Next contract hunt

[bluedrop]

Folks,
My contracting honeymoon (I knew the client, went direct, decent rate, 10min walk from home, not in the city) is coming to an end and I am about to start contracting in the real world. I floated my CV around and it was put fwd to 2 clients.

Even though I went direct with the current client, they put me through an agency (say agency A)for procesing my payments. I love this client and I am quite comfortable with the team here. The problem is that they are bringing in a lot of ppl from offshore companies and obv the rate is cheaper there. SO the client offered me a FTC (paying me a salary monthly) and I turned it down.

How, the thing is, there is a new role with my client (in the city). My manager is willing to recommend me for it if I want to take it up. I am unable to trace the role internally but the agent-A has advertised this role. Its a tulip job profile, just 3 months, but pays a decent rate.

Sorry guys, I am confused and I am confusing you. My questions are:

Should I try to get this role? (with the current client, in a diff office). If yes, should I try to approach the hiring manager internally or should I go through agency-A

More exciting roles coming up in the city (decent rates, 6m+) . That means abt 1hr travel each way (have a 2yr old son, going to a nursery). Wait...I anyway have to travel...the role with the current client is also in the city. only advantage I see is the ease at which I can land in this one (My manager talks to the hiring manager and perhaps I'll have an interview)

To clarify, the choice is between a 3m tulip role with the current client (likely to be mine if I try) or jump ship for longer contracts (nothing concrete yet) .

I know, most of you would say 'its up to you'...
but being a new contractor, I'd like to know what you'd do if you were in my place.

[TheFaQQer]

Approach direct, and then they can do the same thing as they are currently doing with you.

If you go through the agency, then you have no guarantee that the agent will actually submit your CV, and it might well be buried with others. Going direct at least means you know that your CV gets there.

[Fred Bloggs]

+1. Good answer.

[Scrag Meister]

For my current contract I went direct and then the client inserted their "non-PSL VM agent".

Read your contract, I think mine says that I would have to go through the same agency for future roles within a certain period but then again that is probably what would happen if I went direct again anyway.

You'll probably end up in the same situation.

GL

[7of9]

I would approach the hiring manager internally.

[BlasterBates]

Clients almost always use agencies. Very unusual that you would give you a direct contract without pushing you to use an agency. So in the end probably just easier to go through the agency. Basically they don´t want to be exposed to the risk of disguised employment.

[SueEllen]

For my current contract I went direct and then the client inserted their "non-PSL VM agent".

Read your contract, I think mine says that I would have to go through the same agency for future roles within a certain period but then again that is probably what would happen if I went direct again anyway.L

That's standard practise to insert such a clause but whether it's enforceable or not depends on the client.

If the client wants you and is in dispute with the agency so won't use them again, then they will force you to go through a different agency.

[SueEllen]

Clients almost always use agencies. Very unusual that you would give you a direct contract without pushing you to use an agency. So in the end probably just easier to go through the agency. Basically they don´t want to be exposed to the risk of disguised employment.

It's not unusual at all to go direct without an agency and it's nothing to do with company size.

The reason most companies use agencies is they have HR staff with poor knowledge of contracts, the business managers who deal with contracts don't want to get involved in "employment" matters or the company can't afford to waste their in-house lawyers time with such contracts.

In bluedrop case I would approach direct then once I got the gig use the agency as required.