Agency not happy with my linkedin status

[Old Greg]

I will admit that you're one of the good old regulars now.

Every forum needs a φαρμακός from time to time. But they're not really meant to hang around.

[Agent]

I love threads like this. Agency says, change the title of your LinkedIn for a day, it will potentially help you get a contract.

Contractors go on forums saying how much of the prick the agent is lol

In my experience, agencies don't sit there trying to waste your time, if they're asking you to do this then perhaps there's a valid reason, maybe the client dislikes it because they've been let down back in 1999 by a contractor with the same status and the agent knows this so he's trying to help.

Worst case, you change your status for a day then change it back, do you really think this is going to have a huge impact on your overall job search??

I'm 15 years into being a recruiter and trust me, there's no money being made by making stupid requests. Every and I mean everything is done with revenue in mind.

[Eirikur]

I'm 15 years into being a recruiter and trust me, there's no money being made by making stupid requests. Every and I mean everything is done with revenue in mind.

After 15 years you still don't get how stupid some of your revenue driven requests/tricks can be (see the 2 references thread as well)

[Agent]

After 15 years you still don't get how stupid some of your revenue driven requests/tricks can be (see the 2 references thread as well)

Hey, they're not stupid if they work.

Personally, I'm more of a perm recruiter so reference for legitimate reasons at offer stage.

[original PM]

I love threads like this. Agency says, change the title of your LinkedIn for a day, it will potentially help you get a contract.

Contractors go on forums saying how much of the prick the agent is lol

In my experience, agencies don't sit there trying to waste your time, if they're asking you to do this then perhaps there's a valid reason, maybe the client dislikes it because they've been let down back in 1999 by a contractor with the same status and the agent knows this so he's trying to help.

Worst case, you change your status for a day then change it back, do you really think this is going to have a huge impact on your overall job search??

I'm 15 years into being a recruiter and trust me, there's no money being made by making stupid requests. Every and I mean everything is done with revenue in mind.

So I've just signed a contract with Microsoft -do i expect them to stop advertising and only ever deal with me?

No obviously not.

So why would another company suddenly expect my company to say it is not available?

I am available - evenings/weekend etc - just because my co has committed to supplying a person for a role for a period of time during the day it does not mean my co cannot do other things.

The point is it is nothing to do with the client or the agent how, why or what platform you continue to use to secure future business for your co.

And they need to be told so in no uncertain terms.

[Agent]

So I've just signed a contract with Microsoft -do i expect them to stop advertising and only ever deal with me?

No obviously not.

So why would another company suddenly expect my company to say it is not available?

I am available - evenings/weekend etc - just because my co has committed to supplying a person for a role for a period of time during the day it does not mean my co cannot do other things.

The point is it is nothing to do with the client or the agent how, why or what platform you continue to use to secure future business for your co.

And they need to be told so in no uncertain terms.

What if the client requires that you don't work on additional projects at the same time as theirs? This is not uncommon for a number of reasons.

The fact that you're willing/trying to potentially max out/change/exceed your availability by taking on more than one client is likely to give you certain commitments outside of the normal hours and at weekends and the client may have a legitimate reason to need someone that can offer flexibility and who could be available to increase their workload if needed. I understand that you're not going to stop activities on your pipeline but publically advertising your availability while under contract is not the smartest of moves.

Honestly, I know that for tax reasons your 'company' and 'you' are two separate entities and officially the client is engaging your company but the reality they are one and the same in most instances and employers know this. For examples, you'll likely have the right of substitution in your contract to help with your IR35 status but good luck executing it in 90% of cases.

With regards to your Microsoft contract, if they continue to advertise for your actual role then wouldn't you be concerned? You're not Microsoft, you're likely one fella on his own with limited time and resource.

Either way, fighting against agents isn't the way to be smart. Like all situations, there's a bit of a dance, some compromise and some element of game playing. That's just life an as a contractor the sooner you realise this, the easier life becomes.

[unixman]

Agency that forwarded me for a contract and confirmed a phone interview with the end client, told me they want me to remove my message that I'm immediately available for new contracts from LinkedIn or else they will withdraw my application. WTF? Told them I'm not doing that and go ahead withdrawing me if they don't like it. I also told them, I will contact the person who is planned to interview me directly if they actually do it.

Agency nonsense. Until a contract is signed, you ARE available for new contracts and to say otherwise on your LinkedIn profile would simply be untruthful.

Incidentally, I wouldn't have threatened to contact the client directly, that's a no-no.

Oh, and @PermieToContractorAndBack - well said.

[psychocandy]

I love threads like this. Agency says, change the title of your LinkedIn for a day, it will potentially help you get a contract.

Contractors go on forums saying how much of the prick the agent is lol

In my experience, agencies don't sit there trying to waste your time, if they're asking you to do this then perhaps there's a valid reason, maybe the client dislikes it because they've been let down back in 1999 by a contractor with the same status and the agent knows this so he's trying to help.

Worst case, you change your status for a day then change it back, do you really think this is going to have a huge impact on your overall job search??

I'm 15 years into being a recruiter and trust me, there's no money being made by making stupid requests. Every and I mean everything is done with revenue in mind.

Yes your own revenue of course.

[psychocandy]

Agency nonsense. Until a contract is signed, you ARE available for new contracts and to say otherwise on your LinkedIn profile would simply be untruthful.

Incidentally, I wouldn't have threatened to contact the client directly, that's a no-no.

Oh, and @PermieToContractorAndBack - well said.

EXACTLY. Do agents really think or expect you to apply for one gig at a time and then wait and see before applying for another? Thats just nuts.

How many people have had a gig pulled day before start? I have. This is for one that wanted someone to start in 3 weeks - friday before it got pulled. Luckily, I'd been applying for other stuff.

[billybiro]

Told them I'm not doing that and go ahead withdrawing me if they don't like it. I also told them, I will contact the person who is planned to interview me directly if they actually do it.

This is the only correct response. Anything else is acquiescing to the agency's demands and they have zero right to tell you to do anything of the sort.

I mean, if you demanded they change something on their website before you'd contract with them, do you think they'd meekly submit to your request or are they more likely to just laugh and ignore you?

Bonus points for threatening to tell the client's representative how the arrogant agency is acting. It's about time more people took a stand and put these idiot agencies in their place. Alas, it seems there are, unfortunately, far too many doormats on here.