Agencies asking your daily rate

[sophia57]

Hey everyone,

Is it normal for agencies to ask what your daily rate is or do they not need to know? Why do they ask this, I assume its because they want to get a good margin for themselves?

[SpontaneousOrder]

Hey everyone,

Is it normal for agencies to ask what your daily rate is or do they not need to know? Why do they ask this, I assume its because they want to get a good margin for themselves?

Yeah, annoying isn't it. Just like when they put stupid little price stickers on items in the shop, rather than letting me enjoy a nice surprise debt when I get to the checkout.

[Contreras]

Hey everyone,

Is it normal for agencies to ask what your daily rate is or do they not need to know? Why do they ask this, I assume its because they want to get a good margin for themselves?

Yes it's to improve their margin. Cheeky sods will favour the contractor(s) with a low rate regardless of best fit for the role.

Not all agents work like this but many do.

If you can, hold off from quoting a rate. At least until the agent has elaborated on the role and the location, and ideally the client. If they won't do this then ask if the role really exists or are they just fishing for contacts. I'll usually say "market rate", "it depends", and "what is the client offering?". The last one usually elicits a range and if I'm feeling confident about it then pitch at ~10% above that.

[sophia57]

Thanks for the insight. What about when agencies get personal and ask if you know so and so from your previous or current place of work. I once had an agent asking me if I know another contractor and a manager on my assignment at that time. Why would they do that? Strange.

[cojak]

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...eferences.html

I suggest you do a bit of reading around the site.

[TheFaQQer]

My current rate bears no relevance to the next rate. I am always flexible on the rate, within reason, and that depends on the client, the work, the location and how desperate I am for work.

Revealing what I currently earn (which is usually £0 since I rarely discuss new roles with agents when I'm already working) is useless for trying to price up the next piece of work - tell me the details, and I'll give you a price.

[northernladuk]

My current rate bears no relevance to the next rate. I am always flexible on the rate, within reason, and that depends on the client, the work, the location and how desperate I am for work.

Revealing what I currently earn (which is usually £0 since I rarely discuss new roles with agents when I'm already working) is useless for trying to price up the next piece of work - tell me the details, and I'll give you a price.

+1 to that. Giving the rate brings absolutely no benefit to the discussion and could in fact put the agent off. If he has £300 in his head and you say £500 he's going to lose interest straight away even if there is price somewhere in the middle you could have both agreed on.

[Hireonomy]

I think its all semantics and/or training on what to say/ask.

One agency would ask "what's your rate" - assuming you want that, or more, for your next role (understandable). They may then go on to ask the below (but then again they may not).

Another agency may ask "what would your rate be for X role, in Y location for Z period"... this is a more helpful question

[tomtomagain]

I assume its because they want to get a good margin for themselves?

What's wrong with that? They are in business to make money. And are not a charity.

As sales-people they ask their suppliers what the current rates are and what they availability of that supply is so that they can have a up-to date information to hand so that when they approach their potential customers they can answer questions such as.

"How much is a C# developer going to cost me?"
or
"How long will it take to get a good Project Manager?"

With a reasonable degree of confidence that the information they are imparting is accurate.

[GillsMan]

When I've been asked my rate, I answer truthfully, which is that my rate can be as little as £280pd, and can be as much as £700pd, depending on the complexity of the role, the specialisms they require and other ancillary factors, such as WFH, etc. That range is the genuine range that I've contracted for in the past, and allows me to say that I genuinely don't have a day rate - it's the role that has a day rate.