Agent Manners (bit of a rant really)

[Gordon Ice]

So an Agent phones me today asking if I'm looking for a new role. Happily not I say, in contract until April end and likely beyond . Immediately she comes back with "can you tell me what rate you are currently on?" Very bluntly my answer was "NO" but stopped short of slamming down the phone. Continued with the usual game of "no matter how you package it I'm not telling you my lowest rate" ping-pong before finally giving it up for a bad job.

Do Agent's really think we we're all born yesterday. Why is it so very very few of them can see that playing the long game will be better for them and for me. Is it really so hard to understand that as a Programme Mgr I pretty much always need to bring in resource - which if they keep me sweet it'll probably involve them. AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Rant over, just wanted to share

[cojak]

They are checking the Market rate for your kind of work, tis all.

I wouldn't have told her either, mind.

[MarillionFan]

They are checking the Market rate for your kind of work, tis all.

I wouldn't have told her either, mind.

No or me.

I gave notice on a contract last month and finished week before last. Never heard from the agent until she rang up offering a contract I wasn't remotely qualified for.

Where are you? Hampshire was the reply
What company are you at? I'm not doing X was my reply
What rate are you on? £50 per day more than you paid last time
What notice period are you on? One month, but I dont plan to give notice on this one.
What agency are you through? I forget. You all look the same to me.

All very polite.

And then I finished with. Oh and btw, if we do work together again don't get me a client that thinks 10 days worth of work is going to take 50 but is happy to have someone sit around bore tulipless and still pay them. Keep that for the existing contractor, who btw was swinging the lead and I wouldnt recommend if my life depended on it. Good day

[nomadd]

So an Agent phones me today asking if I'm looking for a new role. Happily not I say, in contract until April end and likely beyond . Immediately she comes back with "can you tell me what rate you are currently on?"

I'm always on "Market + £200 / day" when and agent phones.