Reply to: Lying - the source of all agents' power

[Bluebird]

Why isn't there a fixed commision by agents just like estate agents. If you ask them directly they are not going to tell that they are skimming off 40-50% money.
Can't they be forced to disclose actual commission by some govt regulation authority just like all other agents ?

see thread title for answer.

[andy]

Why isn't there a fixed commision by agents just like estate agents. If you ask them directly they are not going to tell that they are skimming off 40-50% money.
Can't they be forced to disclose actual commission by some govt regulation authority just like all other agents ?

[BrilloPad]

If you really want to know the source of the agents power, it is that contractors are so driven by self interest (I think you contractors might use the word "greed")that they are happy to put up with the unprofessional behaviour of agencies.

So we need a trade union?

[wendigo100]

Ah, the man who's teaching capitalism to China. Quite a chap by all(his) accounts...

The very same.

Apparently he is spreading his seed far and wide over there too.

[Churchill]

Have you ever heard of a chap called David Contractor Junior? He was similarly well-endowed with interpersonal skills and the proactivity to go alone. He was a bit of a hero in these parts.

Ah, the man who's teaching capitalism to China. Quite a chap by all(his) accounts...

[wendigo100]

"the likes of me"

i.e. fellow contractors... OK, yes, those who don't have interpersonal skills and proactivity to go alone, like me.

Have you ever heard of a chap called David Contractor Junior? He was similarly well-endowed with interpersonal skills and the proactivity to go alone. He was a bit of a hero in these parts.

[bobhope]

So what's your problem given that you are obviously not one of life's elite.

This isn't meant to be an attack on agents. In a way, it's a compliment. I'd be a crap agent because I'm no good at lying. There have been many times when I would have found the ability really useful.

I think it's a problem with engineers, they have to tell the truth. It's another reason never to cheat on your wife as an engineer - they'd know within about 2 nanoseconds.

It's like in the film 2001 - HAL goes mental because he's forced to lie.

[Bluebird]

"the likes of me"

i.e. fellow contractors... OK, yes, those who don't have interpersonal skills and proactivity to go alone, like me.

A lot of clients don't / won't actually go direct and prefer to work through agencies - I guess it depends what your discipline is and who you work for.

I get a lot of my contracts at Governemnt Offices, they always use agents as being Civil Servants their too scared to take a risk and try and save the taxpayer money.

[King_of_Anglia]

"the likes of me"

i.e. fellow contractors... OK, yes, those who don't have interpersonal skills and proactivity to go alone, like me.

[Bluebird]

Pah! Not a chance. I don't use agents.

so how would he be out of a job without you ?

[King_of_Anglia]

Pah! Not a chance. I don't use agents.

[Bluebird]

and possibly the other way around...

[King_of_Anglia]

So what's your problem given that you are obviously not one of life's elite.

Without the likes of me, you wouldn't be in a job sonny.

[Lucifer Box]

They probably thought you were lying

[DodgyAgent]

I would describe agents as leeches. Talentless, sub-human, fat-tie & hair-gel wearing, clueless ****** who quite literally leech off of life's elite.

*spits*

So what's your problem given that you are obviously not one of life's elite.