Why agent ask about rates

[d000hg]

I'm working on self-motivated and interesting projects that I choose.
But occassionally for light relief I like to gloat at some of the cretinous slaves on here.
HTH

It doesn't seem that sporadic.

The place wouldn't be the same without you anyway.

[EternalOptimist]

I hate to disagree with Dodgy
but i am never vague

EO plan 101

find something attractive about your new gig. add 100 per day to the advertised rate

'I am currently on x+100, but willing to take a hit because of y'

if there is no advertised rate, think of a number

[DodgyAgent]

I hate to disagree with Dodgy
but i am never vague

EO plan 101

find something attractive about your new gig. add 100 per day to the advertised rate

'I am currently on x+100, but willing to take a hit because of y'

if there is no advertised rate, think of a number

Being non specific in your answer is a very useful way of trying to bring out the true meaning of a question.
For example I am sometimes asked how big my company is. The real question is how do we know if your company is substantial enough for us to do business. Not knowing what figure the potential client thinks makes a business "substantial enough" would make a direct answer dangerous. So instead I say that we have been going for a long time and then find a way of asking him what size of companies he prefers to deal with. Then I tell him what he wants to hear

[Old Hack]

Fook me, I have never been honest to any agent, and I have always presumed the same in return. Fecking foolish thinking they are.

Something along the lines of

Agent: "What are you on?"
Moi: "I am on [Current Rate + Amount I wish to raise that by +15%]"
Agent (nearly always): "What would you work for?"
Moi: "I haven't earned less than [current rate +5%] for my last [X] contracts"

Sometimes they say they can't go that high, so I say goodbye.

My favourite time is when they ask if I know someone who fits the Job Spec, to which I reply can I have your commission if I do?

Repeat and rinse: They don't like us, we don't like them. It's a symbiotic relationship where they are the remoras, we are the sharks.

[escapeUK]

No I think you are male, a woman working in IT would not make a cheap comment like that. Women in IT have an education and think more or themselves.

HTH

What both of them?

[DodgyAgent]

Fook me, I have never been honest to any agent, and I have always presumed the same in return. Fecking foolish thinking they are.

Something along the lines of

Agent: "What are you on?"
Moi: "I am on [Current Rate + Amount I wish to raise that by +15%]"
Agent (nearly always): "What would you work for?"
Moi: "I haven't earned less than [current rate +5%] for my last [X] contracts"

Sometimes they say they can't go that high, so I say goodbye.

My favourite time is when they ask if I know someone who fits the Job Spec, to which I reply can I have your commission if I do?

Repeat and rinse: They don't like us, we don't like them. It's a symbiotic relationship where they are the remoras, we are the sharks.

Not true. I have liked nearly all the contractors I have worked with. Its the agents I cant stand

[d000hg]

Fook me, I have never been honest to any agent, and I have always presumed the same in return. Fecking foolish thinking they are.

Something along the lines of

Agent: "What are you on?"
Moi: "I am on [Current Rate + Amount I wish to raise that by +15%]"
Agent (nearly always): "What would you work for?"
Moi: "I haven't earned less than [current rate +5%] for my last [X] contracts"

Sometimes they say they can't go that high, so I say goodbye.

My favourite time is when they ask if I know someone who fits the Job Spec, to which I reply can I have your commission if I do?

Repeat and rinse: They don't like us, we don't like them. It's a symbiotic relationship where they are the remoras, we are the sharks.

If you have to lie, your negotiation stinks and you're not very confident.

[Old Hack]

If you have to lie, your negotiation stinks and you're not very confident.

Oh my, you really are stalking now.

Strange you don't say that to someone else, who made the same point earlier

Anyway, as your opinion, as always, is peurile, it will be filed in file 13 as normal.

Oh, it works by the way.

I even lie about my car insurance renewels when phoning around, I have even been known to lie to car salesmen about where I have had better prices.

Must be dreadfully insecure...

So very funny.

[d000hg]

I didn't say lying didn't work. I said having to resort to it is a bad sign that you don't feel able to take on an agent with the true facts and come out ahead. Only by deceiving them can you get what you are worth. The confident of us just tell the agent what rate we require and stick to it.


As for stalking you, I think you have some sort of complex.

[Old Hack]

I didn't say lying didn't work. I said having to resort to it is a bad sign that you don't feel able to take on an agent with the true facts and come out ahead. Only by deceiving them can you get what you are worth. The confident of us just tell the agent what rate we require and stick to it.


As for stalking you, I think you have some sort of complex.

Rubbish, the game is to get as much as you can, and their's is to make as much margin as possible. Or are you really that naive?

As for the stalking part, please explain how the person who made the same point seems to escape your childish ire?

Negotiations always involve some kind of smoke and mirrors, will always involve smoke and mirrors. You are simply being childish by suggesting we all act honestly together. If not, you are simply invoking an ad hominem stance.

Do you think you should be honest to car salesmen? Insurance companies, when it comes to the prices you have been offered? Come on, answer it.