Exclusive Agency

[saptastic]

or just tell him of course you'll be prepared to be exclusive for 4 weeks and then keep looking anyway. How is he ever going to find out?

Find out exactly which PSL's he is on and which are his 'good' clients where he has a direct relationship - so you have a list of places he can put you forward to immediately. If this is a list of companies that is relevant to you give him a week and see what he comes back with. If he is just going to randomly send out your CV to people he doesn't know on the hope that he gets a reply then it will be a long 4 weeks. It really depends on the agent & who they regularly deal with.

[SeekingIT]

Hmmm!

And how much will they be paying you for his period of exclusivity???

[SimonMac]

so I have this call with an agency, apparently they will want me to be exclusive to them for a period of 4 weeks.

though if I find my own direct contract, they're ok with that.

This is my first week of starting to look for work since finishing my last contract 3 weeks (taking a short break).

I'm not entirely sure to be honest.

worth a punt?

Again as others have said if this is exclusive for a given role at a stated organisation which they tell you which one is it, its fine, just a bit more techno twaddle than what they normally say. If they say you can't apply for ANY roles with ANY client through ANY agency for the duration of the exclusivity, again say yes and laugh as its no way enforceable.

[b0redom]

or just tell him of course you'll be prepared to be exclusive for 4 weeks and then keep looking anyway. How is he ever going to find out?

[chineseJohn]

apologies northernladuk

I had to dig deeper as he seems vague until I asked him outright with the question "so you're saying I cannot speak to other agencies about any other role" - he eventually after waffle said yes.

He claimed that I will be put to the top of the pile of vacancies over non-exclusive candidates etc. etc.

I got the impression he was going to attempt to push permie roles towards me and probably claim there are no contract roles and I will get desperate and go permie (last resort I'm afraid)

Thinking about it more, I will reply politely and say I will contact him in 2 months time if I've not found anything.

[northernladuk]

Not necessarily. I've had an agent try it on in the past. "Yeah, we want you to work with us exclusively so we can be sure when we put you forward for one of our guarenteed certain roles you'll accept it.... etc etc..."

Well as seems to be the way around here at the moment the OP has omitted all the relevant facts and context leaving us to guess an answer for him.

It certainly seems the answer here is that the devil is in the details.

[b0redom]

Not necessarily. I've had an agent try it on in the past. "Yeah, we want you to work with us exclusively so we can be sure when we put you forward for one of our guarenteed certain roles you'll accept it.... etc etc..."

[mudskipper]

Do we assume this is in relation to applying for a particular gig at a particular client. It is to stop you going for the same gig with other agencies which is both fair enough and also correct. Applying through other agencies is just going to get you binned if two of them put you forward and then start to argue who has dibs on you. It happened to me.

Have to say it is quite refreshing to see them putting a time limit on it. Something we haven't seen much in situations like this. We have seen posts where agents have thrown as stink with OP's applying to a client quite a time since the first one and agency still think he has dibs however long the gap is.

WHS, fine if it's for a particular role, although even then I would resist agreeing to exclusivity until they confirm in writing that they have submitted your CV.

[northernladuk]

Do we assume this is in relation to applying for a particular gig at a particular client. It is to stop you going for the same gig with other agencies which is both fair enough and also correct. Applying through other agencies is just going to get you binned if two of them put you forward and then start to argue who has dibs on you. It happened to me.

Have to say it is quite refreshing to see them putting a time limit on it. Something we haven't seen much in situations like this. We have seen posts where agents have thrown as stink with OP's applying to a client quite a time since the first one and agency still think he has dibs however long the gap is.

[b0redom]

"Of course we can have an exclusive relationship, assuming that's both ways."

Bet you're met with a

Then again, how would they know?

[chineseJohn]

so I have this call with an agency, apparently they will want me to be exclusive to them for a period of 4 weeks.

though if I find my own direct contract, they're ok with that.

This is my first week of starting to look for work since finishing my last contract 3 weeks (taking a short break).

I'm not entirely sure to be honest.

worth a punt?