New site to end the tyranny of recruitment agencies on contractors

[EternalOptimist]

There are three parts to running a business as a contractor.

1 doing the actual job itself
2 finding the next gig
3 running the business


I do the first, I use an agent to help with the second and I use an accountant to help with the third.

The word tyranny is a bit far fetched, try 'symbiotic relationship with a slimey ameoba'

[rl4engc]

Trying to remove agencies from the equation would be like trying to remove a middle layer from a board of plywood, it won't happen as they are an integral layer in the relationship between, errr, the top sheet of ClientCo and the bottom sheet of Contractor.

[MrMarkyMark]

It;s time to combine our passion, experience and skill to start a new era.

Will we all be millionaires during this "new era", Rodders?

[Martin Scroatman]

Another cunning business plan

1. Collect Underpants
2. ?
3. Profit

In other news, I had a young lady from Mendip Enterprise inspect my bagging plant this morning.

She seems impressed - here's hoping I get some lolly out of it

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Agents have always followed the path of least resistance towards getting work. They invest in building networks, by harassing contractors for 2 references, then get the cheapest acceptable contractor, that makes them the most commission out of the gig.

[MicrosoftBob]

tl;dr

I think that this was tried with Contractor Club. I think it didn't get to critical mass, this might show that agents do do something useful even if you object to the hair gel and audi S3s.

True, but we could at least try and swap their hair gel for lube and see if they notice

[DodgyAgent]

Contractors have always followed the path of least resistance towards getting work. They do not invest in building networks and they go through whichever agency or agency structure that gets them the gig. There is nothing wrong with this and I am not trying to say that contractors have brought this upon themselves (everyone would do the same). The market has morphed into being run by monopolies, highly aggressive agencies and niche suppliers.

It is called "that's life" and if you really want to break away from this you have to control your own sales and marketing and break away from the model that exists.

in other words - become a proper business.

[DimPrawn]

----- The new enemy ------------>

[cojak]

And after April 2017 you may not have to worry your pretty little head about any of this.

Either that or agents will become your new 'best friends'...

You are peeing into a hurricane my friend - we have much bigger problems to worry about than agents.

[Pondlife]

Another cunning business plan

1. Collect Underpants
2. ?
3. Profit

[jamesbrown]

I have an idea

And a million others before you. I'm not aware of anything that has lasted. Better to worry about sourcing your own work than having yet another intermediary.

[Antman]

tl;dr

I think that this was tried with Contractor Club. I think it didn't get to critical mass, this might show that agents do do something useful even if you object to the hair gel and audi S3s.

[Freedom4Contractors]

Hi there folks,

As a contractor, with a large network of colleagues across the globe who are also contractors, I have noticed over the last few years that recruitment agents are becoming more and more demanding, strident and intrusive. Simultaneously the service that they offer in terms of any attempt to allow the slightest accommodation to the contractor seems in many, not all. cases, to be diminishing.

Apart from a quick phone call with you, following a cursory glance at your CV, the screening before you are shoved in front of the end client can be very hit and miss. I know I have had many embarrassing experiences when the potential contract has been misrepresented to me and I'm assured that I'm not alone in this.

I've heard shocking stories of the treatment that contractors are increasingly facing and I think it's time to do something about it - when you think about it, all we need to do is connect with the end clients and their own HR teams, I'm not sure why, in this tech age, we actually need the recruitment companies anyway.

I have an idea that I think would help the contracting community enormously and, to underline my determination to bring the control back to the contractor, and away from the strangle hold of the increasingly disturbing shenanigans of the recruitment industry, the site would be completely free and I would be really happy to collaborate as a community with this.

Contractors take massive risks in making themselves available to the industry and provide a wealth of experience, I have a great deal of respect for my colleagues in this sector and I am tiring of the massive amounts of money that is being expected by agents on a daily basis for what is essentially a very limited role in the service paradigm.

I would like to add here that there are some terrific agents out there who, for me, have often become good friends, these remarkable agencies are becoming fewer and fewer however and, as the experienced professionals that we are in the contracting community, I believe we can work together to create a better future for the industry.

I'd love to hear your feedback, thoughts or suggestions and hope that, as contractors, you will appreciate, recruitment agents have actually needed us just as much as we have needed them.

It;s time to combine our passion, experience and skill to start a new era.

Thanks for reading.