This is how M&G, Randstad and Square-one treat IT contractors

[Oli]

I applied for a .NET Developer's position to M&G bank via Square-One agency. I got a job offer 1-week after the interview and ready to start the following Monday. I got a phone call from the agent requesting to wait for 1 more week because there is another recruitment company called Randstad involved and they couldn't agree with terms & conditions. After a week a got another phone call from Square-One requesting not to start at all because they still couldn't agree with terms & condition.

[NotAllThere]

Seems like a fairly normal agency foul up to me. What are you going to do to mitigate it?

[TheFaQQer]

When I worked through them, Square One were one of the better agencies I've dealt with.

Shame the guy that I dealt with there has moved on.

[Brussels Slumdog]

When I worked through them, Square One were one of the better agencies I've dealt with.

Shame the guy that I dealt with there has moved on.

About 5 agencies that currently contact me are all run my ex Square One agents. I am currenly working for one of them. I guess Square one has taken a nose dive with most of its experienced agents leaving over the last two years

[Hot Mess]

Don't understand what relationship you have with Randstad. What's it got to do with them. Did you say they could represent you at the client. ?

Agencies are suffering too, but who cares

[Oli]

I can only curse Randstad . . .

Don't understand what relationship you have with Randstad. What's it got to do with them. Did you say they could represent you at the client. ?

Agencies are suffering too, but who cares

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Randstad handles all the contracts for M&G. In other words, Randstad is responsible for all M&G contracts. Randstad works on very margin and also not very good at finding contractors. That is why Square-one looks for IT contractors. Randstad hasn't got a good relationship with M&G but they have signed a contract. In my experience, Randstad is not good at their job plus they don't want the other recruitment agencies do a business with M&G.

I haven't signed any contract so there is nothing I can do. I dropped other job offers plus stopped looking. I haven't been treated fairly. I have wasted a month waiting to work with M&G. In other words, it has costed my 1-month worth money. The companies/banks/agencies expect the contractors to be straightforward but they always take advantage or show no sympathy with IT contractors themselves.

I can only curse Randstad/M&G or publish forum to inform other contractors of what happened.

[malvolio]

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Randstad handles all the contracts for M&G. In other words, Randstad is responsible for all M&G contracts. Randstad works on very margin and also not very good at finding contractors. That is why Square-one looks for IT contractors. Randstad hasn't got a good relationship with M&G but they have signed a contract. In my experience, Randstad is not good at their job plus they don't want the other recruitment agencies do a business with M&G.

I haven't signed any contract so there is nothing I can do. I dropped other job offers plus stopped looking. I haven't been treated fairly. I have wasted a month waiting to work with M&G. In other words, it has costed my 1-month worth money. The companies/banks/agencies expect the contractors to be straightforward but they always take advantage or show no sympathy with IT contractors themselves.

I can only curse Randstad/M&G or publish forum to inform other contractors of what happened.

Just as an aside, Randstad are probably the biggest recruiter in the world.

What's probably happened is that one of Square One's people got to hear of the role, recruited for it and then tried to sell their candidate to Randstad since they can't place them themselves. It's Square One that's buggering around, not Randstad.

[psychocandy]

I haven't signed any contract so there is nothing I can do. I dropped other job offers plus stopped looking. I haven't been treated fairly. I have wasted a month waiting to work with M&G. In other words, it has costed my 1-month worth money. The companies/banks/agencies expect the contractors to be straightforward but they always take advantage or show no sympathy with IT contractors themselves.

I can only curse Randstad/M&G or publish forum to inform other contractors of what happened.

Previously I would have done the same as you but I think the more experienced members on here will tell you not to do that until you have the signed contract in hand. Even then, it can still go pete tong.

Fair and agencies arent really words to use in the same sentence.

Hate to sound like NLUK here but I think you've just got to learn from this and get back looking for something else.

[Wanderer]

After a Square-One requested not to start at all because they couldn't agree terms & conditions with Randstad

It appears that Square-One are not an approved supplier to the client so the whole deal was doomed to failure. On a PSL, it's likely that Randstad are on a 7% or less margin and they aren't going to share that with another agency. Really, you don't want two agencies in the mix anyway because you will get raped for their commission. Tulip like this happens unfortunately.

Don't get mad, get even.

Approach Randstad and see if they will represent you to the client. Legally, there may be a few weeks hold down time before your exclusive agreement with Square-One expires but this is almost certainly limited to a maximum of 14 weeks by the Agency Conduct regulations (presuming you weren't foolish enough to sign that opt out they gave you).

I'd say approach Randstad straight away and let them deal with the other agency. They may want to wait for the 14 weeks or they may be willing to fight it out with the other agency and put you in there straight away. Let them decide how to play it - they do this stuff every single day of the week. Your line should be that it's nothing to do with you and let the pimps fight it out.


At the end of the day, we are in business here and you have to get a bit aggressive if you want to get ahead.

[craig1]

It appears that Square-One are not an approved supplier to the client so the whole deal was doomed to failure. On a PSL, it's likely that Randstad are on a 7% or less margin and they aren't going to share that with another agency. Really, you don't want two agencies in the mix anyway because you will get raped for their commission. Tulip like this happens unfortunately.

Don't get mad, get even.

Approach Randstad and see if they will represent you to the client. Legally, there may be a few weeks hold down time before your exclusive agreement with Square-One expires but this is almost certainly limited to a maximum of 14 weeks by the Agency Conduct regulations (presuming you weren't foolish enough to sign that opt out they gave you).

I'd say approach Randstad straight away and let them deal with the other agency. They may want to wait for the 14 weeks or they may be willing to fight it out with the other agency and put you in there straight away. Let them decide how to play it - they do this stuff every single day of the week. Your line should be that it's nothing to do with you and let the pimps fight it out.


At the end of the day, we are in business here and you have to get a bit aggressive if you want to get ahead.

One addition to that though, he hasn't signed any contract yet so probably hasn't signed any exclusivity agreement. Even if there were a verbal exclusivity agreement to put him forward to the client, that has been frustrated because the agency has no rights to put him forward and has been rejected. For me, they had their chance with a fishing attempt but failed and it's their sharp practices that would legally lose them any realistic chance at a finders fee.