Need a contract quickly

[XperTest]

I think you fail to see that being available to start quickly/immediately is not a differentiating quality in this market, where there will be dozens of candidates for each role, most of whom will be benched and ready to start on very short notice if needed. As a contractor, there is not much you can do to speed up the decision making process at the client, so the same rules will apply to you that do to all your competitors.

Your other proposed USP (going in below average market rate) carries more weight as most if not all companies will be very cost conscious at the moment. Get a contract at a lower than average rate, prove your worth than negotiate at contract extension time. Not sure how you can influence the take the agent gets however, so this may only be a viable approach when the agent is on a fixed fee and has been instructed to consider cost over quality (which is quite common given the current state of the market).

[northernladuk]

Your other proposed USP (going in below average market rate) carries more weight as most if not all companies will be very cost conscious at the moment. Get a contract at a lower than average rate, prove your worth than negotiate at contract extension time. Not sure how you can influence the take the agent gets however, so this may only be a viable approach when the agent is on a fixed fee and has been instructed to consider cost over quality (which is quite common given the current state of the market).

It would carry more weight if it was approached properly. Slipping the agent a backhander by offering him 5% extra isn't the way to do it. Remember also giving the agent 5% isn't giving him 5%. He will get a percentage of the profit, the rest will go to the company so this looks even more unnattractive as a personal gain.

Negotiating a lower rate to increase the return for the agent is ok. Here mate I will give you 5% if you get me the job isn't.

[monkeyrhythm]

Anyone ever given a more traditional back-hander to an agent? e.g. if I get the job I'll send you a 'spare' plasma I got as part of a deal with a disti....
This may come across as though I'm trolling but it's a serious question; I've spent a good chunk of time in and around resellers/solution providers and this a more common sales tactic than one might think - it wouldn't surprise me to learn agents could be receptive to this too.

[CheeseSlice]

Anyone ever given a more traditional back-hander to an agent? e.g. if I get the job I'll send you a 'spare' plasma I got as part of a deal with a disti....
This may come across as though I'm trolling but it's a serious question; I've spent a good chunk of time in and around resellers/solution providers and this a more common sales tactic than one might think - it wouldn't surprise me to learn agents could be receptive to this too.

But how would that work for an IT contractor?
"Hey, give me the contract and I'll fix your pc and install Mcafee Antivirus for free?"

I think hard cash is more likely to work.

[northernladuk]

But how would that work for an IT contractor?
"Hey, give me the contract and I'll fix your pc and install Mcafee Antivirus for free?"

I think hard cash is more likely to work.

Even though contractors tend to not think much about agents I would hope tlike to think that most of them are beyond taking bribes for work! Send him a bottle of wine, thank you cigar and keep him sweet maybe, be a good contractor for him, solid earner with no crap and he will come for you. Giving them a bung for a job I would think is just a total waste of time.

[Boo]

Remember also giving the agent 5% isn't giving him 5%.

Well, it could be...

Boo

[MrMark]

Even though contractors tend to not think much about agents I would hope tlike to think that most of them are beyond taking bribes for work! Send him a bottle of wine, thank you cigar and keep him sweet maybe, be a good contractor for him, solid earner with no crap and he will come for you. Giving them a bung for a job I would think is just a total waste of time.

1) We will never know, will we? Anyone who's done it is highly unlikely to admit it, even on an anonymous board
2) Given that I've been ignored for jobs I'm perfect for, I'd have no qualms about doing it. And if I were an agent under financial pressure, I'm sure I'd be tempted by some tax free loot, especially if all the candidates were of a similar quality anyway.

[monkeyrhythm]

This was my point, in situations where there are a number of similar candidates I think many of us would be happy giving the agent a differentiating bung and I'm sure a number of agents would be happy accepting it; the difficulty is more in broaching the subject in the first place.
I simply suggested the plasma as an expensive 'gift' maybe more palatable than cold hard cash as arguably it has a bit more plausable deniability.

I've never done it myself, I'm just curious to know if anyone has (it's a fair point that people may not be happy to own up to it though).

[northernladuk]

This was my point, in situations where there are a number of similar candidates I think many of us would be happy giving the agent a differentiating bung and I'm sure a number of agents would be happy accepting it; the difficulty is more in broaching the subject in the first place.
I simply suggested the plasma as an expensive 'gift' maybe more palatable than cold hard cash as arguably it has a bit more plausable deniability.

I've never done it myself, I'm just curious to know if anyone has (it's a fair point that people may not be happy to own up to it though).

Not forgetting the agent will just get you in front of the client. You still have to pass the interview!

[monkeyrhythm]

Not forgetting the agent will just get you in front of the client. You still have to pass the interview!

The interview's the easy bit