So what agencies CAN you trust...?

[MojoDog]

One word Progressive... stay away, oh and Hoaxleys obviously, all other agencies it really depends on the agent.

Hoaxleys! Would they be based in Manchester? I would be interested in any tales about them, please...

[Jubber]

I need agents.

I've been contracting for over 17 years and I need them.

I've made lots of 'business' contacts, but usually when they ask my availability, I'm busy. Same the other way, when I'm out of work, they don't have anything. So what am I meant to do once I've called all my previous clients? Hit the phones? Yeah right, that's not me, I like to sit in a corner and be left alone while I develop solutions.

Good, bad or ugly I just roll with it and keep my best interests at heart.

[kal]

Hoaxleys! Would they be based in Manchester? I would be interested in any tales about them, please...

Big agency, send me fantasy jobs with sky high rates on a regular basis, I now direct all their emails to my spam folder to save me the hassle of reading their fictional job adverts...

[craig1]

Treat each agent as an individual and then as part of the agency they work for. There's one agency I've worked with a few times in the past that's distinctly ordinary but the agent I work with is outstanding and has never let me down in any way, when he went off on holiday for 3 weeks all of a sudden I started getting problems such as non-payment and daft bits of resistance to simple requests.

The other thing some contractors don't take into account is the margin: if an agency is taking under 6-7% margin then learn to expect RyanAir type quality, you'll get there eventually but you're not going to be getting business class standards; if an agent is taking 15%+ then that's when I demand high standards. Agencies that take over 15% and still try to stiff their contractors deserve to be beaten out of the industry like the shysters they are. I see that margin as the value-for-money index, the higher it is, the more I want in return, I really don't mind agencies making a living from margins but it's not acceptable seeing high margins and low quality.

[flipFlop]

Vivid

Daniel calls me almost weekly about a putative contract that demands a combination of rare skills.

Each time Daniel calls, he tells me that the client is keen to interview me next week. As he calls me each time it is as if he has never spoken to me before.

This has being going on since the start of the year.

[tractor]

...

Daniel calls me almost weekly about a putative contract that demands a combination of rare skills.

Each time Daniel calls, he tells me that the client is keen to interview me next week. As he calls me each time it is as if he has never spoken to me before.

This has being going on since the start of the year.

It's quite likely a different agent every week but the crib sheet they use has a fictional 'Daniel' in it. They are too stupid to substitute their own name. It's a little like the stupid idiots in the Pumpkin at the station who ask if you are staying in or going out with the fags you just bought because they are too stupid to realise the trainer was telling them about the hot food VAT rule doh! They even asked me whether I was eating a packet of Polos 'in' today.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Daniel calls me almost weekly about a putative contract that demands a combination of rare skills.

Each time Daniel calls, he tells me that the client is keen to interview me next week. As he calls me each time it is as if he has never spoken to me before.

This has being going on since the start of the year.

Man I know that feeling! Had the same with a particular agent who used to be with Computer Futures and has now moved elsewhere. Every time he calls it is like we have never spoken before. I make sure to ignore it now.

[max78]

IT-Talent

Avoid this agency, they send out unsolicited emails or cold call asking for potential employer(s) one is interviewing/engaging with , along with hiring manager details.

They in reality have, no genuine vacancies for you or is made up just to harvest potential leads and ruin your chances of securing an interview and offer.

[Taita]

I suppose they have never spammed you? 6 times a day even when on holiday abroad and even after I told them to f - off

How did they know you were on holiday abroad?