agreeing rate with agency

[Recruitment Agent]

Torran i dont think you get it Darren mentioned he has not worked in 9 months for what ever reason, he was offered a weekly rate of £1250 and i think that is a very good rate for someone who has not worked for a while.

[Torran]

Torran i dont think you get it Darren mentioned he has not worked in 9 months for what ever reason, he was offered a weekly rate of £1250 and i think that is a very good rate for someone who has not worked for a while.

Why compare it to a perm wage then? As a contractor I don't give a flying tulip what a perm gets.

Its a rubbish rate if the market rate is £380-£410 no matter how long he is out of work for.

[BolshieBastard]

In situations like this where the skillset is clear more than basic, you need to tell the agent that the rate you specified was based on the understanding that the skillset was fair basic. After attending the interview and discussing with client, its clear that it is lot higher and therefore, you need to specify a higher rate than what you was put forward at.

The agent having lost their professional integrity, you must keep calm and not respond likewise. Calmly tell the agent you dont normally change your rate demands but this is clearly a case where a higher skillset is called for. Be wary that the other advertised rate you saw may be from an agent not on the PSL and was just indulging in a cv trawl 'in case.'

Bottom line is, the agent is over a barrel IF the client wants you. You've also got to be prepared to walk if the agent wont play ball though. You've got to weigh up the job market after all, a bird in the hand etc.

[thunderlizard]

You've just proved you can get £380, so you'd be mad to take £250 unless you're going to run out of money imminently.

The agent was clutching at straws when he shouted at you. He hasn't a leg to stand on. You can't damage an agent's professional integrity anyway.


Having said that, you shouldn't make an offer of £250 unless you're prepared to do it for £250. If you quote a minimum figure, that immediately becomes the only figure. I know that if I was buying a car, and the dealer said I needed to pay him £5,000 minimum, I'd pay £5,000 exactly.

No worries though, everybody makes rate mistakes when they start out. I certainly did!

[darenmatthews]

Thanks Everyone

Once again a big thank you to all who responded with very useful advice. It's very much appreciated.

[slickcontractor]

Dear all,

Please can anyone offer advice to help me with my dilemma?

AGENCY CALLS:
An agency called me about a 3-month renewable contract. As is usually the case, they asked me my daily rate.

I replied as I usually do, that it depends upon the nature of the role and what the end-client was offering to pay. Following his script, he gave the usual response that they needed to know what I would be prepared to accept, to prevent them from seeking jobs whos rates were 'too low'.

Taking this as the truth, I said that the MINIMUM that I usually look for is GBP 250/day for a standard Cisco CCNA level support/implementation role.

ACCEPTED FOR INTERVIEW:
A day later I received an email stating that they had submitted my CV to their client at GBP250/day. Later on, I saw on jobserve.com, the same role (description / wording identical) from another agency, quoting a rate of between GBP380 - 410/day.

I attended the interview and it became apparent that the role required skills above CCNA level (policy-based routing, crypto-maps, PIX firewall, NBAR, etc. etc.). The technical interviewer and I got on well and we felt that I would be capable for the job.

AGENT GOES BALLISTIC / LOSES MARBLES:
Upon my return home, the agent called and asked me whether I'd accept the job, if it were offered. I said yes, subject to our agreeing the rate.

The agent went ballistic, shouting down the telephone and saying that I was "calling his professional integrity into question" (seriously, with no hint of irony) and that the rate "had already been agreed" / "was absolutely non-negotiable", etc. etc. ad nauseum.

MY DILEMMA IS:
I strongly suspect that the agency would be receiving at least GBP450/day, which means that their markup is somewhat above the de-facto standard 15 to 20 percent. This I feel is unreasonable. However, jobs are becoming harder to get (I've been out of work for a good nine months).

DO I: Take the job at 250/day and harbour the uncomfortable feeling that I have been taken in.

OR DO I: Withdraw my application, on principle.

My position is that I have a financial buffer and would be able to continue job-seeking for at least another year. I also understand that agencies have a job to do and are entitled to a commission, however it must be reasonable.

Any help / advice / opinions would be gratefully received.

no brainer here. Go with the agency offering more money. At the end of the day if the other agency is applying for the role, then they are listed as a preferred supplier by the client and the client couldnt care who represents you as long as you can come and do the job. I was offered a role with XXX agency at 360. After interview, i saw on JB agency YYY advertising same role at 400. Went back to XXX and they said that YYY were not genuine and they refused to increase. I ended with YYY, signed contract and never looked back. I may be blacklisted but i couldnt give a hoot. I am a mercenary in this business and my code is "whoever pays mo gets my service". And yes i have no loyalties because they dont either.

Happy days

lol