Agency not happy with my linkedin status

[billybiro]

A contractor colleague of mine updated his status to 'Actively considering my options' a couple of months ago. I was the only one who noticed so I left him to it and he's moved on now. Did strike me as somewhat passive aggressive.

If it's good enough for the clients, it's good enough for us!

[billybiro]

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.

You've mentioned that your really a permie recruiter, so I'm not too sure if you understand how contracting works, but a contractor is independent. They are not an employee of the client for whom they're doing work, and I can assure you that if any client asked me, as a contractor, that I was only allowed to work exclusively with them for the duration of the contract, I'd never be signing a contract with them.

[Mag]

Wow - you're a bit of a helmet, but for the purposes of setting the record straight. See below.

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.

That's not a contractor engagement then, you would in fact be 'employed'.

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.

Why is not the smartest of moves? I work for my main client for approx 37 hours a week - that leaves me with evenings and weekends to do work for other clients. This is not unsual. The fact you think it is says more about you than it does the OP.

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.

The reality is very much the same. They are two seperate entities. My treat my client like a client and they treat me like a supplier. Your IR35 points are moot, you've demonstrated so far you have no idea what you're talking about.

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.

The client are free to do as they please. The same as I am free, as a business, to do as I please.

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.

Fighting? As in where one person wins and one person loses? So in your instance, the contractor should not 'fight' and accept whatever the agency stipulates? It is not just life as a contractor, that's only life when you're dealing with the pond life variation of agencies, which you appear to fit in to 100%.

[Old Greg]

Wow - you're a bit of a helmet, but for the purposes of setting the record straight. See below.



That's not a contractor engagement then, you would in fact be 'employed'.



Why is not the smartest of moves? I work for my main client for approx 37 hours a week - that leaves me with evenings and weekends to do work for other clients. This is not unsual. The fact you think it is says more about you than it does the OP.



The reality is very much the same. They are two seperate entities. My treat my client like a client and they treat me like a supplier. Your IR35 points are moot, you've demonstrated so far you have no idea what you're talking about.



The client are free to do as they please. The same as I am free, as a business, to do as I please.



Fighting? As in where one person wins and one person loses? So in your instance, the contractor should not 'fight' and accept whatever the agency stipulates? It is not just life as a contractor, that's only life when you're dealing with the pond life variation of agencies, which you appear to fit in to 100%.

While I share your disdain of agents, don't you think there's a bit of a sales mode you need to be in when trying to make a sale? It's not always comfortable, and we're not all naturally suited, but you do need to make sales! Once you've made it, you can go back to standard contempt mode.

[washed up contractor]

Never heard so much bollocks. As for changing your status just for the interview are people wimps or what? No, if you change your status for this just how well do you think the agent will negotiate any contract changes with you? it will be take it or we pull the offer. tell them to go fornicate themselves.

[Agent]

Wow - you're a bit of a helmet, but for the purposes of setting the record straight. See below.



That's not a contractor engagement then, you would in fact be 'employed'.



Why is not the smartest of moves? I work for my main client for approx 37 hours a week - that leaves me with evenings and weekends to do work for other clients. This is not unsual. The fact you think it is says more about you than it does the OP.



The reality is very much the same. They are two seperate entities. My treat my client like a client and they treat me like a supplier. Your IR35 points are moot, you've demonstrated so far you have no idea what you're talking about.



The client are free to do as they please. The same as I am free, as a business, to do as I please.



Fighting? As in where one person wins and one person loses? So in your instance, the contractor should not 'fight' and accept whatever the agency stipulates? It is not just life as a contractor, that's only life when you're dealing with the pond life variation of agencies, which you appear to fit in to 100%.

As much as you think you know recruitment and contracting, I can guarantee i know it better. Its literally all i’ve done for 15 years. I get the whole dislike of agencies, i really do, i dislike a lot of them myself.

My point is that at times theres needs to be an element of team work to secure a contract. If an agency gives you some simple advice about changing your linkedin for a day as it could help secure you a £100k, year long gig then listen to them. This particular agent sounds like a tool as they clearly didnt justify why it was important but that doesnt make it bad advice.

If you didnt need agencies then they wouldnt exist. The OP seems to want to fight against the system rather than working it and i think thats the wrong approach.

At no point did i say that the contractor should accept every demand of the agency, the post was about changing your linkedin status for an interview, thats it, they werent asking for your first daughters hand in marriage.

And calling me pond life is a bit much, youve never worked with me so stop judging and stop being so damn defensive, Im not out to offend, im just offering another perspective.

Your point about not taking on multiple projects or it makes you employed is perhaps the most ill informed comment ive seen throughout the whole post.

Ive reviewed literally hundreds of contracts and countless times this has been a requirement in some shape or form. This is especially the case for very industry specific contractors. For example, go and sign a contract for a broker to develop their new algo, then go and do a similar project for another broker at the same time. You cant, youd be walked out the door and probably sued.

I dont mean to offend but your exposure to contracting is likely limited to 20-30 contracts, maybe up to 50 if you do short term gigs. Recruiters can do 20-30 contract reviews a month and yet they have nothing to offer in terms of experience?

[Agent]

Never heard so much bollocks. As for changing your status just for the interview are people wimps or what? No, if you change your status for this just how well do you think the agent will negotiate any contract changes with you? it will be take it or we pull the offer. tell them to go fornicate themselves.

With this logic, I bet if you were selling your house and the agent said to put some flowers over the mantle, youd say they were talking bollocks and would refuse tonwork with them.. haha

Ive yet to meet a contractor that know more about recruitment, hiring and interviewing than a decent recruiter.

[NotAllThere]

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

That depends very much on the client.

Contacting the client directly can stop agents playing silly beggars by e.g. trying to reduce your rate and increase their margin at the last minute.

[SueEllen]

Your point about not taking on multiple projects or it makes you employed is perhaps the most ill informed comment ive seen throughout the whole post.

Ive reviewed literally hundreds of contracts and countless times this has been a requirement in some shape or form. This is especially the case for very industry specific contractors. For example, go and sign a contract for a broker to develop their new algo, then go and do a similar project for another broker at the same time. You cant, youd be walked out the door and probably sued.

I dont mean to offend but your exposure to contracting is likely limited to 20-30 contracts, maybe up to 50 if you do short term gigs. Recruiters can do 20-30 contract reviews a month and yet they have nothing to offer in terms of experience?

No your comment is ill-informed.

What differs contractors from employees is we are allowed to work for multiple clients at the same time without having to ask anyone's permission, and we don't hand over intellectual property for those other projects to the specific client they aren't for.

There as when I was permanent I had to ask my employer permission to work for someone else, and one stated any projects I worked on in my free time was their intellectual property. I was able to get that removed when I pointed out they used open sourced software and who did they think worked on it, but if you work for some software houses that get patents you can't.

However any contractor who has done it, like I have, is aware of a few commonsense ground rules which prevent you getting sued for breach of contract. Preferably choose clients in different industry areas, and if they aren't make sure they are in sectors where you can't easily be accused of sharing confidential information. Also make sure the clients are aware you have other clients - this is of course easier if you only work for that particular client 2 days a week.

[SueEllen]

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

You never threaten an agency with this you just do it where it is appropriate.

For example I've had to talk to clients when the agency cannot clarify stuff in the contract like working hours. I've also given a client references once I realised the agent would take hours to send them the details through, there as my referees where available to talk immediately and for the next few hours.