Offered role but Agent Wants me to take a Pay Cut...I smell tulip!

[Zippy]

Well you never know, you may get another phone call in a day or 2...

WSS. The other candidate may 'let the agent down' and you could be back in again for 370 p/d

[BolshieBastard]

It depends on few things... Did you take an interview with the client? If yes, how was your performance...did you do well?

I have been in a similar situation long ago. was for a role of £250 , went for an interview- did exceptionally well and the client liked me - the agent came back to me and said - Sorry the client wants to pay £200 - but they really like you and dont have budget for £250.

I just smiled and said. "im sorry my fixed rate is £250 i will not be interested in the role anymore ". - Then she said hmm give me till 2moro i will confirm from the client. Few mins later she called and said "You are one lucky man - the client has approved." in my mind... im like Wa T f!!! ??

£250!! No wonder I'm struggling to get any bites. I dont get out of bed for that.

Setting a very dangerous precedent if all agents started auctioning off gigs to the lowest taker. Is this one of the big agencies?

If I got turned down for this for whatever reason I would be willing to send a stern letter to the top brass at the agency. Pointing out a) they should be finding people that are an exact match and not be wasting other peoples times or b) if they are a match stop the auctioning process as it is pretty unprofessional and their clients won't be too impressed getting 20% worse contractors than what they are paying for. Love to get the gig and point this out to the client as well.

Saying that, I guess it has been going on for as long as agents exist and will never stop but still, rolling over and ignoring it isn't the way forward.

Agree its not good but I've come across 'bob' contractors cutting the legs beneath everyone and doing jobs for £175 a day.

I think the market is such (particularly in my specialism) that if you are not saying you'll go in around the low 200's, you can virtually forget about getting past the account manager never mind get an interview.

Frack, I think I want to retire!

[Wanderer]

Update for you.....

Just got a phone call and the 'client' decided to go with someone cheaper.

The Agency will tell the client you are "unavailable" and put forward the client's second choice who they can get a better margin on.

Tell them you are going to call the client direct to have a chat and discuss the rate to see if there is anything you can do to fix the situation. Agency will hit the roof because they are playing both you and the client....

[proggy]

Chaps you have all been marvellous, I'm seriously touched by your encouragement and great advice.

Update for you.....

Just got a phone call and the 'client' decided to go with someone cheaper.


It was b0llcks from the get go a total waste of my time! Considering it was a rate they advertised.

You priced yourself out of the role, someone just as good as you but less greedy stole it from you. Lesson learned, be willing to negotiate then once your in and proven yourself start jacking up the rate. You can cry all you want about those bad unfair agents and going to call the client direct will likely get you blacklisted forever by them. Move on and learn from your mistakes.

[proggy]

The Agency will tell the client you are "unavailable" and put forward the client's second choice who they can get a better margin on.

Tell them you are going to call the client direct to have a chat and discuss the rate to see if there is anything you can do to fix the situation. Agency will hit the roof because they are playing both you and the client....

Nope, the client will think you are a nutter and blacklist you, the agency will also do the same. He didn't get the job because someone else was willing to negotiate. You can't go crying to the client this is business, you will look like a desperate permie crying over their 2% pay increase.

[GillsMan]

Do it. Don't let what happend to me put you off.

I worked out that extra £10pd times 22 working days (for a 30 day month) = £1100 per month you could have earned.

Times that by a 6 month contract, well you can do the math......

Well you can't. £10pd x 22 working days = £220. Over a 6 mth contract, that's £1320.

[SueEllen]

Nope, the client will think you are a nutter and blacklist you, the agency will also do the same. He didn't get the job because someone else was willing to negotiate. You can't go crying to the client this is business, you will look like a desperate permie crying over their 2% pay increase.

Actually I've done that (and more).

The agent didn't like me especially when unlike another contractor they placed I got extended.

BTW the trick is to phone the client up immediately after the agent puts the phone down to discuss something about the work. Then throw in a question about whether there had been a budget cut as your rate has been reduced from what was initially offered.

[DieScum]

You priced yourself out of the role, someone just as good as you but less greedy stole it from you. Lesson learned, be willing to negotiate then once your in and proven yourself start jacking up the rate.

Well, it depends how desperate you are. If you can afford to then it's always better not to compete on price.

It's not unreasonable to expect to be paid the advertised rate.

[cojak]

You priced yourself out of the role, someone just as good as you but less greedy stole it from you. Lesson learned, be willing to negotiate then once your in and proven yourself start jacking up the rate. You can cry all you want about those bad unfair agents and going to call the client direct will likely get you blacklisted forever by them. Move on and learn from your mistakes.

This is not the case at all. Agents do not have blacklists, they are thick-skinned and will call you again tomorrow if they think they can place you.

And if you lose 3 contracts in a row you may be pricing yourself out of the current market, otherwise it's a cowboy trying to pull a fast one. You went to an interview on the basis of an advertised rate - this was definitely a cowboy tactic.

[Wanderer]

Nope, the client will think you are a nutter and blacklist you, the agency will also do the same. He didn't get the job because someone else was willing to negotiate. You can't go crying to the client this is business, you will look like a desperate permie crying over their 2% pay increase.

The idea that you could be blacklisted by a client or agency simply for touting for business is utterly wrong in my opinion.

I think it's just the contractor being business like and protecting their business interests from predatory agencies. At the merest sniff of some extra margin, the agency will be on the phone to the client like a shot. They also have absolutely no qualms about cold calling your references etc either.

So the situation is that the offer of the contract appears to be withdrawn. And the contractor is expected to meekly sit back and accept this? I don't think so. They should at least suggest to the agency they will call the client direct because that keeps them at least a little bit more honest.

The worst that will happen is that the client will refuse to deal with the contractor and refer them back to the agency. However, they will know the truth about what the agency is trying to do to it's contractors and perhaps this will mean that they are a bit wary of the agency which will help future contractors. At best, the client will give the agency a rocket and tell them to come back to you with a proper offer and get you on board.