to renegoiate the rate.

Although, I have no idea what I could try asking for.

I saw this role advertised by a few other agencies, and the rate went from 15-20 p/h or upto £160/day.

So I figured the amount the client was paying was low, and therefore reflected in the fact that the agencies were actually milking a very low rate and therefore offering peanuts for the job.

A fool I am.

Has anybody else worked in a role? were they know (for sure) they were being raped on the rate?

[BradNeedsYourHelp]

I think you should go home and find out more about contracting. How can you be so naive as to enter into the world of contracting without finding out about 'how things work' first?? You do know that this is not a game? This site exsists as a means of finding out about things in a proactive way not reactive as you obviosly seem to work!

Thanks for your advice.