additions to the top 10 tricks used by recruitment agencies for rate cuts, references

[MyUserName]

I have had an agent ask for two references because my skills did not quite match the role. Being brand new I gave them, he phoned them both and asked about my technical skills and then did not bother them again. I did not get the interview but they swear blind they were positive about me :-)

[northernladuk]

I've had a few pimps offering a three to six month contract at say £400 a day, but with a £50 a day bonus if you stay till the end of the contract. So asked him what happens if I get a renewal ... Silence ... yea mate we know what happens, the bonus just gets deferred or nobody ever makes it that far ... Either way you get screwed. I've flat out refused that one. Talk about multiplying risk.

It looks to me as if some people are starting to walk mid-contract, so rather than pay the market rate this would seem to be the Finance directors solution.

I would have taken that and the pointed out a renewal comes after the end of the last contract. I completed the contract now pay up. In fact.. I would have waited until I had been there for years with endless renewals.... THEN I would have pointed out I fulfilled every single individual contract. Kerching..... Or do you mean £400 was under market value and the bonus just makes it up to market value?

[Taita]

I would have taken that and the pointed out a renewal comes after the end of the last contract. I completed the contract now pay up. In fact.. I would have waited until I had been there for years with endless renewals.... THEN I would have pointed out I fulfilled every single individual contract. Kerching..... Or do you mean £400 was under market value and the bonus just makes it up to market value?

Just guessing but I too would think the £400 was below market rate, otherwise why let his suspicions get the better of him? All he needed to do was to ensure the bonus was properly written into the contract.

[Cenobite]

Just had this in my inbox for a Java contract in Berlin:

You will also be kitted out with the best tools in the industry where you will have MacBook Pro Retina laptop AND two large 27” monitors so you can be fully immersed in code.

The rate we can pay is between 200-250 euro a day but hopefully the above will make it slightly more interesting if this sounds like a low rate to you.

I'll just take a higher rate thanks.

[riffpie]

Just had this in my inbox for a Java contract in Berlin:

You will also be kitted out with the best tools in the industry where you will have MacBook Pro Retina laptop AND two large 27” monitors so you can be fully immersed in code.

The rate we can pay is between 200-250 euro a day but hopefully the above will make it slightly more interesting if this sounds like a low rate to you.

I'll just take a higher rate thanks.

That's utterly insulting. "You glorified typists are a simple bunch, here have a shiny thing to play with in lieu of anything resembling a decent rate"

[Cenobite]

That's utterly insulting. "You glorified typists are a simple bunch, here have a shiny thing to play with in lieu of anything resembling a decent rate"

It's the "so you can be fully immersed in code" part that kills me. What's so great about that? The codebase probably sucks anyway.

BTW the glorified typists thing has come up in my career before. When I contracted in the public sector once, I was sent an internal email with the new pay bands on it for different job functions. This was only a few years ago and unbelievably they still had a typing pool, but anyway the pay band was higher than that of the Java devs. "I mean they both just type all day, and these ones over here can type quicker."

I can't wait to get out of programming.

[sunflower]

Just had this in my inbox for a Java contract in Berlin:

You will also be kitted out with the best tools in the industry where you will have MacBook Pro Retina laptop AND two large 27” monitors so you can be fully immersed in code.

The rate we can pay is between 200-250 euro a day but hopefully the above will make it slightly more interesting if this sounds like a low rate to you.

I'll just take a higher rate thanks.

Cenobite, that's shocking. Berlin is cheaper than a lot of places but not that cheap!
Sounds like a permie job in disguise...

Never heard of a bonus retainer to the daily rate before.

I've had agents ring my former managers up and try sales pitches. You have to be careful with references. They won't be pleased if they get bothered by agencies when they are busy.

I think I met a particularly naughty agent. You can be clear with them that you know the score and the market, but some still try it.

[psychocandy]

Just had this in my inbox for a Java contract in Berlin:

You will also be kitted out with the best tools in the industry where you will have MacBook Pro Retina laptop AND two large 27” monitors so you can be fully immersed in code.

The rate we can pay is between 200-250 euro a day but hopefully the above will make it slightly more interesting if this sounds like a low rate to you.

I'll just take a higher rate thanks.

Tell you what I'd do it for free if you give me big monitors. Why do they think anyone cares about things like this?

Of course, if they said client will pay two naked lapdances per day at your desk then it'd be different.... :-)

[MyUserName]

I can't wait to get out of programming.

And into the typing pool?

[riffpie]

Why do they think anyone cares about things like this?

A few years ago, some devs made a big fuss about screen real estate, and how much more productive they were with lots of it. Personally, 1 27" Apple monitor is quite enough for me.