Reply to: Suspicions about agency, opinions please.

[tim123]

Am I reading too much into this? Anyone had similar?

Yep.

If you get the gig you are the man for the job, if you don't then you aren't.

Don't start fretting about the client looking for somone who's a better match.

If he's looking today and still offers the job to you next week then the odds are that this "better" person doesn't exist. So he isn't going to come along after you have been in the role for a couple of months and replace you.

tim

[Bright Spark]

contracting is also about takings risks as well, staying too long in a well relaxed gig
does make you more of a perma/temp then a business/consultant, also if you get too
comfortable you begin to lose the edge.

I average about 8-15months on a contract, and always look for the next challenge
and office totties to stimulate my mind and body .

[chris79]

To be fair I wasn't actually actively searching as I'm on a long term gig paying an acceptable rate only 15 mins from my house. The agency called me to say they thought I was a perfect match for a role which had come up, and after the selection process I was the only candidate for the job (at least that's what they say).

Anyway, I went along perhaps fearing nothing to lose (and being 30 mins late!) possibly came across as a little lax or arrogant in the interview, looking back now I was chatting with them not as a candidate but more as if I was in a pub meeting and did most of the talking. The two women who interviewed me came across as reasonable, but I felt deep down they would be difficult people to please, and with the gig on offer being just over 4 months on the table I figured it was a fairly big risk to take, although to be fair the job role on offer would have looked great on my CV I think and led me onto the next step. On paper I had everything ticked in the criteria list, and during the interview I was able to back everything up with good examples of work related experience which I talked them through.

Well after 3 days of chasing the agency I finally lost patience and told them at lunchtime that I had concerns over the amount of time it was taking for a decision to be made, so I told them if there was nothing on the table by the end of today I would assume I'm obviously not the candidate for the job (backed with my feeling from the interview). This is only the 2nd contractor interview I've had, I've been contracting 2yrs now on the same gig, so perhaps it's just a lesson to me that agents will tell you whatever they think you need to hear just to keep you happy and string you along. If they amaze me by calling tomorrow to offer me it, I've already decided on principle and on gut feeling that I'll be telling them thanks but no thanks...

All good life experience if nothing less.

[eliquant]

Sounds to me like they are waiting to see if someone else will accept and are keeping you as a reserve. Hope I'm wrong but in the meantime keep searching and good luck.

yes it does sound like a classic case of that.

You never know though, they may just not accept it and you are in.

(I think that is what happened to me once and by the time the had got around to me to ask me I already was offered a better contract).

[lexington_spurs]

Sounds to me like they are waiting to see if someone else will accept and are keeping you as a reserve. Hope I'm wrong but in the meantime keep searching and good luck.

[zathras]

Had a meeting with prospective new client earlier this week, you might have seen my post telling how I was 30 mins late for the interview etc..

Anyway, day #3 after the interview and still no yes or no as to whether they want me. For the last 2 days agency has been telling me that they keep missing each other, or back to back meetings etc. Today I rang up and was told that the manager who interviewed me needs to 'run my skills by one last person' to confirm the decision. I was also told I was the only person going for the interview (whether this is true or not I don't know).

The above is starting to set alarm bells ringing with me now, either they are lying to me, or dragging the time out whilst they consider other options etc. If this is the case it implies to me that I'm clearly not 100% the candidate they want, I'm on a long term gig and I would be leaving this to go short term (ok with better money), but I'm starting to get bad vibes about the client and trust going on here. Am I reading too much into this? Anyone had similar?

Never, Never jump until the ink is dry on the contract and even then it is a risk.

If they have not got back do not wait on them and with the market as it is I would suggest sticking where you are - in which case it is their loss not yours.

[chris79]

That's all good advice, thanks for the replies.. I guess I've been getting too hung up about getting the job or not... just going to forget about it and move on with life!

[GCR99]

Had a meeting with prospective new client earlier this week, you might have seen my post telling how I was 30 mins late for the interview etc..

Anyway, day #3 after the interview and still no yes or no as to whether they want me. For the last 2 days agency has been telling me that they keep missing each other, or back to back meetings etc. Today I rang up and was told that the manager who interviewed me needs to 'run my skills by one last person' to confirm the decision. I was also told I was the only person going for the interview (whether this is true or not I don't know).

The above is starting to set alarm bells ringing with me now, either they are lying to me, or dragging the time out whilst they consider other options etc. If this is the case it implies to me that I'm clearly not 100% the candidate they want, I'm on a long term gig and I would be leaving this to go short term (ok with better money), but I'm starting to get bad vibes about the client and trust going on here. Am I reading too much into this? Anyone had similar?

As soon as you leave the interview, (I) stop thinking about that gig and move on mentally to the next one. Start looking straight away and if you get the nod, all well and good, if you don't it's their loss not yours. Stop chasing these agents around, if you've got it they'll get hold of you somehow. if you get no call within 24 hours, you havent got it.

[eliquant]

Had a meeting with prospective new client earlier this week, you might have seen my post telling how I was 30 mins late for the interview etc..

Anyway, day #3 after the interview and still no yes or no as to whether they want me. For the last 2 days agency has been telling me that they keep missing each other, or back to back meetings etc. Today I rang up and was told that the manager who interviewed me needs to 'run my skills by one last person' to confirm the decision. I was also told I was the only person going for the interview (whether this is true or not I don't know).

The above is starting to set alarm bells ringing with me now, either they are lying to me, or dragging the time out whilst they consider other options etc. If this is the case it implies to me that I'm clearly not 100% the candidate they want, I'm on a long term gig and I would be leaving this to go short term (ok with better money), but I'm starting to get bad vibes about the client and trust going on here. Am I reading too much into this? Anyone had similar?

hey it could just be that they don't have the money to recruit you and they are just 'window shopping' and want to pick your brains for knowledge.

This happened alot in the financial sector circa 2001 in London after Sep 11th.

[TykeMerc]

So would you terminate early? The general consensus of the board seems to be that that is a really bad idea. Unprofessional etc.

I will only terminate a contract early in fairly extreme circumstances, I take an arguably stupid moral standpoint on following through on my promises.

[realityhack]

So would you terminate early? The general consensus of the board seems to be that that is a really bad idea. Unprofessional etc.

No - I would only do that if I was being messed around. I'm in a series of short contracts lately so it's not a problem for me. If the golden opportunity came along I might consider giving notice, but would never sour relationships with a client or leave them in the lurch.

[Bluebird]

So would you terminate early? The general consensus of the board seems to be that that is a really bad idea. Unprofessional etc.

IF you are in-dispensable then yes, if you get a better gig then you can always talk yourself out of it.

[realityhack]

You didn’t get the job, but for some reason the agent hasn’t got the nerve to be honest with you. Strike them off your list of agents to use as they will never put you forward again.

Bad advice IMO. Why burn bridges when you can't possibly know the real situation? Remain open minded and continue to investigate other opportunities.

[b0redom]

I'm always scanning the job boards for something else.

So would you terminate early? The general consensus of the board seems to be that that is a really bad idea. Unprofessional etc.

[TykeMerc]

Never love a contract that you don't have.

Excellent expression I must try to remember that one.

As HAB and the thread re Agency Tactics said it sounds like an agent that doesn't want to admit it's a dead or almost dead role.