State of the Market

[kaiser78]

This last week and a bit I have had several calls from agents for a number of contact PM roles, at a decent whack too. Maybe last big push before the end of the year ?

[ShandyDrinker]

Approved agent is struggling to find more CV's and the other agents are sending us the same CV's.

80% of the applicants are Bob's with 2 days experience and unable to speak when interviewed over the telephone - Pay is circa £400 a day.

This is Nottingham city centre.

Not knowing the East Midlands particularly well I'd say £400 a day for a .Net Developer is pretty reasonable knowing the crap rates on offer in the South West. It's no wonder people tend to gravitate towards London...

[SussexSeagull]

Had an interview lined up for tomorrow. Agent was going to get back to me with a time but has now gone missing. Coward.

Probably it until the new year. Gamble of not taking a permanent job seems to have failed.

[vwdan]

I'm not in a position to apply, but there seems to have been a flurry of decent looking relevant jobs coming through so perhaps things are picking up a touch?

[eek]

I'm not in a position to apply, but there seems to have been a flurry of decent looking relevant jobs coming through so perhaps things are picking up a touch?

As I commented elsewhere I think it very much depends where you are and what you can do.

In my case it seems the market ain't great but there are options around and someone does seem to desperately want me..

[Bee]

I have said for years that recruitment in this country doesn't work. How many times have you gone for something that the spec could have been written for you and you never hear back?

Agents think margin first and customer second. Plus I suspect some don't like working with British resource.

I suspect that the agencies are increasing their margins thru the years. If in the past was around 10%-20%, now their are trying to get as much as possible. They don’t have any costs with us, so I think this kind of business should be regulated.

[MrMarkyMark]

I suspect that the agencies are increasing their margins thru the years. If in the past was around 10%-20%, now their are trying to get as much as possible. They don’t have any costs with us, so I think this kind of business should be regulated.

Completely untrue.

A lot of agencies working with the big players work on a fixed margin.
This is often reduced to a capped level, over a period of time, usually to around 7%.

[Bee]

Completely untrue.

A lot of agencies working with the big players work on a fixed margin.
This is often reduced to a capped level, over a period of time, usually to around 7%.

[Lance]

At my last contract the agent was fixed on 13%
If the client found the person the agent was still used and the markup was 7%

Having seen both ends of the financials I can confirm this is accurate.

[MrMarkyMark]

I don't know what you are laughing about, 7% is still quite a lot when you get a decent day rate?
I know, for a fact, that a lot of IBs work this way, it is written into the upper contract.

Obviously, the agent will want more if he is looking at a contractor with a potential of £300 PD?
That's maybe why your percentages seem high?