shafting an agent?

[stacks]

A mate contacted me a few months ago about a contract at the company he worked for and I sent my CV but my availability didn't match with what they were after.

I'm now up for renewal so activated my CV yesterday and today got a phone call from an agent telling me about a position he had and he named the company....suprise suprise it's the same role my mate contacted me about and they have not filled to role yet! I didn't let on and he said he would send through the job spec and if I liked it he would send through my CV.

So I ring my mate and it looks like I might get an interview direct now. My view is that if the agent rings me again I'll say I'm not interested any more but is he likely to ever find out and even if he does should I give a toss as it's his own fault for telling me who the contract was with.

[Mordac]

A mate contacted me a few months ago about a contract at the company he worked for and I sent my CV but my availability didn't match with what they were after.

I'm now up for renewal so activated my CV yesterday and today got a phone call from an agent telling me about a position he had and he named the company....suprise suprise it's the same role my mate contacted me about and they have not filled to role yet! I didn't let on and he said he would send through the job spec and if I liked it he would send through my CV.

So I ring my mate and it looks like I might get an interview direct now. My view is that if the agent rings me again I'll say I'm not interested any more but is he likely to ever find out and even if he does should I give a toss as it's his own fault for telling me who the contract was with.

As long as you're OK doing your own contracts (£200 ish) and waiting on their payment terms (which could easily be 60 days), don't lose any sleep over the agent, he wouldn't lose any over you.

[monkeyboy]

No expert but I see this as essentially a moral issue. There is no contract in place.

As agents have no morals why should you. Just remember that they do serve a purpose as a money factor.

[MikeP]

Hmmm, tricky. I tell agents straight away if I've had any contact/dealings with the company, might not be too late for you.

I also play it completely above board. Think about it, the company is going on your CV - if you bullsh!t your agent now, they can still find out (could be considered fraud?). If you're honest and you really have had prior contact there's little they can do - but I'm no lawyer so don't take my word for that.

As to contracts, I sometimes work on just a PO, but have waited up to 6 months to get paid....

[stacks]

Fair point Mordac about supplying my own contract and payment terms! both something that I hadn't thought about as I've always gone via an agent before.

There are probably more pitfalls too so feel free to point them out.

[stacks]

Hmmm, tricky. I tell agents straight away if I've had any contact/dealings with the company, might not be too late for you.

I also play it completely above board. Think about it, the company is going on your CV - if you bullsh!t your agent now, they can still find out (could be considered fraud?). If you're honest and you really have had prior contact there's little they can do - but I'm no lawyer so don't take my word for that.

As to contracts, I sometimes work on just a PO, but have waited up to 6 months to get paid....

I am telling the truth about going direct before the agent called me and the only reason my mate didn't ring me back about it was becuase he thought they were now after a permie and as soon as I told him he got on the blower to HR.

I appreciate this is a bit of a tricky one hence the post to find out your views!

[MikeP]

Sorry, I was a bit unclear - I wasn't doubting your telling the truth, I meant "if you're honest" with the agent. Dunno what your conversations have been, but as I said I usually tell them sorry but I've spoken to someone from there already (doesn't need to be about the role ). Some agents can get incredibly inquisitive at this stage and it's a bit of a fine line between fishing for info and backing up your claim.

Unfortunately it's a minefield, there are always those who will refuse to mention client and sometimes others ring you up about a role and you have no idea they are one and the same. One agency on my blacklist couldn't even tell me where the job was aside from 'somewhere in the Netherlands'.

Cheers,
Mike

[ratewhore]

Whats all this wishy washy nonsense?

You were in contact with the client before the agent contacted you. Therefore the agent did not introduce you to said client. Therefore agent has no leg to stand on.

That's all you need to know. And if agent comes knocking tell him to poke off - there's plenty more of them out there...

[expat]

Whats all this wishy washy nonsense?

You were in contact with the client before the agent contacted you. Therefore the agent did not introduce you to said client. Therefore agent has no leg to stand on.

Put it this way: if you had already been in contact with this prospective client for exactly this prospective contract through this agent, and then some other agent came through with the contract, would this first agent feel justified in claiming prior contact? If so, then he should have no beef with you doing likewise.

[Mordac]

Fair point Mordac about supplying my own contract and payment terms! both something that I hadn't thought about as I've always gone via an agent before.

There are probably more pitfalls too so feel free to point them out.

All in all, you may well find it easier going through an agency. I've had a couple of direct contracts, and I've put them through an agency I know and trust at cost plus a couple of beers. Unless you're an experienced and seasoned contractor, direct contracts can end up being more trouble than they're worth. You also need to bear in mind you will have to be insured up to the hilt, because you've got no agency contract to hide behind.