[poll] Working direct with clients

[d000hg]

I've signed up with agencies but I'm not that enthusiastic, I've enjoyed finding and working with clients directly for the last year.

For all the bitching about agents, do you guys prefer to work through an agency or is it a necessary evil?

Give me 20s for the poll...

[chicane]

I started out working directly with SME clients. After a year, I realised that working for large corporates through agencies was twice the money and half the hassle.

[d000hg]

And also, how DO you find companies directly? When I worked in the games industry it was easy - there are sites which list every game development studio in the country, but all kinds of non-software companies need software developed.

[DimPrawn]

Another crap poll.

None of the above.

I prefer to work direct and find work that way easier than dealing with agents.

[d000hg]

Another crap poll.

None of the above.

I prefer to work direct and find work that way easier than dealing with agents.

We need a way to have a pre-poll, where people can suggest options, before the original poster runs the poll.

[Bob Dalek]

Another crap poll.

None of the above.

I prefer to work direct and find work that way easier than dealing with agents.

I am unemployed and live on Tesco Value burgers.

[Pickle2]

I am unemployed and live on Tesco Value burgers.

Not for long.

[chef]

how do agents get you better rates than if you went direct?

typical scenario:
the EB has a budget (say £1000 a day max) for a contractor

scenario 1: going via agency, agent fairly accurately guesses EB's budget and puts you in for £900 (agent takes 15% cut), agent offers you £765 a day

scenario 2: agent knows there is competition in the market and so bids lower (£850 a day) to guarantee he gets the job then takes 15% and rounds it up a bit, offers you £725, you try for more but agent wont budge

scenario 3: you find the EB yourself, you know the market and you know what rate is average and so you take a good rate and add a bit, you bid £800

-from your point of view you've got the best rate by going direct
-from the EB point of view they've got the cheapest bid by you going direct, win win all round (except the agent of course)

[Pickle2]

how do agents get you better rates than if you went direct?

They have access to the better paying roles?

[Bagpuss]

I prefer to work direct but it's getting harder as companies try to avoid employment rights claims.
Last contract I sourced direct from my contacts but still had to hand it to any agency