Reply to: Rates in France

[dmivs]

Having wokred in almost all of the EC states I have to agree that the Italians pay peanuts.

Hmm... Interesting.... Isn't that mean I may work as contractor in any EU country if I have my Ltd in any ANOTHER EU country?

[Lockhouse]

Feck. That's the best spam yet...

Yes that's all very well but what's the French working model? Are you self-employed or do they have a Ltd equivalent?

[Pondlife]

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[Lunixant]

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[DimPrawn]

Next you will be suggesting "loans" for prestigious contract postions!

Now where did I get that idea from............................

[martin-w]

...Just to confirm mcguiggd, there is one exception; there does seem to be a company that does travel reservation systems in Nice that pays decent rates; I´ve come accross them a couple of times; they seem to be outside the French system eg. French isn´t important and they advertise through UK agents, which is unusual.

You wouldn't happen to know who their preferred supplier for IT contract staff is would you? thanks

[Lucifer Box]

so what I need is the agent who will represent me to the client in this way. I don't see that this conflicts with the role of the agent wrt his client.I do accept that it is more work for the agent than spending 5 minutes looking for the square ped for the square hole and if he doesn't find it, dropping the search and moving onto the next job spec.

Well it does conflict with the role of the agent because the client pays him and you don't. Agents, like most people, won't volunteer to do extra work just for the fun of it, whether that be 5 minutes or not.

As I've outlined, you can get an agent to behave like a showbiz agent (i.e. actively looks for the best gig for you and works on your behalf) but you have to pay them to do it. I have found it most effective to offer a prize, first agent to come up with the gig wins the prize. Plus, of course, that agent forever owes you one because you paid him cash and naturally he "forgot" to tell his boss or the tax man about it.

[tim123]

Does such an agent exist? An agent works on behalf of the end client, not the contractor (unlike a football agent). They have no interest in developing your career, and their interest in finding the 'right' position for you extends only so far as making sure that you won't walk or do anything else to harm the agent's relationship with the client (i.e. damage future business opportunities).

In general this is true, but the specifics of this is that I know that there is a large over-demand for the skill set that I wish to move to.

I also know that the skills that I have are as good as possible for someone who isn't the exact match.

The problem that I am finding is that if you don't have the exact match, the clients seems to prefer to take nobody.

Though I presume that they aren't really taking nobody, they are probably taking some new graduate perms and training them up.

ISTM that it is in everbodies' interest if a better skilled person that a raw grad is trained up (I'm prepared to pay for this if required), so what I need is the agent who will represent me to the client in this way.

I don't see that this conflicts with the role of the agent wrt his client.

I do accept that it is more work for the agent than spending 5 minutes looking for the square ped for the square hole and if he doesn't find it, dropping the search and moving onto the next job spec.

tim

[WageSlave]

I can see how this would help, especially when trying to enter a new sector or change focus.

I'll certainly consider this option. Cheers

[Lucifer Box]

Ah, LB, you are indeed a cunning fox, no doubt fully equipped with a degree in cunning from Oxford (in the finest Blackadder tradition).

I'm not sure that I would be prepared to make such a proposition - it's not just the money but the principle. But that's probably why you live in a mansion and I rent a pikey flat next to a chip shop

I've said it before and I'll say it again, damn my parents for spawning an idiot child!

I swallowed my principles with the help of a delicious bag of chips. This was in the post Y2K slump and I couldn't afford to stay out of the market any longer. Who was exploiting who? Well, that's the age old Page 3 girl debate I guess. I just reasoned that as agents are motivated by money, and that for the majority of employed agents it seems to take very little money to turn them into lying, cheating scum, it wouldn't take much of my money to turn them into lying, cheating scum working on my behalf.

I tell you, the difference was phenomenal. Overnight I went from days between phonecalls to dozens of calls a day, most of them relevant and active positions. Of course, I made it known to all of the agents I spoke to (about 3 or 4 as I recall) that this was a competitive tender and that other agents were scrambling for the one-off prize. Seemed to focus their minds wonderfully!

[WageSlave]

Hmmmm, food for thought. Trying at the moment is impossible but I'll bear it in mind for the future.

[Lucifer Box]

Does such an agent exist?

They can do, but you have to bribe them. You can offer an agent far more money than his pitiful cut of the commission will be from his employer. All of a sudden they can't do enough for you. It worked for me and was money well spent.

[WageSlave]

offer the agent £1k cash if he got me a contract within my parameters.

Ah, LB, you are indeed a cunning fox, no doubt fully equipped with a degree in cunning from Oxford (in the finest Blackadder tradition).

I'm not sure that I would be prepared to make such a proposition - it's not just the money but the principle. But that's probably why you live in a mansion and I rent a pikey flat next to a chip shop

I've said it before and I'll say it again, damn my parents for spawning an idiot child!

[WageSlave]

Basically, I am looking for the holy grail of an agent to work with me to get me a better job.

Does such an agent exist? An agent works on behalf of the end client, not the contractor (unlike a football agent). They have no interest in developing your career, and their interest in finding the 'right' position for you extends only so far as making sure that you won't walk or do anything else to harm the agent's relationship with the client (i.e. damage future business opportunities).

I believe the key to successful dealings with agents and clients is operating from a position of strength. This is stating the obvious, but if you have money in the bank and a strong CV then you can be much more demanding and fussy with roles.

I 'work' with agents on a contract by contract basis; nothing more, nothing less.

[dang65]

Just to follow this up. The agent got back to me indicated that 450 was achievable. I told him that I could live with that if the job was interesting enough.

I'm about to start on an ASP/SQL Server/General Web Stuff contract in France at 460 euros p/day, but a large amount of that will be instantly swallowed up in flights and accomodation. I'm doing it for my CV though. Sacrifices must be made.