What agents really think of IT contractors

[SimonMac]

do you think you've achieved anything other than narrowing your pool of potential contracts here? This is perhaps the most ridiculous business decision I've ever seen. What? You're not a business? Well then I would be thinking about a Permiedom if I were you!

IMHO I doubt agents have the Mafia type network that you are eluding to here, the fact I see the same contract offered my multiple agencies suggest that pissing of a small firm like this one screams it is will not dent anyone's long term prospects.

[DodgyAgent]

This is the funniest thing I've read for AGES!

Firstly - the agent has absolutely mugged you in this exchange.

Secondly - you guys always want "quid pro quo" - well this looks like it's "a thousand quid pro quo".

Thirdly - do you think you've achieved anything other than narrowing your pool of potential contracts here? This is perhaps the most ridiculous business decision I've ever seen. What? You're not a business? Well then I would be thinking about a Permiedom if I were you!

Let us have a look at this dubious argument that "you are narrowing your pool of potential contracts"

firstly this company or individual agent is not on any PSLs so is not servicing a client with a PSL list..So given that almost all the large corporations in Europe now have PSLs who in turn probably employ between them over 70% of all contractors.. you are not missing much there.

Secondly there is likely to be more than one agency servicing any one client/job at a time, and as this guy is not on a PSL (why else is he touting for new clients) his clients will be doing business with whoever comes up with the person they need. As there are about 5000 agencies this effectively means that his client is likely to deal with anyone.. so you are not missing out there and because of the perfect market that operates in our industry the job will gravitate towards you without you having to blink.

Thirdly when it comes to it and you are a suitable fit for the job agents have no principles and although most are pretty thick they will not compromise an opportunity of a sale just because a contractor has annoyed them in the past. If you are the right contractor for the job at the right time right place the agent will be all over you like a cheap suit for fear of you being put forward by a competitor.

in conclusion this threat of "having one less contact in the market" is utter bo**ocks.

[DodgyAgent]

IMHO I doubt agents have the Mafia type network that you are eluding to here, the fact I see the same contract offered my multiple agencies suggest that pissing of a small firm like this one screams it is will not dent anyone's long term prospects.

I will add that any manager or owner of a recruitment business finds out that a job has been filled by a rival with a contractor who one of his recruitment consultants refuses to deal with will not be happy. I would wager that any recruitment consultant that actually bears grudges and loses a sale because of such a grudge would soon be out of work.

There is absolutely no love between agencies and there is certainly no mafia style practice in operation. The exception is where a contractor builds a bad reputation. Even then this usually doesnt stop agents putting these people forward

[MarillionFan]

in conclusion this threat of "having one less contact in the market" is utter bo**ocks.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

This has got to be one of the best threads I have read in recent months on CUK - should definitely be on the end of year awards....

Cheers to the OP for the post.

[doodab]

It is true that some agents are fly by night cocksockets of the first order, and this guy appears to be one of them. Of course they aren't all like that but it's good to avoid the ones that are.

[gingerjedi]

I think you have been undercut by the Bobs which is what has happened to most of the "grunts" in the contracting market

So the client pays the same and you supply a bob who can't tell a server from his tiffin box just so you can make a big fat profit.

The undercutting has been instigated by you for your gain and no-one else’s, don't expect to win any friends on here with that sort of practice.

[DodgyAgent]

So the client pays the same and you supply a bob who can't tell a server from his tiffin box just so you can make a big fat profit.

The undercutting has been instigated by you for your gain and no-one else’s, don't expect to win any friends on here with that sort of practice.

If only that were the case. If the opportunity to place low cost people from abroad were an option then yes I would take it. However these people are being sourced and placed by the likes of Wipro, Infosys, tata et al. It is not just the contractors that have been edged out but the agencies too.

Engology.com,Engineer Azim Hasham Premji,Billionaire,Chairman of Wipro Corporation

[eek]

So the client pays the same and you supply a bob who can't tell a server from his tiffin box just so you can make a big fat profit.

The undercutting has been instigated by you for your gain and no-one else’s, don't expect to win any friends on here with that sort of practice.

AS DA says above the Bob's come as a job lot. They basically offer a lower price and remove the agency from the equation.

The problem then is that the contractor plus agency price needs to compete against the all in Bob price and that is 1 reason for the low rates.

[VirtualMonkey]

It is true that some agents are fly by night cocksockets of the first order, and this guy appears to be one of them. Of course they aren't all like that but it's good to avoid the ones that are.

That's a phrase that's definitely being banked for future use...quality!