Ways to find contracts

[Generalist]

Anyone had any success with offering a fee to anyone (agencies included) who makes a successful introduction resulting in a contract? I'm thinking of trying this as an alternative to traditional methods of finding work.

[Lucifer Box]

I have.

[Generalist]

I have.

How did you go about this? I was thinking of using this or other boards to outline what I'm looking for, however I can see some issues, including:
- assuring the introducer that they will get paid
- what information to disclose when (on both sides)

[malvolio]

You might also note it is illegal, under the provisons of section 134c of the finance act, to charge someone for finding them work. So you kind of fail at the first hurdle.

There is a way round that - I leave it as an exercise for the reader...

[boredsenseless]

You might also note it is illegal, under the provisons of section 134c of the finance act, to charge someone for finding them work. So you kind of fail at the first hurdle.

There is a way round that - I leave it as an exercise for the reader...

Surely you just contract their services via your own limited company to act as a commission based salesman who gets paid a guaranteed fixed sum upon his introduction to your company turning into verifiable business.

Obviously if you work through a composite or umbrella then this won't work.

Brown Paper Bags are an option but that is a) illegal b) relies on trust and given the standard relationship between contractors and agents that one might just be a significant undoing.

You could of course use a referral fee in the same way banks do if you refer a mate who signs up for an account but these are limited in the amount you are able to pay so is unlikely to get any half decent agent bothered.

[Generalist]

Agencies and brown envelopes aside, any suggestions for where to "advertise" in order to reach contractors and clients?

[ratewhore]

I find wearing a sandwich board and walking through business parks reaps benefits...

[Generalist]

I find wearing a sandwich board and walking through business parks reaps benefits...

Hmm... I could have "short term contract wanted" on one side and "the end of the world is nigh" on the other. I do recall that Oracle used to have one of those mobile ad trucks drive around technology parks as part of their recruitment campaign.

[Mordac]

You might also note it is illegal, under the provisons of section 134c of the finance act, to charge someone for finding them work. So you kind of fail at the first hurdle.

There is a way round that - I leave it as an exercise for the reader...

But it's not illegal for a limited company to pay another company for marketing its services to prospective clients.

[boredsenseless]

But it's not illegal for a limited company to pay another company for marketing its services to prospective clients.

You are right its not, but it has to be company to company so an umbrella bum on seater can't do it that way