Need a contract quickly

[Oscar]

I really need a contract quickly.
My main strategy is:

1) To get in where they need somebody quickly. I think there is always a few around. Guess the important thing is to be in the mind of agents when they have such a role? How to make that happen?

I guess many of these are "hire&fire" - they test out people and fire the ones they don't like - Have to deal with that later....

2) Rate. 350 instead of 400 don't matter, 300 even, if the rest is OK. What I want is for the agent to have a bit extra (like 5%) and the rest for the client. How would I set that up?

[northernladuk]

1) Most contracts require someone quickly. The last 4 I have had in a row I interviewed Tues/Weds and started the Monday after. It tends to be the nature of the beast. You are not offering a differentiator to make you more attractive by wanting to start early. That tends to be taken as a standard especially with so many people on the bench.

2) An agent is not going to take on a 5% cut. 5% on 300 is £15 a day. He isn't going to get out of bed for that. The minimum I think they tend to take is 12% and what the agent takes isn't much of your business. You can try and negotiate him down and threaten to walk etc but you sound desperate and if he gets even a sniff of that any bargaining power you had will evaporate there and then. Not sure how you think you will set any arrangement up between the client and the agent to be honest.

How long have you been contracting if you don't mind me asking?

[Oscar]

Its 5% extra

1) Most contracts require someone quickly.

Yes, after the client has decided! Usually there has been a lengthy process of interviewing several candidates etc.

What I am thinking if when for example somebody doesn't show up or leaves quickly, or when the for some other reason ask if they have somebody available (and the agent might prefer somebody he has just talked to rather than putting it on a board)

2) An agent is not going to take on a 5% cut. 5% on 300 is £15 a day. He isn't going to get out of bed for that.

I meant more like 5% more than he would normally get (and 300 is a reduced rate). From what you have written few agents would exploit a contractor more than that.

What I am looking for is to be cheap for the client, with a little extra for the agent.

[d000hg]

What I am looking for is to be cheap for the client, with a little extra for the agent.

How is that different from everyone else, that's the whole business behind being an agent?

[nomadd]

I really need a contract quickly.
My main strategy is:

Everything you need to know is on the following link. Read the example Definition very carefully: Finding contracts quickly

[Olly]

1) 2) An agent is not going to take on a 5% cut. 5% on 300 is £15 a day. He isn't going to get out of bed for that. The minimum I think they tend to take is 12%

Rubbish, why do you say things like that as fact when you have no evidence?

I've found out the agent margin on the last 2 projects and have a very good idea what a 3rd was on.
These are for huge companies with PSL agreements in place. Current one is on 4 or 8% with majority of contractors (split about about half half with a very small number on 12%). The prior was on 10% and the one before that 8%. Yes I realise the end client may have done well to get those agreements in place but they are big players with a demand for thousands of contractors between them

To the OP. I think the second part of your question is about selling yourself cheaply to get a contract. That's very easy in my experience. Agents often ask me what my rate is. I say what's the range and then if it intersects with my range I go in at the top. All you need to do is say a number at the bottom of the range or below it. Simples.

[Boo]

Simples.

Will you please stop saying that.

Boo

[Saddo]

You have to be really careful about selling yourself cheaply. First off, agents will take the mickey and grab as much as they can get away with. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, if you are selling yourself cheap you wouldn't be surprised to learn that the "buyer" will be thinking "this guy can't be any good - bin the CV and go on to the next candidate".

It isn't in the contractors interests to be too flexible on the rate. The deal is done between client and agent.

[Sockpuppet]

Rubbish, why do you say things like that as fact when you have no evidence?

Easy becuase at less than 5% the costs of factoring payments doesn't work so you'd make more money by not bothering.

4% is exceptional and I'd hope they got all the contractors and paid before they pay you from the end client for that.

[northernladuk]

Yes, after the client has decided! Usually there has been a lengthy process of interviewing several candidates etc.

Not usually at all. Sometimes yes but as I said already in my experience 100% of the last contracts I stared in less then a week and would stick my neck out and say this is pretty common place.

What I am thinking if when for example somebody doesn't show up or leaves quickly, or when the for some other reason ask if they have somebody available (and the agent might prefer somebody he has just talked to rather than putting it on a board)

So they pick option number two from the interviews or three or four or one of the other guys that sent his CV in. What do you think they will do, ring you up, interview you and go through the whole process again? You can't just jump the queue just because you are available. I don't want to be rude but your grasp on business process and the whole way this works seems pretty poor.[/quote]

I meant more like 5% more than he would normally get (and 300 is a reduced rate). From what you have written few agents would exploit a contractor more than that.

What I am looking for is to be cheap for the client, with a little extra for the agent.

Good business just doesn't work like this. This isn't a sunday market you know. You think he is going to pick you over the number one choice for the client over 15 quid a day. The agent wants the best guy in for the job and forget about him and go earn some cash with the next role, not doing ridiculous deals with you for peanuts.. I mean, how does he know you are not as bad as the guy that left etc... To be honest with your tenuous view on how the whole process works you are looking more of a gamble than a seasoned pro that knows how the business works and goes with the flow. You sound like a cowboy with this approach.

Rubbish, why do you say things like that as fact when you have no evidence?

Because there was a thread on this awhile ago and the discussion was a standard is around 12% as confirmed by two agents who regularly post on this board.
YOf course the rates are different in the example you gave but the differentiator here is that you mentioned HUGE companies. Of course the rate is going be lower FFS. The agents have been squeezed due to the volume of work. You think an agent is going to accept 8% at a company with only 2 or 3 contractors? Get real.