Reply to: Is recruitment agent bluffing

[Old Greg]

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someone

[administrator]

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[dx4100]

So completely under Supervision Direction and Control then?

You better believe it

[northernladuk]

Mine is called Mistress....

So completely under Supervision Direction and Control then?

[dx4100]

I don't use either, I call him by his first name because we have a good business relationship.

Mine is called Mistress....

[LondonManc]

I was only joking... Well to an extent... I think if you are using the phrase manager more than client you might want to keep an eye on those working practices etc.

I don't use either, I call him by his first name because we have a good business relationship.

[dx4100]

Never heard of a Hiring Manager?

Or where the Clients HR issue direct contracts?

Get off your high sockie horse

I was only joking... Well to an extent... I think if you are using the phrase manager more than client you might want to keep an eye on those working practices etc.

[LondonManc]

I always find it amazing how many of you permies, sorry I mean contractors, have managers and dealings with clients HR....

Never heard of a Hiring Manager?

Or where the Clients HR issue direct contracts?

Get off your high sockie horse

[Old Greg]

I always find it amazing how many of you permies, sorry I mean contractors, have managers and dealings with clients HR....

It's not unusual for people to be dealing with managers as managers don't just manage staff. Also it is not unusual for client HR to deal with contractors.

Having said that, if a contractor refers to "my manager" to mean anyone other than their good lady wife or equivalent significant other, then it really should be concrete boots time.

[dx4100]

I always find it amazing how many of you permies, sorry I mean contractors, have managers and dealings with clients HR....

[Drei]

This is why daily rate works out better, since after all you work a professional day (your hours or more when needed). I avoid to state £50 per hour etc as it does sound more than if you say £400 a day.

In regards to agents some charge anything between 10% to 35%.

To cut this short I decided to stay an extra month at a reduced rate (different role). When I spoke with my manager he pointed me to their HR contracts manager, she confirmed the daily however when I told my agency that I was considering to stay 1 more month to finish some stuff off they told me the new rate minus %10. I told them look I am already taking a huge hit so how about this much for me to stay on. The figure I gave them made them %7 profit per day instead of 10%.

Know a few people that found out their Agency Rates and renegotiated their contracts at renewal stage.

Thing is not everyone has the luxury to find out what the agency fee is so I would say keep stating what your acceptable daily rate is and see what the agent does. If they don't budge you might be better off losing £50 a day than looking for something else. At the end of the 3 6 months re-negotiate then leave if they won't budge.

In all honesty if I found a contract which was a 15min away from my home I would accept a much lower daily rate. If I am on £400 a day yet 3+ hours are spent on the commute it will end up pretty much £400-£150 so really I am only getting £250 but if the other place was closer or had more flexibility in work times it would be £320-£20 which comes to £300.

Guess it depends on what you want, so all up to you.

[BlasterBates]

Oil and Gas is a bit dire so I think it wouldn't be unusual for the PM to be "put down" by Purchasing/senior manager when making an offer. They're probably on an aggressive cost cutting drive.

[psychocandy]

I have no problems contacting the client directly.

It's to discuss things like contract terms that the agency should understand but doesn't e.g. working hours in decimal not matching what I was told at interview, to arrange a face-to-face interview,, to discuss start dates, start time on the first day, give them referees and to thank them for their time. I've have never discussed money through. If there is an issue with the rate I have mentioned the agent's attitude over rate face-to-face with the client.

Agents get annoyed with it. However apart from the latter two if the agent did their job properly I wouldn't contact the client to clarify/sort out these things.

And I would suggest a few bad agencies spoil it for the ones who are doing it properly and want to be the point of contact for the client.

If an agency came back to me after offer and said there was a cut, first thing I'd be thinking is "yeh right" and would not even consider without confirmation that the agency were not pulling a fast one.

[SueEllen]

Agency rang me this afternoon saying client has forwarded my emails to them, i had a long chat with one of the senior member in the agency and i explained everything. They were apologetic and requested me not to contact the client directly.
.

I have no problems contacting the client directly.

It's to discuss things like contract terms that the agency should understand but doesn't e.g. working hours in decimal not matching what I was told at interview, to arrange a face-to-face interview,, to discuss start dates, start time on the first day, give them referees and to thank them for their time. I've have never discussed money through. If there is an issue with the rate I have mentioned the agent's attitude over rate face-to-face with the client.

Agents get annoyed with it. However apart from the latter two if the agent did their job properly I wouldn't contact the client to clarify/sort out these things.

[northernladuk]

yes i did ask them this same question, they said i was put forward on £55 an hour rate just to be in better position to negociate the final rates. I don't know if it is true or not.

To be honest that sounds reasonable and is quite plausible. The problem would be if they put your forward for that and he managed to secure it it's very unlikely you'd have seen most of the extra.