Agency or Direct

[Fra]

Hi guys,

I have been contacted by an agency for a contract, one day later the hiring manager of the same company
wrote me an email asking me if I was interested in them, I don't think they spoke to each other, the hiring manager found me using
Linked-in, now I am in doubt, should I send the cv to the agency or directly to the company hiring manager?

cheers

[tractor]

..

Hi guys,

I have been contacted by an agency for a contract, one day later the hiring manager of the same company
wrote me an email asking me if I was interested in them, I don't think they spoke to each other, the hiring manager found me using
Linked-in, now I am in doubt, should I send the cv to the agency or directly to the company hiring manager?

cheers

It's likely the hiring manager is trying to pull a fast one having already received your cv from the agent. I would chase up the agent first and check on progress. Make your decision from there.

[northernladuk]

Hmm, this sounds a little bit odd. Clients normally use an agent to avoid having to bother. I have, however, seen clients contact a contractor direct and then put him through the agent to save the hassle of the process. The fact they both found you sounds strange.

I would personally speak to the client first and get a steer on what is going on, make him aware an agent is looking as well and see what he says. I would be willing to be he says 'Yes I know you will go through them for the contract'. Sounds like he doesn't trust the agent to do the job properly. He may even drop you a hint about the rate so you can screw the agent down to the minimum.

I think hiding this fact and playing the two off won't work in your favour and being devious will get found out and won't look good.

[Fra]

I told the hiring manager that an agency already contacted me for a place there, I want things as cleanest as possible, for sure the company did not get my cv yet because I still need to send it to the agency, I am only waiting a little bit the replay of the hiring manager to understand what they want to do.
The reason why I asked a suggestion here is because sometime my behaviour is strict and often a little bit too much, so I would give precedence to the agency because they contacted me first, but I start to understand that with agencies very often this behaviour damages me.

[Wanderer]

for sure the company did not get my cv yet because I still need to send it to the agency

What are you doing.

Go direct to the client and cut the agent out of the deal. You owe the agent NOTHING. The client will direct you to an agent who will do the deal on a minimal margin so both you and the client are winners.

The client may want to put an agency in as a middle man once you have agreed a contract but in this case you are in a much stronger position when negotiating the contract for IR35 compliance. It also means that there will be no restraint of trade clause in your contract preventing you from switching agencies with the same client.

[Stan.goodvibes]

What are you doing.

Go direct to the client and cut the agent out of the deal. You owe the agent NOTHING. .

+1

Until you have sent your CV to the agent and the agent has put your CV in front of the client then it's all fair game (although I think it is even after that as well).

All power to the Manager for finding you before the agent got you in the door

[Scrag Meister]

What are you doing.

Go direct to the client and cut the agent out of the deal. You owe the agent NOTHING. The client will direct you to an agent who will do the deal on a minimal margin so both you and the client are winners.

The client may want to put an agency in as a middle man once you have agreed a contract but in this case you are in a much stronger position when negotiating the contract for IR35 compliance. It also means that there will be no restraint of trade clause in your contract preventing you from switching agencies with the same client.

WWS

[kaiser78]

Rememer though if you go direct it is up to you to chase payment which clients can be not too efficient with, whereas through agency don't opt out and payment should be more regular.

[abu1]

Agencies are middlemen making money from you. If you have been contacted directly go with that you can negotiate a fee which will be better and agency will not take a cut.

If i was you i would ask the agency what the daily or hourly rate was then use that to negotiate a fee with the client directly. also bare in mind agency will usually pay you less than what they charge the client so if agency say daily rate is £150 they probably charging the client £200 so use this to negotiate a price