Reply to: why would an agent

[gingerjedi]

How? If you don't know who is in there

No-one said it was easy, there have been numerous gigs where I would be the ideal candidate yet I miss the opportunity because I just don't know which pimp to pick.

[Mart001]

One tactic I use, although I'm not sure how effective it is as I'm fairly new to contracting, is that onec an agency has said they're putting me forward for a role, if another agency rings for the same role, I say somthing like...

"It sounds similar to a role I was talking about with another agency, similar location and similar job spec, but the previous agency wouldn't give me the end client's name. Can you check with the client put me forward if I'm not already?"

As I say mind, I'm currently 3 weeks away from finishing my first contract, so this may not be the best way to go about it...

This happened to me, although i didnt ask for the agent to look but for some reason they took an itiiative to do so (think they had asupplied the client co before) and the other agent hadn't put me forward.

[robbie274]

What you really need to know is who does the client want to deal with? If they have a few contractors from one agent the chances are they’ll want to use the same.

The trouble is you often get several agents all scrabbling for one gig and you just don’t know who the preferred agent is.

You need to nobble an existing contractor and find out who they’re with.

How? If you don't know who is in there

[gingerjedi]

What you really need to know is who does the client want to deal with? If they have a few contractors from one agent the chances are they’ll want to use the same.

The trouble is you often get several agents all scrabbling for one gig and you just don’t know who the preferred agent is.

You need to nobble an existing contractor and find out who they’re with.

[expat]

Yeah right - like they can be bothered to check on your behalf - they'll just send it in anyway, lazy bar stewards

Dilemma:
- CV not sent in at all = no contract.
- CV sent in multiple times = client can't be arsed getting into arguments = no contract.
- only way to avoid these horns = trust an agent's word.

What was my Plan B again?

[JoJoGabor]

One tactic I use, although I'm not sure how effective it is as I'm fairly new to contracting, is that onec an agency has said they're putting me forward for a role, if another agency rings for the same role, I say somthing like...

"It sounds similar to a role I was talking about with another agency, similar location and similar job spec, but the previous agency wouldn't give me the end client's name. Can you check with the client put me forward if I'm not already?"

As I say mind, I'm currently 3 weeks away from finishing my first contract, so this may not be the best way to go about it...

Yeah right - like they can be bothered to check on your behalf - they'll just send it in anyway, lazy bar stewards

[TheBigD]

One tactic I use, although I'm not sure how effective it is as I'm fairly new to contracting, is that onec an agency has said they're putting me forward for a role, if another agency rings for the same role, I say somthing like...

"It sounds similar to a role I was talking about with another agency, similar location and similar job spec, but the previous agency wouldn't give me the end client's name. Can you check with the client put me forward if I'm not already?"

As I say mind, I'm currently 3 weeks away from finishing my first contract, so this may not be the best way to go about it...

[expat]

go direct?

You know, going direct solves so many problems, we should all do it.

[expat]

Apply for the same contract through several different pimps. One pimp told me earlier this week that he couldn’t send my CV for a role because he’d already met his ‘preferred supplier’ quota of two CVs per role.

I personally find it unethical to apply for one role through more than one agent, but agents and, most of all, ClientCos seem to do everything they can to encourage unethical behaviour, and if you’ve got to pay the mortgage, what else can you do?

Why is that? Do you find it unethical to compare the lamb chops in Tesco and Sainsbury before you buy? Shouldn't you just pick one supermarket and go with whatever they have?


(Note: one may do so for one's own convenience but that's not the point).


(Or pork chops in Albert Heijn and Super de Boer, or whatever)

[Mich the Tester]

That's very unfair. What can you do about that?

Apply for the same contract through several different pimps. One pimp told me earlier this week that he couldn’t send my CV for a role because he’d already met his ‘preferred supplier’ quota of two CVs per role.

I personally find it unethical to apply for one role through more than one agent, but agents and, most of all, ClientCos seem to do everything they can to encourage unethical behaviour, and if you’ve got to pay the mortgage, what else can you do?

[bobhope]

go direct?

[cojak]

Be put forward for another contract (or 2) by another agent.

hth

[expat]

1. cv blocking. sometimes they can only put forward 3(say) cvs. Telling others they are put forward will stop them being put forward by other pimps.

That's very unfair. What can you do about that?

[ace00]

say they are going to forward you for a role, but not really put you frward for it at all?

Because they are pure evil.

[BrilloPad]

1. cv blocking. sometimes they can only put forward 3(say) cvs. Telling others they are put forward will stop them being put forward by other pimps.
2. to ask for references
3. as a jolly jape to impress their colleagues.