tired of getting gigs thru agents

[chewie171]

hi all,

was wondering if many people here had got work from just contacting companies direct.

I'm in a contract (programming) at the moment, but in the future i want to get work that is abit more flexible (i can do from home etc.)

is there a market out there for me ?

[expat]

hi all,

was wondering if many people here had got work from just contacting companies direct.

I have on occasion. Usually this comes from already being known to the project manager. This is why you should not accept long handcuff clauses on your contracts. Fair enough, you don't jump out of a contract to go direct, and I don't blame agents for writing that into the contract; but if the client contacts you six months later for more work, it's you they want and not the agency, so IMHO it's your contact and your contract, not the agency's: it was your work that made them want you back (if it was the agency that they wanted back, they'd have called the agency).

In some cases even after you have arranged everything, the client company's HR department will insist that you go through an agency. The agency will then tend to regard it as their contract that you helpfully found for them, rather than your contract that you are engaging them to administer for you. This is nothing short of thievery, and agents should be hanged for this, as well as for many other reasons.

[Fred Bloggs]

In some cases even after you have arranged everything, the client company's HR department will insist that you go through an agency. The agency will then tend to regard it as their contract that you helpfully found for them, rather than your contract that you are engaging them to administer for you. This is nothing short of thievery, and agents should be hanged for this, as well as for many other reasons

Exactly that happened several times to me, sad to say. Ho hum, it's work though, and a 100% better than the bench.

[expat]

Exactly that happened several times to me, sad to say. Ho hum, it's work though, and a 100% better than the bench.

It's not just having to go through an agency that gets me, it's the way they take over the contract.

E.g. you have already fixed a price with the client, then they go and negotiate all over again. Not to your benefit, to theirs; but they won't even tell you how much they bill because "relations with the client are confidential". Get away, I don't want the client pissed off by an extra 200 a day that I'm not seeing any of.

Then they try to insist on a 6-month or 1-year handcuff clause. Get orff, you didn't find it for me, it's not your contract.

Then they give you their "how to behave professionally" page with instructions on timekeeping, dress, alcohol etc. Eff off, the client wants me, not you: don't tell me how to do my contract. (Especially since I was contracting before you learned to read, sonny).

[Jubber]

hi all,

was wondering if many people here had got work from just contacting companies direct.

I'm in a contract (programming) at the moment, but in the future i want to get work that is abit more flexible (i can do from home etc.)

is there a market out there for me ?

I did it a fair bit between 2001 and 2005. The problem is, as soon as you 'go it alone' so to speak, you become a salesman. You have to sell yourself (company) first, then do the programming afterwards. Finding the work is hard. Most of mine came by word of mouth, but I still couldn't get enough really.

May have to go back to it next year if too many people are chasing the same jobs on Jobserve.

Talking of Jobserve - is it down today? Can't get in.

[chewie171]

thanks for the input guys, interesting to hear your points of view.

I think you right about the sales stuff, I guess i have to become a salesman for my company (and marketing etc ...)

also the thought of finding gigs and then being forced to let an agency in on the deal is not good

[PAH]

the thought of finding gigs and then being forced to let an agency in on the deal is not good

The solution is to have two Ltd companies, one for contracting, and one as an agency.

All the paperwork is a bit of a bind though.

[Smurficus]

I applied direct on JobServe back in May - nothing came of it then but they rang up last week to see if I was available and its looking good for a part-time contract

Just luck of the draw I guess.

[expat]

The solution is to have two Ltd companies, one for contracting, and one as an agency.

All the paperwork is a bit of a bind though.

That is rarely a solution, since HR will have some further criterion in mind, such as the agency must be on their list, or run by one of their friends. Or, in one case I had, they didn't care but the contract would have to be approved by HR, Legal, and Accounts, which would take a couple of months: or I could use an agency that already had someone else on site, and I could start tomorrow.

[crimdon]

The solution is to have two Ltd companies, one for contracting, and one as an agency.

All the paperwork is a bit of a bind though.

I'm supprised somebody hasn't set one up as a plan B. Could work on a fixed subscription basis rather than commision.