Agency 'Cut'

[Julius Caesar]

You're looking at this the wrong way. The margin is not "off the top", it's "on top" - we're not taking it directly away from you.

That's very Orwellian. If I look at it the right way I will see that you are right...

No, actually it's BS. The margin is off the top. The client pays what they pay, and you take your cut. Off the top.

And you are taking it directly away from me. What the client pays is split between you and me. What you take, I don't get, and vice versa.

[The Agents View]

That's very Orwellian. If I look at it the right way I will see that you are right...

No, actually it's BS. The margin is off the top. The client pays what they pay, and you take your cut. Off the top.

And you are taking it directly away from me. What the client pays is split between you and me. What you take, I don't get, and vice versa.

Wrong - most interim positions are billed as £XYZ per day + my charge - especially in big multinationals, and businesses with already set agency arrangements. In that instance, you'd be paid no more if you went direct - the client might save a few quid by paying you direct, or using a 4% payroll arrangement, but then where's your protection when the client pays 30 day terms at 120 days (yes that is common, and yes, that does mean it costs us more per contractor).

I agree there are occassions with smaller businesses, where we discuss working to a budget etc, but given the economic climate, those are fewer and farther between.

[singhr]

Wrong - most interim positions are billed as £XYZ per day + my charge - especially in big multinationals, and businesses with already set agency arrangements. In that instance, you'd be paid no more if you went direct - the client might save a few quid by paying you direct, or using a 4% payroll arrangement, but then where's your protection when the agency goes bust (yes that is common, and yes, that does mean you are shafted).

I agree there are occassions with smaller businesses, where we discuss working to a budget etc, but given the economic climate, those are fewer and farther between.

FTFY

[The Agents View]

FTFY

Thanks - But I work for a FTSE 100 - If they go bust, then I'm as screwed as you are

[Julius Caesar]

Thanks - But I work for a FTSE 100 - If they go bust, then I'm as screwed as you are

I think he meant if you go bust, not if the client goes bust. IME agents go bust more often than clients do, i.e. agents introduce more risk into the deal, not reduce risk.

[Hex]

You have the risk of the agency going bust (you don't get paid) and the risk of the client going bust (the agency won't pay you). Putting another party in the chain doesn't often reduce risk, quite the opposite.

[CalmEddie]

A big margin makes average people look very expensive and prices excellent people out of gigs. Ultimately the clientco will adhere to some comparison criteria which relates back to the cost of an equivalent permie.

[DodgyAgent]

Look you can cut and slice as you like. It all boils down to whether you think the bottle is half full or half empty. Whatever way you choose to look at it we agents get a cut so live with it. If you have a problem with what we take then either negotiate it or get your own job

[Julius Caesar]

Look you can cut and slice as you like. It all boils down to whether you think the bottle is half full or half empty. Whatever way you choose to look at it we agents get a cut so live with it. If you have a problem with what we take then either negotiate it or get your own job

You can't cut and slice as you like. Agents are taking a pile of real money, not theoretical half-full glasses, for little useful work (admittedly a whol lot of useless work). No way of looking at it will avoid that.

Of course I live with it. I don't have to like it.

[DodgyAgent]

You can't cut and slice as you like. Agents are taking a pile of real money, not theoretical half-full glasses, for little useful work (admittedly a whol lot of useless work). No way of looking at it will avoid that.

Of course I live with it. I don't have to like it.

If agents are so useless what does that say for your communication skills. I would imagine that you lack any sort of business skills. It doesnt take an Einstein to understand that if agents were of no value then there would be no market for them.