So, in early December, heard about a gig which sounded appealing. Spoke with Agent, put forward at agreed rate......then nothing. I chased after a week, but with Christmas coming was not surprised to hear 'no news'. In the meantime, extension with current client confirmed, albeit not for long.
Then, days after Christmas (Friday 27th or Monday 30th), I get call from Agent saying Client wants to interview me asap, when am I available. I confirm the rate I have been put forward at, and she clearly states, and emails, "...the numeric value of the rate is the one thing I cannot change on their Portal". So, knowing that there are a few candidates being seen, I get in as soon as I can and take first available date. Meeting with Client goes well, I expect to hear back in a few days, after all candidates seen. So far, so good.
Agent calls a couple of days later to say:
"Congratulations, Client really liked you and want to offer".......then a slight hesitant pause - y'all know what is coming......"but, due to a squeeze on their budget, they can only offer rate - £50/day".....very slight pause from me, before replying "We agreed rate I was put forward at, and that is the rate I will work for. Really liked the Client, but the rate is not negotiable".
...thereafter, for a good day or so, several phone calls from the Agent bemoaning difficulties Client is having with meeting my rate requirement, how hard she is trying to 'meet in the middle', what a really good company they are to work with and I should rally consider compromise......yada, yada, yada.
I am sure that this is not the Client - well, reasonably......and so stick to my guns. Agent bleats on a little about "although you are preferred candidate, they may have to resort to alternative"....to which I say "Fine, you told me the rate was clearly notified to Client....that is what I charge"......
In a nutshell, I wanted this gig, but smelled much fishiness.....so, I took the unusual and gamble step of contacting the hiring manager at Client directly via LinkedIn - he seemed a decent chap, and I felt we understood each other at interview.
Guess what?! Seems Agent had been spinning Client a line about how I had another offer, and Client needed to up their rate to Agent......Agent was asking for Client Pay Rate +10%......all the while trying to get my rate down by £50/day......meaning there was some serious top-n-tailing attempt on maximising margin. Client guy was relieved to confirm Agent was up to no good - he felt it unlikely that I was asking for more, after they had offered - and we spoke candidly about what Client was paying, what my rate was and established there was £50/day margin for the Agent......seemingly, not enough for them!
Over the next few days, Client (*really* large multinational) gave Agent a severe rocket, and onboarding commenced. All progressing nicely, until Director of the division of Agent called yesterday to apologise "for all the mis-communictaion(!).....and that there were lessons to learn for them"......and so on. Then, he advised that they were no longer able to progress supplying me to Client, and that Client had insisted I was moved to a different supply agency. Quick call to Client guy confirms that Agency had been "suspended from all contract recruiitment in respect of Client" for a period of 3 months, pending a full review of their practice(s)........
......and I will now be 'handled' by Harvey Nash (which seem a good bunch) who have been asked to pick up the pieces and ensure that all is sorted in time for me to start on-site on 27th January.
Moral of the story is: Agent tried to increase their margin on gig from £50/day to close to £150/day.......by lying, and mis-representing both me and Client to each other......got found out, and in a world of pain. I am very glad that I took the risky step to contact Client guy direct - otherwise, my reputation would have taken a hit (looking like I was trying to play for more £s) and I would probably have lost the gig.
Does make you wonder.........
Then, days after Christmas (Friday 27th or Monday 30th), I get call from Agent saying Client wants to interview me asap, when am I available. I confirm the rate I have been put forward at, and she clearly states, and emails, "...the numeric value of the rate is the one thing I cannot change on their Portal". So, knowing that there are a few candidates being seen, I get in as soon as I can and take first available date. Meeting with Client goes well, I expect to hear back in a few days, after all candidates seen. So far, so good.
Agent calls a couple of days later to say:
"Congratulations, Client really liked you and want to offer".......then a slight hesitant pause - y'all know what is coming......"but, due to a squeeze on their budget, they can only offer rate - £50/day".....very slight pause from me, before replying "We agreed rate I was put forward at, and that is the rate I will work for. Really liked the Client, but the rate is not negotiable".
...thereafter, for a good day or so, several phone calls from the Agent bemoaning difficulties Client is having with meeting my rate requirement, how hard she is trying to 'meet in the middle', what a really good company they are to work with and I should rally consider compromise......yada, yada, yada.
I am sure that this is not the Client - well, reasonably......and so stick to my guns. Agent bleats on a little about "although you are preferred candidate, they may have to resort to alternative"....to which I say "Fine, you told me the rate was clearly notified to Client....that is what I charge"......
In a nutshell, I wanted this gig, but smelled much fishiness.....so, I took the unusual and gamble step of contacting the hiring manager at Client directly via LinkedIn - he seemed a decent chap, and I felt we understood each other at interview.
Guess what?! Seems Agent had been spinning Client a line about how I had another offer, and Client needed to up their rate to Agent......Agent was asking for Client Pay Rate +10%......all the while trying to get my rate down by £50/day......meaning there was some serious top-n-tailing attempt on maximising margin. Client guy was relieved to confirm Agent was up to no good - he felt it unlikely that I was asking for more, after they had offered - and we spoke candidly about what Client was paying, what my rate was and established there was £50/day margin for the Agent......seemingly, not enough for them!
Over the next few days, Client (*really* large multinational) gave Agent a severe rocket, and onboarding commenced. All progressing nicely, until Director of the division of Agent called yesterday to apologise "for all the mis-communictaion(!).....and that there were lessons to learn for them"......and so on. Then, he advised that they were no longer able to progress supplying me to Client, and that Client had insisted I was moved to a different supply agency. Quick call to Client guy confirms that Agency had been "suspended from all contract recruiitment in respect of Client" for a period of 3 months, pending a full review of their practice(s)........
......and I will now be 'handled' by Harvey Nash (which seem a good bunch) who have been asked to pick up the pieces and ensure that all is sorted in time for me to start on-site on 27th January.
Moral of the story is: Agent tried to increase their margin on gig from £50/day to close to £150/day.......by lying, and mis-representing both me and Client to each other......got found out, and in a world of pain. I am very glad that I took the risky step to contact Client guy direct - otherwise, my reputation would have taken a hit (looking like I was trying to play for more £s) and I would probably have lost the gig.
Does make you wonder.........
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