Newbie needs an agent

[solutions]

good service from s3!!!!

thanks for the advice guys, however had some legendary service from an s3 (gasp) agent - Pathway, called me this morning, telephone intv over lunch, decision made by 3pm - I start in 2 weeks! just enough time to serve my notice. Looks like they're not all bad, the rest of them tho - Hoaxley etc. right bunch of tossers

[DaveB]

Congratulations. Just make sure you get your contract checked by Bauer and Cotrell, Lawspeed etc. They are still an S3 agenciy with everything that entails.

[solutions]

thanks daveb, will do, my a level law knowledge says its fairly solid but i'll get the experts in

[theITcoach.biz]

I'm trying to get my first contract in testing and have so far been getting loads of calls from smarmy, pushy agents all promising me the world and then never calling back. Which ones can I trust, if any? The only ones who keep me updated on anything are Lorien and Pathway but I've read bad things about them too!! Any advice???? And does it matter that I'm in testing? are some agencies better at some fields than others?

Solutions,

After a while, you'll be able to sort out the wheat from the chaff. By the sound of it, you already know what chaff sounds like. So that's a good start.

I've used Elan recently and found them generally ok. It depends largely on the person you speak with.

Agents who make big promises about contracts are generally the one's to avoid.

I know quite a few testers and I don't think it makes any difference at all. I hear the same issues with agencies.

All the best
John

[DaveB]

thanks daveb, will do, my a level law knowledge says its fairly solid but i'll get the experts in

It IR35 you need it checking for. S3 contracts are notorious for their potential to land you in it with the tax man. Basic contract law is ok but you need to know how it applies to IR35 to make sure you are in the clear.

[spankmebono]

The best advice I ever took was create your own db/ss with Agency info in it, much the same as they do with us, get every contact possible, write comments be really detailed esp with the ones who mess you about and the really good ones. Keep it forever, you will be amazed at how the salespersons move around.

The losers who merely trawl for cvs become evident, and never deal with an salesperson who won't tell you who the client is (usually because there isn't one).

Never give a salesperson a break. If you get any calls asking 'when are you available' be as vague as possible, this is a trick to undercut your rate and submit cvs when you are up for renewal.

At the end of the day they are salespeople, they are not here for us, they are there for themselves and I have never come across people with fewer morals, not even car salesmen.