Rate Cut - Before Starting!

[premiere]

Any one experienced this??

Job is based in Middlesex...Nice...very very large Networks co...

Applied for a long term contract. Agreed rates with Agent. Not brill rates, but OK considering job is for 12 months. Got put forward, along with 5 other people (after being benched for 3 months) and then the following happened.

1. Telephone interview with USA (Got through that, leaving 3 people in the running)
2. Second telephone interview with USA (Got through that after waiting a 1 week delay between 1st and this interview, leaving 2 people in the running)
3. Face 2 face with end client in middlesex (Got through that after waiting 1 week delay between this a second interview)

Waited another week. Got offered the job and accepted it. Other blokey told he didn't get it. Cancelled all other interviews (2) that had been arranged, cos this was the job I wanted anyway...then the problems started.

A verbal offer made to me on Tuesday. Accepted it at the agreed rate. All I had to do was sign contracts and start on Monday....then...start date became an issue...and then....called and was told....Client says you are too expensive and wants to pay no more than x. The 'x' is just over half of what was agreed. If I took it, it would be financial suicide after being out of contract for 3 months. I need proper money to straighten finances out!

What gives? Agent been telling porkies? Client telling porkies? All I know is I was well excited over this job. It's been ages since I worked for a company and in a contract that I genuinely enjoyed (although all contracts think I love their business and my job).

So, in essence, benched for 3 months, got a job and in less that 48 hours lost the job and back on the bench...What a ruddy tulipe day!

Shelf stacking at Asda sounds much more appealing now!

[Pondlife]

What gives? Agent been telling porkies? Client telling porkies?

Phone the client and check there hasn't been a 'misunderstanding'! May well just be the agent pushing their luck!

[The Lone Gunman]

There must be an issue here.
Tell the DTI. (Dont know if it will do any good).
Under the conduct of agents act the agent is required to agree your terms before putting you forward.
They must surely have broken this rule.

If you can afford to you must walk away.

[Lucifer Box]

If you can afford to you must walk away.

And you must tell your client contact why because the agent will spin them a crock about how you started asking for more do$h so they had no option but to show you the door.

[premiere]

Hi...To clarify...and I know this all sounds very convoluted....

I was going through a large UK agency ( a name that means 'bouncy'...they have a contract with a US Consultancy...who in turn have a contract with the the US arm of the Network co who in turn have the contract with their UK Network headquarters in Middlesex.

Just spoke to the end client in Middlesex and advised him of the problems...He is less than happy cos he wants me to start. He is tonight, going to liaise with his boss in the US and said...

The reason for the reduction to 'x' is because of 2 ...theortical agents (1 agent and 1 consultancy) being involved and he also said if they typically charge 25% markup each...that's a 50% increase over and above your required rate which might of meant that the cost was to rich for us.

He is now going to speak to his boss to see if there is a way round this............What a lark!

[Bitbucket]

This will propbably be sorted out by everyone taking a cut , agents know that unless they get someone for 50 percent of what you are asking then its not going to be resolved unless you give in.

They have 2 choices , put someone forward that is cheaper than you but may not get thro the interview. Reduce their cut by say 50 percent and offer you that and its a done deal.

No brainer really , tell the agent who put you forward that you want another 60 percent he will probably offer 30 to 40 and then wait until something better comes along if your not happy with this.

point out that the client told you in the interview they are prepared to wait for the right person. That will shift them along a bit.

[mcquiggd]

Happens quite a lot I would think.

It has all the usual agency hallmarks of:

1) Getting you hooked, and turning down other interviews.

2) The old 'got to sign now, and start monday' pressure tactic.

3) The client would almost certainly have been told how much you would cost before they interviewed you. Whenever I have recruited people every CV sent to me included an expected daily rate. Companies don't want to have their time wasted, especially involving 3 interviews.

4) The agent is obviously trying to knock you down to maximise his profits. I presume you've had all the usual 'the client needs to know in the next couple of hours', 'the client will offer the other guy the role if you can't say yes now'. Maybe you've had a couple of people from the agency ring - who you haven't spoken to before - saying they 'need to get the contract signed now, or the deals off'.


Basically they are trying it on, is my gut feeling.


Don't ever cancel interviews until you have a contract offer in writing, and you have checked it out. If they keep hassling you, tell them you'll get back to them but you have to attend another interview this afternoon.

What was the 'issue' with the start date?

[premiere]

Issue with the start date is that the US Consulting co and the end client in San Jose & Middlesex seemed to have sudden and great difficulty agreeing a start date after the US Consulting firm said Monday was no good for them.

After calling the end client myself this pm, they were less than happy to find out that I had been told that I wasn't allowed to start Monday and that my rate had been lampooned.

It's all gone a bit Pete Tong really.

End client wants me at the agreed rate...US Consulting Co won't pay my rate and the Uk agent is just a useless twat.

End client in Middlesex is busting his bosses (based in San Jose) chops tonight to see if they can 'off' the US Consulting Co and simply do a normal arrangement of Uk Company (where I'd work) has a contract wiv the Uk agent, and who in turn has one with my Ltd.

What a song and dance eh?

[thunderlizard]

US consulting company will cave, or else the client will agree to pay more. Annoying that it's happened so high up in the packin gorder though.

[BoredBloke]

Could you not go direct?

Who is the US consultancy?