Why do job agencies ALWAYS exaggerate the money on offer?

[Easy]

It is soooo annoying. Looking for a contract, those advertised at £32 per hour suddenly actually offer £30, one advertised at £45 per hour will actually pay £40.

A permanent job advertised as 'Mid thirties' has been offered at £32,000 Maximum.

It should be illegal.

I don't think they do. What generally happens is the client tells the agency they are prepared to pay up to X they find out you are on less and offer less. It is sooo unfair!

Have to say that is something I never did when in Recruitment, but it is rife with some agencies in order to get candidates through the door and onto their books...

THe job I just got was advertised as £200 per day. After my interview they offered me £160 per day as I have a lack of experience compared to the others on the team. Fairs fair I s'pose!

the job that i got offered yest the woman at agency told me was between 17 and 19 k.
when i went for second interview yest the md of the company said its between 16 and 18k. luckily i had taken my spec sheet with me and showed it to her.

got offered 18500 so was worth taking it, know exactly what you mean though!!!

I had one at £32 an hour, the client offered £25, when I pointed out she had said it would be between £30-32 an hour she denied she'd ever said it!

Companies also lie to agencies in order to get candidates...say that the top end salary is higher and then offer less than was previously discussed which is awful when you have to make the offer to the candidate, makes you look like another lying cowboy agency!

Hmm, Yes Lizzylou, I guess sometimes it is the client not the agency, altho I think the agency should get the rate included in the written spec.

The written offer on the job advertised at 'mid thirties' has come thru'. Flat £30,000.
Agent says they might be able to squeeze upto £33,000. I think they're playing cat-and-mouse, and I hate this type of negotiating. This is our livlihood you're playing with !!

Easy, how much do you need the job? Can you say no, I want £35k and see what happens? Or negotiate on car/other bens? They'd be stupid to let someone go for the sake of £5k, given that they've gone thru the process and want you! But hey, it depends on your nerves I suppose!

When they say a per hour rate, how many hours per week do they usually mean? Just curious (we work our hours out on a 42 hour week so am assuming it's usually less)

Probably for the same reason they advertise a particular salary for a job, then you go in and find out it's pro-rata: to get you in the door.

If you are ideal for the job and confident, I'd say you would be delighted to attend the interview but wouldn't consider less than £35k and make sure the agent informs the client of this...I am assuming that you haven't been interviewed as of yet, that means that you are not wasting your time or the firms time and everyone is in the clear upfront...

Well WWW, this is actually dh's job, and I'm torn about whether to advise him to do that.

I think he should hold out for more, but OTOH he's not working right now, we're committed up to the hilt (just paid out for our holiday in Sept, and we're redoing the bathroom) , and I've just been given notice on my contract early cos it's gone pear-shaped (not my fault BTW). In addition, it's a perm job (he'd prefer to contract really, but the market is down), and it's 130 miles away near my mum, which would mean us relocating (Which I want to do, but of course thats expensive)

Life is never simple is it?

I would do a bit of investigating...ie. in the area that the job is in is £35k realistic for that type of work? Try other agencies/job websites. It would be pointless to hold out for a figure that is too much for the area you want to move to.....

Sorry, just realised that your DH has been offered the job, not on the ball at all today!

Ooohh these are the people who took him out to eat/drink? They want him then, so imo it's worth asking for me because you sure as hell won't get if you don't ask. He can always do it through the agent. It's a pita though, I do know.

worth asking for MORE I meant, not me!

the one and only time we ever used an agnecy to find an employee, we told them the wage, then they found someone who would only work for 25% more. I said I would consider it if his skills etc were as good as he said (they weren't) and the agnecy guy then proceeded to tell everyone else the salary was 25% higher.

I still can't decide if he was a moron or a very slimy man indeed.

Hi all.

Yes, WWW, they are the ones who kept him out until 11:00 p.m. last wednesday. They have taken a week to come up with this offer. Thru' the agent they have said they won't offer any more basic, but they do pay overtime for weekends when a project is running behind time. They have also sent a contract which states that overtime is compulsory when they request it !!!!!

Now don't get me wrong, we have been in this industry a long time, and fully understand that projects have to be pulled in on time, and it often takes superhuman effort to do it, BUT we have neither of us ever had a contract which stated that overtime would be compulsory, (generally we worked for a decent basic, and didn't get paid overtime).

If dh were to take the job I have a vision of us never seeing him, esp in the few months until we could relocate.
Doesn't smell right really !!