Reply to: Agent suddenly changed the rate

[kevpuk]

Suspended for only 3 months! I am surprised the client didn't bin the agency all together, its not as if there is a shortage of recruitment sweat shops these days

Indeed....although I think the suspension is whilst they investigate any additional instances the Agency has been involved with, so could well end up getting binned.
When I actually spoke to the Client, and subsequently started on-site, they were incredulous at what the Agent had been up to and really grateful that I had contacted them. I was their preferred candidate and what they were hearing from the Agency did not stack up......they just wanted me on-site asap. I had a couple of grovelling apologies from the head honcho at the Agency, and Client arranged my transfer to their primary (PSL) agency in place of the clowns - 3 weeks into gig, and loving it; hard to stomach that this could never have happened because of the original Agency's ethics, approach and lies!

[Sausage Surprise]

Where's the OP? I want to know what happened.

[kal]

Exactly as above - it is when you have the firm offer that you consider contacting the Client directly if the agents are up to no good.

In my case, Agent was trying to drop my rate by £50, whilst also trying to get Client to up theirs by approximately the same amount - the idea, seemingly, was that one of us (or both!) would cave in and they would be up to £100/day better off. Unsurprisingly, when hiring guy at Client found out, all the tulip hit the fan for the Agency resulting in them being suspended for 3 months.......shows where greed got them, as they had a guaranteed £50/day with all parties content, but ended up losing the lot

Suspended for only 3 months! I am surprised the client didn't bin the agency all together, its not as if there is a shortage of recruitment sweat shops these days

[kevpuk]

Exactly as above - it is when you have the firm offer that you consider contacting the Client directly if the agents are up to no good.

In my case, Agent was trying to drop my rate by £50, whilst also trying to get Client to up theirs by approximately the same amount - the idea, seemingly, was that one of us (or both!) would cave in and they would be up to £100/day better off. Unsurprisingly, when hiring guy at Client found out, all the tulip hit the fan for the Agency resulting in them being suspended for 3 months.......shows where greed got them, as they had a guaranteed £50/day with all parties content, but ended up losing the lot

[kal]

well it's all about when you contact them, and what you say.

The advice here assumes they want you and offered you the role. The agent has then tried to get your rate down.

The email would be along the lines of "Thanks for the opportunity. I was keen to accept your contract role, but I was disappointed when the agent told me of the reduced rate. I agreed £x before interview, he wanted to drop to £x - £50, and I cannot accept that".

Exactly, that email is what I would send if in this situation.

[jmo21]

I did exactly that.
end client called the agency, complaining about me directly contacting him. Agency went mental. I just told them to F*@k off and to stop messing around with rates. Was blacklisted by them until they had another role which they thought I was suitable for. (which I wasn't at all)

well it's all about when you contact them, and what you say.

The advice here assumes they want you and offered you the role. The agent has then tried to get your rate down.

The email would be along the lines of "Thanks for the opportunity. I was keen to accept your contract role, but I was disappointed when the agent told me of the reduced rate. I agreed £x before interview, he said you wanted to drop to £x - £50, and I cannot accept that".

[Eirikur]

+1 to what NAT said.

See if you can find the interviewer on LinkedIn and drop them an email along the lines NAT suggested.

Good Luck

I did exactly that.
end client called the agency, complaining about me directly contacting him. Agency went mental. I just told them to F*@k off and to stop messing around with rates. Was blacklisted by them until they had another role which they thought I was suitable for. (which I wasn't at all)

[northernladuk]

To the OP. As has been said before he has probably assumed you are a newbie from scanning your CV but the way you dealt with the agent probably gave him the indication he can bend you over a barrel. Try talking about rates early and ask him questions about if he is on a fixed margin and what his percentage take is. It is unlikely he will actually tell you but it will make him think twice if you show some nouse and make him think you know how it works. There are probably a host of other things he will pick up on but it's a start. I expect you sitting there like a excitable nodding puppy gives it away as well. Set your stall out quite early and be a little dismissive to him, not like you don't care, just like it's another agent chat and you have had plenty. Moan about the rate and the market and other clients/agents and so on to again show him you know your stuff and that you make him think you have other irons in the fire and so on. At that point he may realise he has to work for his money and you aren't going to take any old crap.

It's something that only comes with experience unfortunately but don't treat him like he is doing you a favour and he has the position power. You need him and he needs you. Look desperate and you have had it. Avoid comments about being out of contracting for so long or on the bench or can't get gigs etc You are handing it on a plate to him.

[northernladuk]

Yep, as the others have said, agency tricks.

The quickest way to confirm this is to say "I'll send Mr John Interviewer a quick email to confirm if this is the case, then I'll make my decision on whether I want to proceed."

You probably won't need to go through with that, but if you do, the email address should be easy enough to guess, [email protected]er - there are a few variations it could be of course, plus they might not be the only person of that name, but the thought of you mentioning this to the client should be enough to sort the agent out.

It's not hard to find what format companies use. With big corporates it won't be hard to find someones email on the web somewhere confirming it is <first>.<last> or <initial><last>. You know the format then. Even easier is ringing one of their offices and either asking them outright or for an email for recruitment or facilities or summat and they will give you an email from which you can deduce format as well.

[Boney M]

OP - Assume agent knows your new to contracting? Sounds spot on what NAT is saying. Bunch of greedy twats they are.

I'd be tempted to do what NAT says.

Well considering they would have been screened before hand and seen his CV and asked if permie or contract I think it would be a safe assumption

[kevpuk]

Welcome to the shifty world of agent shenanigans......
If you have the time - and it may take some, as my OP was long and there are 6 pages - take a look at how I handled this quite recently

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Basically it's up to you to decide your rate. However you need to know what the market is like.

Never depend on one agent always have different leads going, this means you have a feel for how buoyant the market is.

If you've been on the bench for two months, no agents ringing except this one and you really need the money then you have to accept you're in a weak position, sure no harm in negotiating but you can't push too hard. Perhaps negotiate a 3 month contract so you can get out quick if the market picks up.

If you have 6 interviews lined up tell the agent to bog off.

...and remember know your rate, something you need to think about before you negotiate and as the contract negotiations progress.

Barcap are sacking loads of staff so it isn't a good omen for the market.

They do this every year before the next round of hiring permie and bringing contractors in to do the actual work.

[BlasterBates]

Basically it's up to you to decide your rate. However you need to know what the market is like.

Never depend on one agent always have different leads going, this means you have a feel for how buoyant the market is.

If you've been on the bench for two months, no agents ringing except this one and you really need the money then you have to accept you're in a weak position, sure no harm in negotiating but you can't push too hard. Perhaps negotiate a 3 month contract so you can get out quick if the market picks up.

If you have 6 interviews lined up tell the agent to bog off.

...and remember know your rate, something you need to think about before you negotiate and as the contract negotiations progress.

Barcap are sacking loads of staff so it isn't a good omen for the market.

[kal]

Agree with everything thats been said here, the pimp is trying it on, I would be inclined to refuse the role and tell the client why, economy is improving and there is plenty of work around right now so why bend over and take it

[jmo21]

Yep, as the others have said, agency tricks.

The quickest way to confirm this is to say "I'll send Mr John Interviewer a quick email to confirm if this is the case, then I'll make my decision on whether I want to proceed."

You probably won't need to go through with that, but if you do, the email address should be easy enough to guess, [email protected]er - there are a few variations it could be of course, plus they might not be the only person of that name, but the thought of you mentioning this to the client should be enough to sort the agent out.