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"How are you finding the market?"

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    "How are you finding the market?"

    As soon as an agent asks me this (and after I've already told him I'm on the bench), I realise that a) he's fishing b) he's obviously braindead. What answer does he expect? "Oh, it's been great, there've been loads of 500 per day jobs I've only turned down as I like to lounge in summer - would you like to hear about them?"
    Speaking gibberish on internet talkboards since last Michaelmas. Plus here on Twitter

    #2
    Originally posted by MrMark View Post
    As soon as an agent asks me this (and after I've already told him I'm on the bench), I realise that a) he's fishing b) he's obviously braindead. What answer does he expect? "Oh, it's been great, there've been loads of 500 per day jobs I've only turned down as I like to lounge in summer - would you like to hear about them?"
    Say this. "Lots of calls, every day. The rates are too low so I am catching up on some DIY. Probably start looking properly in the autumn"
    Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

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      #3
      The key is to be believable. I was benched for 2 months in the spring and when agents asked this I'd say the market was quieter than normal, and rates are a little lower than last year. But that I have not been looking long and have already had two telephone interviews...

      Even if the above is a crock of tulipe - you've had no interviews and rates are lower than the titanic.

      It makes you look like a good quality contractor who is flexible on rate and should be at the top of the agent's list to try to place.

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        #4
        I agree with Kent Phillip but also I agree that the catch phrase "how are you finding the market" is annoying and in my time has almost been said to me in a spiteful way by the winkas agants.

        Be civil to them but give nothing away i.e. things going on like potential interviews and never seem to be desperate.

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          #5
          I've been asked this along with several other seemingly generic questions by quite a few different agents now.

          Is there an agent’s bulltulip manual or something? They're not clever enough to work out these profiling questions themselves shirley?
          Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: why not marry safe science if you love it so much. In fact, why not invent a special safety door that won't hit you in the butt on the way out, because you are fired. - Cave Johnson

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            #6
            Originally posted by gingerjedi View Post
            I've been asked this along with several other seemingly generic questions by quite a few different agents now.

            Is there an agent’s bulltulip manual or something? They're not clever enough to work out these profiling questions themselves shirley?
            They have always asked these stupid questions. I think they learn them at agent skool
            +50 Xeno Geek Points
            Come back Toolpusher, scotspine, Voodooflux. Pogle
            As for the rest of you - DILLIGAF

            Purveyor of fine quality smut since 2005

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              #7
              where's the harm in this - just give some polite tulipe answer and then ask them what they think of the market too!
              This default font is sooooooooooooo boring and so are short usernames

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