Professional Working Day

[MrMarkyMark]

What you sign with the agent and what you agree with the client can be two very different things, as long as the client is prepared to pay the invoices from the agent, then the agent won't care.
It does require being professional and working with the client to get a suitable outcome.

I worked for a client who made their permies fill out timesheets online. The system was set up in the US as a 40 hour week. The UK staff worked a 37.5 hour week. One of the permies put in 7.5hr days, 5 days a week. Every week he got a warning to say he had not worked 40 hours.
I explained to him to just put down 8 hours per day and that would be OK, no one would care. He refused saying that if he put down 8 hours, that means he was being paid less because he was doing 2.5 hours per week free. Didn't matter that he didn't do the work, he saw it as being a reduction in his salary.

Very much so, I'm constantly baffled as to what I see people say on here.

People forget your client contact has most likely never seen the actual contract.

As for your second point, the behavior described goes somewhere to explain that sort of mentality.

[jungleboogy]

I genuinely don't know how you get any work done with over 30k posts but I will embrace the feedback, thanks.

There is a difference between being a non conformist and being a pillock.

Deliberately not using a common sense method when asking for free advice from your peers is just being stupid or trolling.

[WTFH]

I genuinely don't know how you get any work done with over 30k posts but I will embrace the feedback, thanks.

Quite easily. He does a Professional Working Day, being professional with his clients, fellow contractors, permies, and agents.

[MrMarkyMark]

Quite easily. He does a Professional Working Day, being professional with his clients, fellow contractors, permies, and agents.

Hence why some days you don't "see" him.

Pretty much the same for the rest of us really.

[jungleboogy]

Well this has been enlightening, now that the contract is sealed I'll get back to delivering a professional service to the client as always. Happy in the knowledge that I can work late or finish early to collect my kids and not be in breach of contract. Everyone satisfied but for some reason you guys see that as unprofessional. My view is good negotiation skills and upfront honesty.

[MrMarkyMark]

Well this has been enlightening, now that the contract is sealed I'll get back to delivering a professional service to the client as always. Happy in the knowledge that I can work late or finish early to collect my kids and not be in breach of contract. Everyone satisfied but for some reason you guys see that as unprofessional. My view is good negotiation skills and upfront honesty.

Great.

I'll say it again, try discussing at interview, rather than post interview with the agent.

As I said, that's the bit I don't get with this....

[jungleboogy]

Great.

I'll say it again, try discussing at interview, rather than post interview with the agent.

As I said, that's the bit I don't get with this....

The contract is with the agent, they just followed a framework set by the client. Yes maybe it could have been discussed at interview but in my experience it's never been an issue to amend that particular wording if it appears in the contract. Anyway....has been resolved now so all good in the end.

[SueEllen]

The contract is with the agent, they just followed a framework set by the client. Yes maybe it could have been discussed at interview but in my experience it's never been an issue to amend that particular wording if it appears in the contract. Anyway....has been resolved now so all good in the end.

I always discuss flexibility at interview with the client. Some actually bring it up with me.

I had one potential client wanting me in at exactly 9am for no reason. I got home and told the agent I wouldn't be accepting the contract. The reason I turned it down is I had the potential to commute to either of their sites but I consided being stuck in traffic for an extra 30-40 minutes due to their rigidity a waste of my time.

[MrMarkyMark]

I always discuss flexibility at interview with the client. Some actually bring it up with me.

I had one potential client wanting me in at exactly 9am for no reason. I got home and told the agent I wouldn't be accepting the contract. The reason I turned it down is I had the potential to commute to either of their sites but I consided being stuck in traffic for an extra 30-40 minutes due to their rigidity a waste of my time.

Funny, in my experience, that is the best thing to do as well.

[WTFH]

The contract is with the agent, they just followed a framework set by the client.

Do you seriously believe that?

The client does not set the "framework" of your contract with the agent.
The client and agent argue over a rate and length of contract, the agent sends the client their standard client contract with those numbers dropped in.
The agent sends you their standard contractor contract with the same length, but a reduced rate.
The only other changes between contracts relate to industry specifics, e.g. Security clearance & insurance.

The agent has standard contracts that have been agreed with their legal team. They will not want to vary from that as that would require them to go back to the legal team to get agreement on the new contracts - not just to the contractor but also the end client. Why would they go to that expense when they can just lie to you and say "Client says no"?