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"What's your motivation?"

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    "What's your motivation?"

    For Heaven's sake.

    Agent: "But what is your motivation for applying for this role?"

    Me: "It's a contract. It's my line of work. I work for money."

    Agent: "Yes, but why are you applying for this role?"

    Me: "I'm on the bench, I can do this role well, it's the sector I've been working in, it's my specialist area, it is in the right location and the money is OK. Obviously I'd tell the client this is the role of a lifetime, but the reality is I want the money."

    Agent: "The client would be concerned you'd leave because you might get bored."

    Me: "I'm a contractor, I work for money. Money is my motivation."

    Agent: "So you'd leave if someone offered you more money; that is what the client is worried about."

    Me: "So put a six week notice period in the contract."

    Agent: "But you're paid a daily rate so legally you could leave after a day. The client knows that so they would be worried you would find something else."

    Me: "Huh? It's a business contract, you can't leave with one day's notice if the contract says otherwise."

    Agent: "Of course you can. That's what it says in English law."

    Me: "Look, it's my line of work, it's what I do."

    Agent: "You are the most experienced applicant I've had and you're the only one with the specific product knowledge. That's why I think the client would worry you might leave. How do I convince them it's worthwhile interviewing you?"

    Me: "Just get me in front of them and I'll get the gig."

    Agent: "I'm not sure. I think you're too senior for this role. You'll probably just intimidate the manager. And I'm only allowed to put so many CVs forward. And the others are asking for the same rate as you."

    Me: "Then put forward the others that don't have the product experience or sector experience."

    Agent: "Yes, I think that's best. Bye." <click>



    tulip.

    Or was it just one of you lot ringing me up as a wind-up? Or was it Another Dodgy Agent getting his own back?
    My all-time favourite Dilbert cartoon, this is: BTW, a Dumpster is a brand of skip, I think.

    #2
    "Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make mad..."

    This country's had it, hasn't it? What's worse is most employers prefer to fork out money to these agents, so they end up with bad candidates.
    Speaking gibberish on internet talkboards since last Michaelmas. Plus here on Twitter

    Comment


      #3
      yon agent person is in the wrong line of work I think...
      Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? - Epicurus

      Comment


        #4
        What a twat.

        Sounds like he was trying to get you to reduce your rate.

        Comment


          #5
          The agent must be pretty sure that no one else will put you forward





          (\__/)
          (>'.'<)
          ("")("") Born to Drink. Forced to Work

          Comment


            #6
            Fail

            Obviously the client is worried the contractor will bugger off mid-contract. The agent told you this, and they just want to keep their client happy, with possibly some mixed delusions of being an outsourced HR function.

            All you had to do was spin them a line. The agent gave you chance after chance to tell them what they wanted you to hear, just one cheesy line about enjoying XYZ and seeing the finished product would have done it, and yet you stuck to your script.

            Cats are evil.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by swamp View Post
              Obviously the client is worried the contractor will bugger off mid-contract. The agent told you this, and they just want to keep their client happy, with possibly some mixed delusions of being an outsourced HR function.

              All you had to do was spin them a line. The agent gave you chance after chance to tell them what they wanted you to hear, just one cheesy line about enjoying XYZ and seeing the finished product would have done it, and yet you stuck to your script.

              I agree. You messed up there.

              Comment


                #8
                in my (currently suspended) capacity as a hiring manager who doesn't lie to himself about what people's motivation is for working, i would be hacked off with this agent for blocking a viable candidate.

                people in the recruitment chain really do need to get real

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by MrNoMotivation View Post
                  I agree. You messed up there.
                  Or it was a lucky escape. The pimp sounds like an arse. What kind of state are the systems in that the client is so twitchy. If a 6 week notice period is not acceptable, and yet the client is worried about people leaving it sounds to me like the systems are in a mess and people have walked taking vital systems knowledge.
                  Knock first as I might be balancing my chakras.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by suityou01 View Post
                    Or it was a lucky escape. The pimp sounds like an arse. What kind of state are the systems in that the client is so twitchy. If a 6 week notice period is not acceptable, and yet the client is worried about people leaving it sounds to me like the systems are in a mess and people have walked taking vital systems knowledge.
                    Aye, that is what crossed my mind too.
                    How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

                    Follow me on Twitter - LinkedIn Profile - The HAB blog - New Blog: Mad Cameron
                    Xeno points: +5 - Asperger rating: 36 - Paranoid Schizophrenic rating: 44%

                    "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to high office" - Aesop

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