How to negotiate a permanent salary where a recruitment agent is involved?

[aubergine]

I have been offered a permanent position with a bank in the city. The job came through a recruiter. We're just at the point of sorting out the package with HR, but the recruiter is doing this *at the moment*.

Some general questions:

- Are recruiters incentivised to push down my salary in this circumstance? Is he going to make more if I take a lower salary?
- My inclination is to negotiate direct with HR, is this the right approach?

Does anyone have any salient experience of this situation? How should I handle it?

Appreciate any suggestions!

[mudskipper]

I have been offered a permanent position with a bank in the city. The job came through a recruiter. We're just at the point of sorting out the package with HR, but the recruiter is doing this *at the moment*.

Some general questions:

- Are recruiters incentivised to push down my salary in this circumstance? Is he going to make more if I take a lower salary?
- My inclination is to negotiate direct with HR, is this the right approach?

Does anyone have any salient experience of this situation? How should I handle it?

Appreciate any suggestions!

For a perm job, the recruiter generally gets a % of your salary (there's usually some condition, like you have to stick it for 12 months), so it's in his interest to get it as high as possible. For perm jobs in the past, I've always discussed salary expectation at interview - no idea if this is the norm.

[formant]

For a perm job, the recruiter generally gets a % of your salary (there's usually some condition, like you have to stick it for 12 months), so it's in his interest to get it as high as possible. For perm jobs in the past, I've always discussed salary expectation at interview - no idea if this is the norm.

+1. Though from what I've heard when working with in-house recruiters and HR, you often only need to stay 3-6 months for the agent to get paid.

[Willapp]

For previous perm positions I've always negotiated through the agent. Typically if the interview is a success the agent will call with a formal offer from the client which includes their salary offer. I would then go back with a counter-offer and usually we end up somewhere in the middle.

From personal experience that's the main benefit of agents being involved - you can do all the awkward salary negotiations at arm's length and so avoid any potential bad feeling with the client (at least in cases where you're dealing directly with people at the client who you'd be working with or reporting to).

[northernladuk]

Ahhh so this is why you were looking in to trying to syphon your money out of the LTD to family members?

Have you considered liquidating your LTD to pay less tax on some amounts instead if you are going to go permie.

[moggy]

Generally 6 months or 3 for the recruiter to get paid, and I would think a % of the salary, unless of course you are on a small one, where by I would think the agent would have a fixed fee.

[aubergine]

Ahhh so this is why you were looking in to trying to syphon your money out of the LTD to family members?

Have you considered liquidating your LTD to pay less tax on some amounts instead if you are going to go permie.

Hehe, you don't miss much!

It's not quite that simple. I'm not 100% on the perm position, much depends on the offer, hence this thread. The other issue is that I have a few other independent clients running through the Ltd, which would either mean giving up the work or switching back to a sole trader, which I guess might flag the liquidation from the revenue's perspective?

[AnonAgent]

I've not heard of anywhere that pushes a rebate period to 6 months. Usually its a sliding scale up to 3.

And an extra 3k on the standard 15% is an extra £450 billing which is an extra £45 in most agents accounts. Meaning they dont have a huge incentive to get you a bigger salary.

[Boo]

My inclination is to negotiate direct with HR, is this the right approach?

Well, of course it effing is ! Who else will present your interests if not you ? The Slimer only gives a **** about their commission, not how well you live, so will induce you to take the role at whatever price the company prefers.

You really need to turn into a wo/man at some point in your life and now sounds like a good opportunity. Phone the hiring manager and talk directly to them. But prepare your pitch first, eh ? Don't just phone him/her up and ask how much you're worth, ffs.

X, I despair sometimes, I really do...

Boo