Do you know contractors that have become IT recruitment agents?

[Pondlife]

Isn't that what Linkedin is for? At least there you 'invite' people to your network

[Mordac]

Actually, who needs agencies? how many contractors use this forum? How many of those are aware of vacancies. Can't we just use our own netwrok to bypass the blood suckers?

I know that agencies view this board, so perhaps we can create a forum for listing skill set which we can all search for, then PM the relevant person...

Or does this idea suck more than Paris Hilton?

Your biggest obstacle is not the PM, it's the utterly useless HR gimps who won't entertain hiring anybody from a supplier who isn't on their PSL. Your second biggest obstacle is finding someone to do all your cold calling for you, and how to pay them, but fortunately my plan B has found a solution to that one. It involves an IT recruitment agency (no names no pack drill) and there may be some way of incorporating your ideas.
As for setting up in competition with the traditional agencies, the best advice I can offer is forget it. There are thousands of them, and most of them are far better equipped to survive than you are. It's a sales driven business, and the nice guys mostly get driven out in the end.
And you don't need £50k in the bank, use a factoring company (like all the other agencies).

[wackadu]

Actually, who needs agencies? how many contractors use this forum? How many of those are aware of vacancies. Can't we just use our own netwrok to bypass the blood suckers?

Quite possible, to build up a network as such. However, I can't imagine any of the contractors on here wanting to share their contacts for a number of reasons.

[djfoot]

Quite possible, to build up a network as such. However, I can't imagine any of the contractors on here wanting to share their contacts for a number of reasons.

Wasn't what I suggested.