Reply to: Jumping through hoops to get a job

[cojak]

Well done!

[Sausage Surprise]

Update...never sent it....got a call on Thursday, interviewed Friday, start new gig monday

Can't tell you where though otherwise I'd have to kill you.

[Sausage Surprise]

"XXXXXXX wishes to ensure that rates are competitive and in line with market trends Therefore rates are reviewed on a monthly basis and will be set in line with statistics available at the time of offer. Current rate is quoted on the job specification. Rates will be re-quoted at date of offer"

That simply means to me that once a month, they set the rates for various roles by checking the market statistics. At the time of an offer, they'll tell you the current rate which may differ from that in the advert*. That rate will then be the daily/hourly rate for the duration of the contract.

There's nothing to indicate that the rate varies within the contract period. I think you're reading something into it that isn't there.

*The reason for doing this, is so they can advertise at £500 a day, and then offer it to you at £300 a day.

Hmmm....I tend to agree - otherwise they'd be redrafting contracts every month

[Prickles]

My last few gigs have been Catalist gigs.

I get agents phoning me saying "Will you go back to <previous gig>?"

They spin me some waffle then ask for contacts. I point out they are Catalist sites and then agent asks "What's Catalist"? That makes it clear they are liars.

Another trick is the "Candidate checklist" or some such includes:

Minimum acceptable rate (£): ________

Other opportunities that may affect your application (e.g. extensions, interviews or offers): _________

Referees: ________

[HairyArsedBloke]

Are rates that volatile that they cannot commit on one between advertising a role and the contractor starting?

Almost every day you guys come out with even greater reasons why I should be glad to be out of the contracting game.

[pzz76077]

Seen this one before...

..so they get to the day before the interview and call you to say that the client has jsut called and cut the daily rate to <insert unacceptable bulltulip rate here> and you say you are no longer interested.

Agent gets to keep the 2 leads you have provided and there is not even a drink in it for you. Everyone goes away happy??


PZZ

[thunderlizard]

NotAllThere,

Thats my interpretation too (but I was too lazy to reply with an explanation, so thanks!).

tl

[NotAllThere]

"XXXXXXX wishes to ensure that rates are competitive and in line with market trends Therefore rates are reviewed on a monthly basis and will be set in line with statistics available at the time of offer. Current rate is quoted on the job specification. Rates will be re-quoted at date of offer"

That simply means to me that once a month, they set the rates for various roles by checking the market statistics. At the time of an offer, they'll tell you the current rate which may differ from that in the advert*. That rate will then be the daily/hourly rate for the duration of the contract.

There's nothing to indicate that the rate varies within the contract period. I think you're reading something into it that isn't there.

*The reason for doing this, is so they can advertise at £500 a day, and then offer it to you at £300 a day.

[Not So Wise]

Have to agree with the others, sounds like the normal agency bulltulip formalised into a lengthy form to make it look more legit. If you are desperate go ahead as you have nothing really to lose, just don't give any high value references that you might need down the road

Though like their "honesty" in admitting to what all agents do, advertise one rate and try to change it to something lower once job is offered (always blaming the client of course). And yes it will be lower, only once ever had a agent increase the rate from advertised

As to the monthly rate evaluations, LMAO*

[Joe Bloque]

Seems like the gig is real so have reluctantly stuck down 2 references (shiver goes down spine!)

Give first ref, a real 'low value' name - your colleague at previous gig. Second ref, a fake name with wrong email address of your previous gig and your mate's mobile #. You can always say, if the agent comes back, that second ref's email address changed slightly and can give a real one, if the feedback from ref #1 is normal. Lying to an agent some times works wonders!

[TriggerHippy]

Time must be deperate to fall for this one. Of course the agent makes the gig look real. That's the bait and you've been hooked.

Since when did contracts require application forms and references? Never known it in 10 years. The form is just cover to get leads.

WHS. It's usually what's on the CV that counts, not who you worked for previously

[Turion]

Just filled in a bleedin massive "application form" from an agent. Seems like the gig is real so have reluctantly stuck down 2 references

Time must be deperate to fall for this one. Of course the agent makes the gig look real. That's the bait and you've been hooked.

Since when did contracts require application forms and references? Never known it in 10 years. The form is just cover to get leads.

[HeadOfTesting]

Put a lower limit in the contract; clientco may vary the rate within a range of +/-n%

Worth a try but the test management market has been obliterated so I would suggest that the bargaining position is somewhere been extremely weak and non-existent.

Sounds like a case of take it on and invoke the family tragedy clause if the terms move to the point where they're no longer viable/acceptable and the notice clause is not sufficient.

Next week I'll have been benched for 6 whole months. That said, I'm consistently getting between 1 or 2 calls a day over the last couple of weeks. None of them have been progressable but there has been an uptick in activity. I'm still extremely bearish though.

HeadOfTesting

[Menelaus]

Aye, good point. My main concern was accepting on terms that would enable me to work away and do the job, then finding them lopping £50 a day from the following month which wouldn't make the job viable.

Put a lower limit in the contract; clientco may vary the rate within a range of +/-n%

[Sausage Surprise]

works both ways sausage, just see it as a monthly rolling contract you can quit any time you want to.

Aye, good point. My main concern was accepting on terms that would enable me to work away and do the job, then finding them lopping £50 a day from the following month which wouldn't make the job viable.