Must start next week

**The Agents View** · 11 January 2011, 17:30

Originally posted by PropertyCrashUK View Post

How do you guys approach the situation when an agent rings up and gives you all the speil about the client wanting you to start next week... and it is already mid-week and you live 300 miles from the site?

I can't believe that every single company in the UK is so badly organised that they suddenly wake up and decide "Oh, we need to get in a guy next Monday on 100K per year but if he can't start by Monday then we don't want him!".

OK, some companies are going to be like that but if they are so disorganised then they sound like a stressful place to work. Surely most of this talk is just agents wanting to get their money in ASAP.

So how do you address this issue when an agent rings you you - must interview tomorrow, must start next week?

Surely the thing to do is to get to the interview, get the client to like you and then to negotiate direct with them when you are able to start?

Is this a serious question?

If the agent says you have to be able to start within the next week, then you have to be able to start within the next week. Why would we make it harder for ourselves to find the right people??

FYI, there are MANY reasons why companies wake up and do precisely that. You have to remember that the majority of the time, contractors are brought in as a last resort - which means that significant time has passed before the contract gets awarded - this generally means project slide, and hence, the potential head of the PM/director.

The whole POINT of using a contractor, is that it's quickly available, flexible, experienced, and able to hit the ground running, resource - which you can bin if it turns out to be rubbish, and if the budget runs out.

There are loads of other reasons too - Sick leave for example, of a key member of a project team - need that person in immediately, otherwise the project will fall behind.

**Fred Bloggs** · 11 January 2011, 17:43

I agree with TAV largely, one of your main selling points as a skilled contractor is that you are available immediately and that you are productive for the client within a couple of hours of arriving on the first morning.

**badger7579** · 11 January 2011, 17:50

This has pretty much been the case with all my contracts as only a few weeks ago I turned down a contract because they wanted me immediately and I wanted to give my current client a bit more notice.

Although in hindsight if this happens again and I want the contract I'm dust.

**cojak** · 11 January 2011, 18:34

One contract contacted me on the Wednesday for an interview the same day. They offered me the job and said that that I needed to start the following Monday in Vevey Switzerland. I had a UK holiday booked but they needed someone urgently.

I was waiting at reception 9.00 monday sharp...

**nomadd** · 11 January 2011, 18:55

Originally posted by cojak View Post

One contract contacted me on the Wednesday for an interview the same day. They offered me the job and said that that I needed to start the following Monday in Vevey Switzerland. I had a UK holiday booked but they needed someone urgently.

I was waiting at reception 9.00 monday sharp...

Yeah, had a telephone interview once for a job on Friday for a following Monday start. I mentioned that the timing seemed a bit tight, to which the guy simply said, "Well, I had someone lined up, but he let me down. You won't let me down, will you?" And that was it, shortest interview I'd ever had! Took the contract and it turned out to be a good 'un (3 renewals too, if my memory serves me correctly.)

**BolshieBastard** · 11 January 2011, 19:27

Originally posted by PropertyCrashUK View Post

How do you guys approach the situation when an agent rings up and gives you all the speil about the client wanting you to start next week... and it is already mid-week and you live 300 miles from the site?

I can't believe that every single company in the UK is so badly organised that they suddenly wake up and decide "Oh, we need to get in a guy next Monday on 100K per year but if he can't start by Monday then we don't want him!".

OK, some companies are going to be like that but if they are so disorganised then they sound like a stressful place to work. Surely most of this talk is just agents wanting to get their money in ASAP.

So how do you address this issue when an agent rings you you - must interview tomorrow, must start next week?

Surely the thing to do is to get to the interview, get the client to like you and then to negotiate direct with them when you are able to start?

I dont see the problem. The requirement is start in a week or dont start. Simple really.

**MarillionFan** · 11 January 2011, 19:39

Originally posted by Fred Bloggs View Post

I agree with TAV largely, one of your main selling points as a skilled contractor is that you are available immediately and that you are productive for the client within a couple of hours of arriving on the first morning.

On the whole it's an agency thing. Yes, the client needs someone fast but agencies also use this as a way to trim their list down.

Personally I always say I'm available even if there was a delay. If I can get past the agent and in front of the client, then on the whole they'll wait a few extra days.

**configman** · 11 January 2011, 20:03

Originally posted by PropertyCrashUK View Post

How do you guys approach the situation when an agent rings up and gives you all the speil about the client wanting you to start next week... and it is already mid-week and you live 300 miles from the site?

I can't believe that every single company in the UK is so badly organised that they suddenly wake up and decide "Oh, we need to get in a guy next Monday on 100K per year but if he can't start by Monday then we don't want him!".

OK, some companies are going to be like that but if they are so disorganised then they sound like a stressful place to work. Surely most of this talk is just agents wanting to get their money in ASAP.

So how do you address this issue when an agent rings you you - must interview tomorrow, must start next week?

Surely the thing to do is to get to the interview, get the client to like you and then to negotiate direct with them when you are able to start?

I mention it as part of an interview with the client how desperate they are for me to start if there could be a problem with me starting immediately so I hear from the horses mouth. I let them know I am willing to wait until they get desks and logins sorted out and this could save them money if I need time between contracts. Lost count of the amount of times in my early days as a contractor an agent had said client insists I start the next day and when I arrive find out the client has been told that unless they agreed to me starting the next day I would take another offer. I would get to the client site, there would be no desk, no login, and no work could be done because the client was not ready. I think the OP has a very valid question and some of the other posters showing lack of experience or bias towards the agent side.

Sorry agents but I treat everything you say with a pinch of salt unless the client confirms it. After nearly 20 years contracting I know what questions to ask at an interview to combat agent trickery and this is one of the oldest tricks in the book - it is designed to put pressure on the contractor to sign now and get them off the market so no-one else can poach them as well as the agent getting commission earlier. Its a trick every bit as stupid as the DFS sale that ends every Monday but its been going on for 20 years.

**Fred Bloggs** · 11 January 2011, 20:23

We've all turned up for "urgent jobs" and had no PC to use for two or three weeks. It doesn't stop the client Co's insisting that the jobs are urgent even when I know they're not. It's largely part of the deal I reckon and I'm quite happy invoicing while I wait for the client PC to trun up.

Must start next week