Reply to: Help, Some advice needed...

[Pondlife]

It may be worth mentioning that if this is your first contract and the agent feels he/she can bully you then they are almost certainly stiching you up on the rate. Why else would a big client who presumably knows the market be offering a low rate. The agent is taking a huuuge cut. As others have suggested, ask them to match an imagiinary better offer.

HTH

[lukemg]

Tara, this is what is called a position of strength.
You don't really want the job AND you don't HAVE to take it due to desperate circumstances.
Builder mate works like this - If snowed under or offered a bad job he simply chucks in a very hefty quote. If they go for it, he is coining it, if not, then he is still happy !
Point is - play the other contract card, they don't know any different, if pushed, you had an interview last week and gave up on it (you would rather not say where it is if pushed). Tell them it's 150/day more but you will take the one they have if they can match it.
Ball is then in their court, they can try to sort a deal or not. You might get some attitude/empty threats, feel free to hang up/threaten to contact the company boss.
It's not personal, it's business, you can change your mind, but do this quick !

[Ardesco]

3 hour journey max for 6 months maybe the death of me (On the other hand, I what if I don't find anything!?).

Is that all???? I'm doing 3 hours average each way atm...

It's not all bad though you just need to get a laptop and work on your plan B while on the train, or buy a few good books (well maybe more than a few you'll probably go through a couple of books a week )

I would phone them up and say you have a better offer (as MF said) and when they ask who for say that you don't want to say. Agent should accept this as there are agent scum who if they find out who you are going to will try and get hold of the client and offer them somebody cheaper.

[BlasterBates]

In future always say you need to weigh things up over night, and come to your decision the following day, especially when the rate is sh**te.

Still now you've accepted, no big deal because the other candidates are still waiting for an answer. If you ring up today and pull out no harm done, because they'll just offer it straight to candidate 2.

If the pullout is immediate it might result in the Agency being a bit peed off, but importantly the client won't be too worried.

Its a lot worse after a week or two especially if the client then has to reinterview to get someone, then they'll be angry. Its all down to whether the you cause costs or not.

[Torran]

Used to do 4.5 hrs a day travelling for a pishy £200p.d for 18 mnths.

things are better now

[darmstadt]

50 miles each way drive atm.

Frankfurt to Stuttgart every day, that was a killer especially in Winter with the snow.

[DaveB]

50 miles each way drive atm.

[VectraMan]

I used to travel from Leyton -> Stratford -> Gunnersbury -> Hammersmith

I love the way Londoners think they travel a long way if they go to a different part of the same city.

I drive 75 miles each morning then catch a train. But I wouldn't recommend it.

[Tara]

Leyton -> Stratford -> Gunnersbury -> Hammersmith every day

How long did that take?

[TheMonkey]

Hi TheMonkey,

Thank you for your advice. Its good to know, that other people have the balls to tell agencies to bugger off!

The real killer for me is the travelling. A lousy rate I can handle, but 3 hour journey max for 6 months maybe the death of me (On the other hand, I what if I don't find anything!?).

I think I am going to sleep on it.

Tara

You don't want to travel too much. I used to travel from Leyton -> Stratford -> Gunnersbury -> Hammersmith every day for a long time for pissy cash and it nearly killed me (ended up in hospital twice with IBS and CFS). I'm now doing a 20 min drive from home which is bliss as i'm heading out of the city.

I went unemployed on the contract side of things for about 3 months this year. There's plenty of OTHER work to do to make some cash if you know where to look. Depends what part of the industry you're in. I spent a month installing PCs in East London NHS surgeries for about £140/day and knocking out crap web sites for people.

PS don't negotiate if it's GCS as well - they tell you to naff off.

[Tara]

Tell them you have been offered another role at £150 per day more. Match it, or you sign elsewhere.

That seems like a good idea, I might try that MF.

It's not an S3 agency, TheMonkey - although they are quite big in the city.

[Tara]

Hi TheMonkey,

Thank you for your advice. Its good to know, that other people have the balls to tell agencies to bugger off!

The real killer for me is the travelling. A lousy rate I can handle, but 3 hour journey max for 6 months maybe the death of me (On the other hand, I what if I don't find anything!?).

I think I am going to sleep on it.

Tara

[TheMonkey]

Tell them you have been offered another role at £150 per day more. Match it, or you sign elsewhere.

hth.

Just make sure it's not an S-Three agency first or you'll lose it straight away!

[MarillionFan]

Tell them you have been offered another role at £150 per day more. Match it, or you sign elsewhere.

hth.

[TheMonkey]

Until you've signed something it's not set in stone. You can tell them to b*gger off at any time. In most contracts that are rushed, you don't usually get proper completion on the contract until a week after starting.

Only problem is that you may lose a contact and contacts are a valuable commodity.

Then again, I've p*ssed off nearly every city agent now and I'm still getting contract offers left right and centre.

Don't give up - contracting is a steep learning curve but once you get stuck in, things will seem so much better.

Ironically, I've just been offered a permanent role with the company I'm contracting for which is nice and the money is rather tasty, but I don't like the idea of losing control of my life again.