Recruitment Consultants, discuss.

[ancient]

Yep thats exactly what it's like in bigger agencies ;-)

Many agents seem to be using CRM type applications and anything said can be written down and submitted as evidence. So I try not to be too chatty with them these days, and only answer the phone after I have fully woken up and have my wits about me, only use positive words and if it is a 200 mile commute and a crap rate, politely decline, rather than you must be @@@@ joking? Nothing worse than being rang at 9am having just crawled out of bed.

There again companies like Hays, I sometimes get three people from there trying to sell me the same job, and the left and the right hand does not know what it is doing.

[reformation]

Many agents seem to be using CRM type applications and anything said can be written down and submitted as evidence. So I try not to be too chatty with them these days, and only answer the phone after I have fully woken up and have my wits about me, only use positive words and if it is a 200 mile commute and a crap rate, politely decline, rather than you must be @@@@ joking? Nothing worse than being rang at 9am having just crawled out of bed.

There again companies like Hays, I sometimes get three people from there trying to sell me the same job, and the left and the right hand does not know what it is doing.

Yeah you tend to get a situation were an agent/child will ring you and say Hello Mr Contractor can you invent the wheel for £5 an hour, if you say 'no f'ing way' then the child usually throws toys and can write things on the system such as 'spoke to Mr Contractor and he is very agressive, dont use' or some such other nonsense. So as you say, politely decline, as frustrating as it is if you look at it from their/our side they arent techncial and dont know you wouldnt travel 200 miles to do the job. You may argue that common sense says you wouldnt do the role but hey we're just agents ;-)

A poster said about pooling your resources (forgive i foget the posters name) to weed out the poor agents, i think it'sa good idea, why not have an HTML page or whatever with a list of 'beware' people? Forwarned is forarmed and all that.

[Joe Black]

I think the idea of setting up some sort of website listing 'bad' agents was suggested on here once before, a few years ago if I remember correctly in one of this boards other incarnations when agents were perhaps even less popular than now.

In fact I believe someone did actually set up such a site - if it's still round and someones got a link? - but generally there are big problems with such things namely due to the libel laws, especially in the UK.

[reformation]

I think the idea of setting up some sort of website listing 'bad' agents was suggested on here once before, a few years ago if I remember correctly in one of this boards other incarnations when agents were perhaps even less popular than now.

In fact I believe someone did actually set up such a site - if it's still round and someones got a link? - but generally there are big problems with such things namely due to the libel laws, especially in the UK.

Yeah fair point about legal implications, didnt think of that... Still it could have been fun! So where have you been for interviews and who did you see there?

[ancient]

Yeah you tend to get a situation were an agent/child will ring you and say Hello Mr Contractor can you invent the wheel for £5 an hour, if you say 'no f'ing way' then the child usually throws toys and can write things on the system such as 'spoke to Mr Contractor and he is very agressive, dont use' or some such other nonsense. So as you say, politely decline, as frustrating as it is if you look at it from their/our side they arent techncial and dont know you wouldnt travel 200 miles to do the job. You may argue that common sense says you wouldnt do the role but hey we're just agents ;-)

A poster said about pooling your resources (forgive i foget the posters name) to weed out the poor agents, i think it'sa good idea, why not have an HTML page or whatever with a list of 'beware' people? Forwarned is forarmed and all that.

I am against the idea of ‘blacklists’ for contractors or agents, everyone makes mistakes, and can be misinterpreted; also we all learn from our mistakes. At the end of the day it is a business relationship and positive and enduring relationships are based on trust. I also wonder whether ‘Agent’ is the correct word for the intermediary. e.g. the role of Agent and the services provided to the Contractor by the agent are not clearly defined.

The Agent needs to fill an opportunity and earn a margin and get his commission.

The Contractor needs to achieve an acceptable rate for the services offered.

I remember working on a contract, where there was a purge of contractors on the client site that I was working on; our team of six became one (me) and I was feeling a little overloaded having acquired all the work of the others. Needless to say, I started to fall out with the Client and we parted mid-contract (after three years). Nesco (my agent) backed me up and gave me a good reference and offered to put me forward for another role with the same Client – that for me built an enduring trust.

[reformation]

I am against the idea of ‘blacklists’ for contractors or agents, everyone makes mistakes, and can be misinterpreted; also we all learn from our mistakes. At the end of the day it is a business relationship and positive and enduring relationships are based on trust. I also wonder whether ‘Agent’ is the correct word for the intermediary. e.g. the role of Agent and the services provided to the Contractor by the agent are not clearly defined.

The Agent needs to fill an opportunity and earn a margin and get his commission.

The Contractor needs to achieve an acceptable rate for the services offered.

I remember working on a contract, where there was a purge of contractors on the client site that I was working on; our team of six became one (me) and I was feeling a little overloaded having acquired all the work of the others. Needless to say, I started to fall out with the Client and we parted mid-contract (after three years). Nesco (my agent) backed me up and gave me a good reference and offered me another role with the same Client – that for me built an enduring trust.

Yeah i bet, Nesco sound pretty decent guys to deal with, sorry to hear about your fellow workers getting canned, you should have asked for a rate increase! Was the client ok about you assuming another role after communication broke down and you both went seperate ways?

[ancient]

Yeah i bet, Nesco sound pretty decent guys to deal with, sorry to hear about your fellow workers getting canned, you should have asked for a rate increase! Was the client ok about you assuming another role after communication broke down and you both went seperate ways?

My rate was allready top whack, I decided to do time on another contract closer to home.

But, later this week, I have an interview with the previous client.

[reformation]

I decided to do time on another contract closer to home.

But, later this week, I have an interview with the previous client.

Fair enough, thumbs up to Nesco then for fighting your corner! Good luck with the interviews and i hope it pans out for you.

[Joe Bloggs]

I remember working on a contract, where there was a purge of contractors on the client site that I was working on; our team of six became one (me) and I was feeling a little overloaded having acquired all the work of the others.

Ancient, you wouldn't by chance be refering to a certain, eh...gov't site* which just might have recently changed its name would you?

* OSA and all that

[ancient]

Ancient, you wouldn't by chance be refering to a certain, eh...gov't site* which just might have recently changed its name would you?

* OSA and all that

Afraid not



But I think it is a common problem where Clients (management) cut contract staff so they can look good on their budget or to their superiors with little regard for the poor buggers who are left to do the work e.g. threatend and screwed to the bone to deliver in impossible timescales.

Clients have a responsibility under the health and saftey act, but within the context of Contractors they often abuse it or are not aware of their obligations.

How about a blacklist of (contractor hating) cowboy permie managers not to work for?

There again according to the Sunday Times they do say that 10% of senior managers are Psychopaths.