Delay Tactics

[knight007]

Can anyone help me with tactics to delay accepting a contract offer?
I've received an offer, the client kept me and the agent hanging for about 4 weeks before saying 'Yes'.
The client has come back now and said 'Yes', although the start date is 3 weeks in the future.

In the meantime I secured some interviews next week.

The agent is putting pressure on me to accept but I have not done so yet. I want to at least attend the booked interviews next week since they are all "final stage" interviews. Ideally I'd like to be in a position where I have a t least 2-3 contracts to choose from.

Never really been in this position before so was wondering if anyone has any classic excuses/arguments to delay signing the contract?

[Fandango]

Obviously you'll be having the contract reviewed so tell them to send it and you'll send it off to be reviewed, bingo a week to nail one of the other interviews

EDIT> Obviously don't send it off till you know the outcome of the other interviews

[adubya]

Tell them you're getting the contract reviewed ?

[knight007]

The agent is being pushy since he says he has "verbally" told the client that I've accepted....which I did when he made the offer.....just before some of the other interview materialised.

[helpFul]

Delay without Tactics

Can anyone help me with tactics to delay accepting a contract offer?
I've received an offer, the client kept me and the agent hanging for about 4 weeks before saying 'Yes'.
The client has come back now and said 'Yes', although the start date is 3 weeks in the future.

In the meantime I secured some interviews next week.

The agent is putting pressure on me to accept but I have not done so yet. I want to at least attend the booked interviews next week since they are all "final stage" interviews. Ideally I'd like to be in a position where I have a t least 2-3 contracts to choose from.

Never really been in this position before so was wondering if anyone has any classic excuses/arguments to delay signing the contract?

These time-wasters have left your hanging-on for a month? Ignore their putative "offer". Go for your other options.

Ideally I'd like to be in a position where I have a t [sic] least 2-3 contracts to choose from.

You're not really a contractor at all, are you?

[northernladuk]

Why do you bother with all the [sic] rubbish. It makes you look like a proper cock.

[snarfblat]

Another vote for telling them you are having the contract reviewed.

I have just flat out told them I had other offers to consider.

[mudskipper]

Why do you bother with all the [sic] rubbish. It makes you look like a proper cock.

Another vote for helpFul [sic] looking like a proper cock.

[psychocandy]

OP - shouldnt have really told them verbally you were taking it. Could be problematic.
First off should have told them, yes interested subject to contract approval. That gives you time.

And, you can guarantee even if the client has made you wait months, the agent will want you signed up within seconds if they can get away with it. And they'll want you to start on monday. Thats what they do to make sure they're money is rolling in.

Sometimes, client wont be bothered with the rush. I had a contract once where agent said it was URGENT for client that I started monday, I told them do do one and started the following monday. When I got there, main fella was on leave, and they really had wanted me to start the monday after instead preferably and were told I had insisted to start immediately. Nice one agent.

[snarfblat]

OP - shouldnt have really told them verbally you were taking it. Could be problematic.
First off should have told them, yes interested subject to contract approval. That gives you time.

And, you can guarantee even if the client has made you wait months, the agent will want you signed up within seconds if they can get away with it. And they'll want you to start on monday. Thats what they do to make sure they're money is rolling in.

Sometimes, client wont be bothered with the rush. I had a contract once where agent said it was URGENT for client that I started monday, I told them do do one and started the following monday. When I got there, main fella was on leave, and they really had wanted me to start the monday after instead preferably and were told I had insisted to start immediately. Nice one agent.

Yes, the agent will push and push and ring up every 10 minutes wanting you to sign. They want their money.

This contract they said urgent and the agent was being a pushy arse and I was so calm about everything as usual. Turns out, the manger wasn't going to be in and they couldn't get my access so it was actually 2 weeks when I started.

They are trying to hire some more people but are having a hard time getting anyone as they have such a bad reputation and it is deserved.