How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#1

Post by chris_dcosta » Wed, May 08, 2013, 9:52 AM UTC

It is accepted industry norm that a recruitment agent takes 15% give or take a few %age points. Last 20 years I've never had an issue, and I got to see all the rates my agents were paid. Until now.

I just found out my current one has been taking 52% and they negotiated down my price "due to market conditions" after the job offer.

These scumbags don't do freelancers any justice, and sure enough if the client had asked for a drop in rate they'd be on the phone asking you to suck it up.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#2

Post by adamccc » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:07 AM UTC

I guess the only way to fire them is stay completely clear of them and id that's not enough maybe write a blog post exposing this behaviour.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#3

Post by orangethirty » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:54 AM UTC

Depends on the contract.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#4

Post by lifeisstillgood » Wed, May 08, 2013, 12:10 PM UTC

Holy cow. I cannot imagine how desperate the hiring company must have been to pay 52%. That is an indicator of very bad things I suspect.

Unless you have a contract with your agent (highly unlikely - people like 10x are starting this idea) then just do not use them.

An agency who is getting 50% out of a client company has photos of the CEO and two shameful-looking-sheep somewhere.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#5

Post by hga » Wed, May 08, 2013, 12:15 PM UTC

adamccc wrote: post #2

I guess the only way to fire them is stay completely clear of them and id that's not enough maybe write a blog post exposing this behaviour.

"Stay completely clear of them" ... tell them at the appropriate time that they are fired and that if they ignore this and find you a job, you're not taking it, no matter what.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#6

Post by terrykohla » Wed, May 08, 2013, 2:32 PM UTC

It seems more like you just discovered your "real" market value. Welcome to reality!

The reason some people make more money than others is mainly because they posses key information that others don't have and this is part of the game.

Don't fire you're recruiter because YOU didn't know your true market value. Instead, use this "new information" to negotiate yourself a substantial raise next time you sit at the negotiation table.

The recruiter's markup is not disclosed to the contractor in my industry and it's not really important to me. What matters is "are you happy with what you're making?".

Fire your recruiter if he is incompetent, not if he's doing well.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#7

Post by aashaykumar92 » Wed, May 08, 2013, 2:53 PM UTC

I wanted to learn more about how this works so sorry I'm not responding to your question, but when one has an agent, does the agent take 15% (or in this case, a mind blowing 52%) of the workers salary or that's just how much the hiring company pays the agent? Basically, is anything being deducted from the workers salary?

And there are mentions of a contract. What would this type of contract consist of?

The job candidate-agent relationship...is it like sports where agents can represent multiple job seekers but a job seeker usually only has one agent? And is there a legal side to this?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to learn!

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#8

Post by tptacek » Wed, May 08, 2013, 4:33 PM UTC

You just stop working with them (which you should probably have done many years ago, given the market).

Incidentally, what your employer paid your recruiter is their problem, not yours: if you're underpaid, demand a raise or leave.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#9

Post by tptacek » Wed, May 08, 2013, 4:53 PM UTC

terrykohla wrote: post #6

It seems more like you just discovered your "real" market value. Welcome to reality! The reason some people make more money than others is mainly because they posses key information that others don't have and this is part of the game. Don't fire you're recruiter because YOU didn't know your true market value. Instead, use this "new information" to negotiate yourself a substantial raise next time you sit at the negoti…

I am mystified by the idea that a middleman is entitled to 50% of someone's comp because "they possess key information". Literally: mystified. What could your comment possibly mean? I'm a hiring manager. Help me understand how a recruiter could possibly earn 50% of someone's comp.

Re: How do I fire my recruitment agent?

#10

Post by chris_dcosta » Thu, May 09, 2013, 8:16 AM UTC

terrykohla wrote: post #6

It seems more like you just discovered your "real" market value. Welcome to reality! The reason some people make more money than others is mainly because they posses key information that others don't have and this is part of the game. Don't fire you're recruiter because YOU didn't know your true market value. Instead, use this "new information" to negotiate yourself a substantial raise next time you sit at the negoti…

Firstly, I know my true market value, and have done for years - I always find a way to find out ;) and I haven't just got off the boat.

I also know what I can get away with making in this market, so what I'm making is not the issue per se, although this is below my normal rate, and I agreed to this on the grounds that were presented to me - which turned out to be completely false.

I work with many recruiters, not just this one. This one happened to have a job available at the time I was available...

Lastly, they point blank refused to negotiate, at all. Hence the need to fire them.