Would You Trust an Agent Who Doesn't Reveal His Markup?

[DodgyAgent]

surely you should do the best job you can - not base your input on your rate.

i do agree that if the cleint is paying x they expect to know what calibre of contractor they should be getting.

but that is down to the pimp - if they are going to **** around then they will get less business and therefore not pick up many contracts.

but if the agency are providing profesional recruitment services then as long as they fulfill the clients requirments with the correct person then all is ok.

there is a point that whilst maybe it is not for the contractor to know the markup the end client should certainly know what is being paid to the contractor and thus what the agency is making.

It is nothing to do with doing your best. Some people are better than others, if someone commands a regular tab of £800 a day then they are more than likeley to have more experience of doing harder jobs better than someone on £400 a day.

[Bluebird]

DA can you get me a gig for £800 a day ?

ta.

[cykophysh39]

I can't believe you actuallyh used the words trust and agent in the same sentence!!!

[Euro-commuter]

The difference is that agencts "could" lose you the gig based solely on THEIR mark-up not your rate.
The client may pay the higher rate, but it does put you at a disadvatage IF an agency tries to squeese too much out of the client.

After all if they get 50% of their clients to pay way over the odds as opposed to 100% paying a reasonable rate - the agency doesn't lose out - the only ones who lose are the 50% who weren't taken on...

The solution is clear: let the free market decide.

Specifically: as a contractor, if you like a particular contract, take it from the agency that will give you the best deal. Don't accept that the first agency to get to you with a particular client has exclusive rights to that deal.

I'm interested in opinions on this. I wouldn't try to cut out an agent from something he brought to me: but if Agent A comes to me about a contract, then later that same day, Agent B comes to me about the same contract, am I morally obliged to say to B, "sorry, I have already been contacted about this one"?

I actually did that yesterday, then asked myself if there was really any reason why I should. I wouldn't be not cheating on Agent A, just considering different offers.

[senditback]

The solution is clear: let the free market decide.

Specifically: as a contractor, if you like a particular contract, take it from the agency that will give you the best deal. Don't accept that the first agency to get to you with a particular client has exclusive rights to that deal.

I'm interested in opinions on this. I wouldn't try to cut out an agent from something he brought to me: but if Agent A comes to me about a contract, then later that same day, Agent B comes to me about the same contract, am I morally obliged to say to B, "sorry, I have already been contacted about this one"?

I actually did that yesterday, then asked myself if there was really any reason why I should. I wouldn't be not cheating on Agent A, just considering different offers.

It depends on whether the first agency has forwarded your CV to the client. If they have then you should really stick with them, otherwise it can get messy with duplicate CVs going to the client. That can really pi's them off. If the have not forwarded the CV thenit's free game. Having said that it is worth bearnig in mind who the two agents are - if you know one to be better than the other then probably stick with them anyhow as they have more chance of getting you the gig.

[Bluebird]

I've in the past seen a job I quite liked the look of, then approached an agency who I've used in the past to see if I can get the gig via them rather than the agency thats advertising the post.