Taking confidence to the next level

[scooterscot]

An agent contacted me by e-mail with irrelevant possibility last week. I don't like this agency very much. They are far down on the list; I'd need to be very desperate.

So my reply:

Dear XXXXX,

Not my area, however, I know of someone who is looking and fits description but I would need a cut on the hourly rate, can we negotiate?

Regards,

Sooter

[thunderlizard]

That's my usual response, except my emails are much more polite and state the required % up front.

[d000hg]

He's just given away his real name!

I never thought of that, anyone ever get any interest with a formal "I could supply someone with those skills but would obviously need to discuss a commission" reply? What do we call this, reverse-fishing?

[NickFitz]

I never thought of that, anyone ever get any interest with a formal "I could supply someone with those skills but would obviously need to discuss a commission" reply? What do we call this, reverse-fishing?

One option is to accept the gig, then use one's "right of substitution" to put somebody else in there on a lower rate to them, and take the profit.

In fact, that sort of thing is suggested so often over on the more serious forums like Business/Contracts that I wonder if anybody's ever tried it. I assume that most of the time it would result in a swift "**** off" from both end-client and agency.