Reply to: found out my agency is making 400

[TheFaQQer]

You're working with Churchill?

im working with a baby basically who treats this place like dirt, so do i too be honest but hes taken today off as well for personal reasons ..i wonder what it could be now

Sound like it.

[trsisko]

im working with a baby basically who treats this place like dirt, so do i too be honest but hes taken today off as well for personal reasons ..i wonder what it could be now

[ChimpMaster]

.... and the other is so Camp he has mood swings and phones in sick and cry and sometimes turns up late 3 or 4 hours.

You're working with Churchill?

[trsisko]

ah man the more i think about it the more i realise i would be luckee to be on 17-25pounds an hour anywhere, the truth is i can probably do 2nd line support come december when my contract expires and they are very short on staff there and luckily will need to prove they can't cope with such few staff so i feel i have a good chance of hitting it but after working with a few people, one a masters in engineer and a new IT geek whos now in investment banking and another IT freak who worked for demon online for 5years runs servers at home and loves his mcse's argh im realising im hitting 28 almost i have no qualifications and its only a matter of time before i end up in another helpdesk role.
Im such a fool i am just ignorent and unmotivated to learn new things

I got an invite to some VMware event in November through work so i will attend this. I am just fluking my way through contracting at the moment.

I just cannot get my act together. I can learn but im just wish i had an opportunity to work somewhere enjoyable, i am doing well where i am. Im miles better then the useless contractors on the helpdesk with me, 1 spends all day emailing his mates and the other is so Camp he has mood swings and phones in sick and cry and sometimes turns up late 3 or 4 hours.

[Keldin]

Assuming the company is only going to deal with your agency because you are working through them (in other words they're not going to be able to supply a replacement or fill any other roles) then if you leave the agency loses any further source of income froom them. In that case they would be inclined to want to keep you there and if you had another job to go to they may up the amount they are paying you and the company doesn't need to know.

Find yourself another role at more money (if you can't find one somewhere else at more money you shouldn't be doing it there for more money).
Tell the agency you won't be renewing because you have a higher offer (don't tell them how much).
If they bite and want to make a deal then start negotiating. Tell them the offer is higher than it actually is and try and get them to better it. As a last resort accept an offer to match it. They'll be matching the inflated figure so you're better off.

Don't involve the company.
I had a guy working for me that was supplied by an outsourcing company. I knew how much we paid them but not how much he was paid by them. He as a permie for them so I suspected it was crap but if he wanted more he certainly couldn't ask me for it.

Put your CV out there.

K

[Apache]

Chin up old boy

I will not say anything about it, theres no point if my contract gets renewed they will ask me to switch to another agency which is fine, but more then likely it's time to look for work else where, im a low level work and truth be told i dont deserve 17pounds an hour.
Need to work on my skill set as i have none.

Chin up old boy , you sound all despondent now. At the end of the day, you're doing a good job, which you enjoy, and you've renewed a few times which means that your employers are also happy. And you have the option to renew again, which means that you're secure in your work.

This isn't about your skill set or what you deserve to earn, or what anybody else earns, or how skilled anyone else in this forum is, this is about you feeling like you're being taken advantage of - plain and simple.

You need to find out what the going rate is for your role, in your industry, in your location and compare your rate with that figure. If it compares well, then be content with what you're getting (don't be content with the agency though). If it doesn't compare favourably, you have some good evidence to renegotiate a sensible rate for what you do.

Don't stop doing a good job though - that's what you're there for and that's why you get paid.

[TheFaQQer]

stand back and watch tulip hit the fan

Or sit back and watch them say "OK, best of luck..."

[Not So Wise]

Client was willing to pay £400 a day because they considered the job worth that (imo way to much for helpdesk support, their IT manager must be an idiot)

You were willing take accept £126 a day because you considered yourself only worth that

Agency put you to together and got to keep the difference, welcome to capitalism

You choice is either accept it or start looking for new contract, if you get new contract (above £126 and below £400) you can then go to client & agency and tell them you are leaving because you got a better offer at rate X and stand back and watch tulip hit the fan

[meridian]

Because in all likelihood, there will be a contract between the client and the agency that says that they cannot recruit contractors direct for a certain amount of time.

It smacks of being unprofessional, and would set my alarm bells ringing if I were the client that you are prepared to put them in this position.

Conjecture, and you won't know until you ask. If it's true that the client is getting rid of the agency anyway and you approach the client with a business proposal that increases both party's bottom line then there's the potential for a win/win situation.

I've done it a couple of times - been rebuffed once with a polite "no thanks, you can go through another one of our preferred agencies", and have been successful once.

It helps to be professional with the client at all times though, and not burn any bridges.

[TheFaQQer]

Why?

Because in all likelihood, there will be a contract between the client and the agency that says that they cannot recruit contractors direct for a certain amount of time.

It smacks of being unprofessional, and would set my alarm bells ringing if I were the client that you are prepared to put them in this position.

[meridian]

Why?

He's already said the agency won't be used at the client any more so offer to split the agency difference with the client.

Note that this tends to be a tactic that works better if you truely are being undervalued

[arthur_cider]

"Wander up to your manager and offer to renew direct"

.. and you'll be out the door b4 the pubs open

[meridian]

If the agency are no longer being used, then go direct.

Wander up to your manager and offer to renew direct for £350 a day to save them some dosh.

[trsisko]

I will not say anything about it, theres no point if my contract gets renewed they will ask me to switch to another agency which is fine, but more then likely it's time to look for work else where, im a low level work and truth be told i dont deserve 17pounds an hour.
Need to work on my skill set as i have none.

[arthur_cider]

The fact that you now know how much the agent makes puts you in Jeopardy,

If you like the contract, take it on the chin and keep 'shdum'