Agents - looking after contractors?????

[WKnight]

Do you or anyone you know use a Jerry McGuire type agent?

Apparently there is a breed of agents that actually take an interest in contractors; an agent that takes on a handful of career contractors and manages their careers over the long term, moving them for the best rates, upping the rates at every opportunity, selling the contractor into high-paid positions? And of course, they take a cut of the total pot.

Where would you get such an agent? Is such a beast myth or reality?

[Andyw]

Don't be silly !

All agencies are soley in it for the money and dont give a stuff about you !

Once you are signed up and earning them 'money for nothing' they couldnt care less about you ! until it's contract renewel time !

[JonnoWeb]

For me agents are simply a means of introducing me to clients, and an invoice factoring service. I have just renewed with my current client (4th contract), and the agencies involvement was nil. The renewal process was simply the client asking if I was going to stay on the same terms I am currently on, me saying yes, then both of us informing the agent what was to happen. Having said that I would not have met this client without the agents involvement, they only get a 10% margin, so I am happy. Their involvement also means that when I work Mon-Thurs, the money for this is in the company account by the following Wednesday.

Outside of this call when I let them know I am extending the contract, I never hear from the agent during the contract - I prefer it that way.

I have been contracting now for 12 years, and aside from extensions have never worked for the same agency twice.

Finally you must remember that the agent is paid by, and therefore works for, the client. They are not your agent as you do not pay them.

[wonderwaif]

About three years ago I did work with someone who told me whenever he came to the end of a contract he always phoned the same agent who got him further work. He seemed genuinely surprised to hear that most contractors have to endure the 'phantom jobs' on jobserve, the fishing calls and the 'I'm sorry <insert name here> is out of the office at the moment' response when you call them.

[BlasterBates]

Its quite simple, footballers and Formula one drivers can't be recruited on Jobserve but we can. The answer is to all sit at home refusing to answer adverts and playing hard to get.

Are we all agreed ?

[DimPrawn]

Do you or anyone you know use a Jerry McGuire type agent?

Show me the money!!!


No.

[WKnight]

Money money money

Its quite simple, footballers and Formula one drivers can't be recruited on Jobserve but we can. The answer is to all sit at home refusing to answer adverts and playing hard to get.

So is it all about money? If rates pushed 150 per hour, as they have done for some in particular industries with bleeding edge skills, could a niche for jerry exist?

[DimPrawn]

It's supply and demand.

In sport there is great demand for a few very talented individuals.

In IT there is a large scale steady demand for lots of average people.

The business dynamics are very different. One is where clients compete for that very small telent pool. The other is where IT people compete for a small job pool.

Not the same at all.

[Churchill]

So is it all about money? If rates pushed 150 per hour, as they have done for some in particular industries with bleeding edge skills, could a niche for jerry exist?

You're not really a contractor, are you?

[DimPrawn]

The closest analogy is that clients are the supermarkets, agents are the slaughterhouses and we are the cattle.

HTH