Is this bad form?

[Scholes blurred vision]

First contract. I have received a verbal offer on a 12 month contract and the agency and I have agreed a day rate. Because of the nature of the business the recruiting company has to go out to tender with other agencies. I have seen the day rate advertised with these other agencies a bit higher than what I have agreed with my agency.

I know that a verbal contract means jack until it is signed and sealed, but my question is this, is it bad form for me to subsequently go back to my agency to increase our originally agreed day rate on the basis that I have seen the role being offered with another agency at a higher rate (albeit £30 a day more, but over 12 months that is a fair whack)?

Or, tough titties, you agreed a day rate and stick to it?

[tarbera]

£30 - suck it up man !!!

Jesus

[PerfectStorm]

You set your price and did a deal on it.

[gigahoe]

As this is your first contract securing a role and keeping it are more important than £30/day rate increase. You were happy to accept the lower rate and they have accepted your skills at that level. Just push for the contract to be issued so you can nail it down.

[Pondlife]

I assume you'd be just as happy for the agent to tell you that the rate has decreased by £30 the day the contract arrives?

[tractor]

..

First contract. I have received a verbal offer on a 12 month contract and the agency and I have agreed a day rate. Because of the nature of the business the recruiting company has to go out to tender with other agencies. I have seen the day rate advertised with these other agencies a bit higher than what I have agreed with my agency.

I know that a verbal contract means jack until it is signed and sealed, but my question is this, is it bad form for me to subsequently go back to my agency to increase our originally agreed day rate on the basis that I have seen the role being offered with another agency at a higher rate (albeit £30 a day more, but over 12 months that is a fair whack)?

Or, tough titties, you agreed a day rate and stick to it?

You haven't even got the role yet. I would keep interviewing if I were you rather than worry about the rate you don't yet have.

[JRCT]

Whilst I agree with everyone that you've agreed a rate and should stick to it, I think it's a fair question to ask on your first contract, so you shouldn't be getting a hard time about it.

[ChimpMaster]

Assuming you work the whole 12 month contract, the figure you are negotiating over is around £6000, which is worth a battle if that is a worthwhile % of your total revenue. For example, if your contract value is £200,000 then it's not worth the battle so much as if your contract value is £100,000.

Personally, seeing as you're locked into that rate for 12 months, I would not be happy if I didn't at least try to negotiate.

As others have said, however, it's not in the bag until you're at the client's desk (and even then there are risks), so keep on looking for another role in the meantime. If nothing else, it will give you a stick to negotiate with.

Good luck.

[BlasterBates]

First of all advertised rates are advertised rates, the first thing an agent will do is beat you down. This is your first contract, do you want to jeopordise it.

However,.... you haven't accepted the offer, so yes you can negotiate, it's not bad form. Basically you say thanks for the offer and you're really interested but you have another opportunity at a higher rate, if they up the rate then you'll accept.

Now if you negotiate soft, you can keep the contract but they'll probably refuse or give you a token rise, if you negotiate hard, i.e. be prepared to walk, you might get it but you might lose the contract altogether.

I would see no harm in a "soft" negotation, unless you have 3 interviews lined up I wouldn't take the hard line.

The fact is the higher your rate the less likely you are to get the contract. That's just a fact of life and you need more in the pipeline to really up your rate.

[TheFaQQer]

First contract. I have received a verbal offer on a 12 month contract and the agency and I have agreed a day rate. Because of the nature of the business the recruiting company has to go out to tender with other agencies. I have seen the day rate advertised with these other agencies a bit higher than what I have agreed with my agency.

What is advertised and what is offered are rarely the same thing.

I know that a verbal contract means jack until it is signed and sealed

Actually, it doesn't mean that at all - if you have verbally accepted the contract offer, then you have accepted the contract offer and are bound by the terms and conditions therein. Of course, proving that you accepted the offer becomes much harder without documentary proof.

but my question is this, is it bad form for me to subsequently go back to my agency to increase our originally agreed day rate on the basis that I have seen the role being offered with another agency at a higher rate (albeit £30 a day more, but over 12 months that is a fair whack)?

See above - are the other agencies actually paying it, or merely trying to lure people in with a rate that they will then barter down?

If it's going to be an issue for you, then negotiate. Since you have the contract offer from the client (presumably?) then you do have some negotiating strength - unless the agency are on a fixed margin and the client wants you at that rate and so any increase you negotiate comes from the client rather than the agency.