Think I was sold out by the consultancy

[Scrag Meister]

I have been working as a contractor to a "consultancy", fancy themselves but basically an agency.

My contract is coming to an end and my ClientCo "manager" spoke to another manager mentioning my availability, I interviewed and all was looking good, invited down to the office for a look around. Informed the consultancy of this fact, and passed on manager names, as I cant work directly because of the handcuff clause, and before I know it another "consultant" is in there.

I think that the agent went over my head directly and sold one of their employee consultants in there.



p.s. Yes NLUK.... only to be expected and AICOTBAC etc....

[northernladuk]

That's pretty out of order. I've worked at two clients through small consultancies that have ended up providing bums on seats much to the disdain of the incumbent agent. In both cases I worked with the consultancy contact find myself roles and giving them the heads up with stuff that was useful to them and the client. They pretty much left me to it so I'd be absolutely livid if they had done this to me. I feel your pain on this one. Pretty short sighted of them for just one gig IMO.

As you said sadly it isn't out of the realms of their working practices but I am sure doing business with you rather than shafting you would have worked out better for all three parties.

[ShandyDrinker]

Ouch... that's not good although if working through a consultancy I suppose I wouldn't expect anything less. If you'd already been working there I would imagine less risky for the client for you to stay on as a known entity rather than a new consultant...

[MrMarkyMark]

Hmmmm, maybe you went to wrong route you should have got the client to talk to the "consultancy".
They would be on slightly shakey ground anyway, as it was a totally different role etc.

[LondonManc]

If they have benched employees they're a consultancy. In addition, if they have benched employees, that's people costing them money by simply existing. Add on to that the margin of a permie consultant plus the benefits of increasing their experience (to increase their charge rate) and you can see why they've done it.

As MMM said, probably would have been better to make sure that the client asked for your personally rather than let the agent dictate things.

[Scrag Meister]

If they have benched employees they're a consultancy. In addition, if they have benched employees, that's people costing them money by simply existing. Add on to that the margin of a permie consultant plus the benefits of increasing their experience (to increase their charge rate) and you can see why they've done it.

As MMM said, probably would have been better to make sure that the client asked for your personally rather than let the agent dictate things.

Don't get me wrong I understand why, just really frustrating that they should pull such an underhand move.

[LondonManc]

Don't get me wrong I understand why, just really frustrating that they should pull such an underhand move.

I'm more confused about why the other hiring manager accepted it - have you raised it?

[SimonMac]

Yeah sounds like you have been shafted, earnt work for the "consultancy" and they put the person who gives them the biggest margin, I assume as long as the client is happy with the resource they are not going to care, but the manager may get a bit pissed if someone different than they expected starts the work, very risky on the part of the "consultancy" as if the person can't do the job they are going to look like muppets.

I would speak to the manager, say they situation is what it is but if anything doesn't work out get in touch and try and keep a networking contact

[BrilloPad]

f0000000kkkkkkkkkk

[billybiro]

Maybe you should have signed on direct with the other client, kept your mouth shut and not given a flying f&$k about the so-called "handcuff" clause.