Supply - any pit falls?

[interuptus]

I'm just about to interview at a supply agency making myself available 3days a week from September.

Is there anything I need to look out for- a friend was trying to tell me to watch out for them taking £20 a week from you for being your payroll or something?

Thank you.

yes, not much experience of supply myself, but people always say to avoid umbrella companies for pay.

Avoid the umbrella companies, yes. There are supply groups on Facebook which are useful for advice. Don’t believe the agency ‘yeah, you’ll work everyday’ hype. It’s not true. If you are decent - don’t get flustered, are proactive in dealing with issues that arise, can be left to get on with it with a bank of your own lessons and an ability to read and interpret a scheme of work - you will get repeat work. If you are secondary shortage subject, willing to plan and mark, you will never stop working.

I love it. Wish I had done it sooner.

Avoid umbrella companies if you can.
Agencies lie outrageously - they are never "about to get really busy" when they're ringing you the last week in June. I was always nice and polite to them but wasn't going to sit idle waiting on the off chance the work they were promising showed up - until I had the booking I was available for anything else.
Takes a while to get going - September will be shite, likewise the end of the year when you're into peak DVD season (exam marking used to coincide nicely with this when I was doing it).
And any time you hear the words "Miss X always lets us" - change the "always" to "never" mentally to get much closer to the truth.

Thanks so much.
How do I avoid umbrella companies?
Thanks

You need to insist on being paid PAYE. I have worked for a range of agencies and it has not been a problem when pushed.

Thank you I feel armed to deal with this now. I really appreciate the advice x

Good luck