Agent and agency commission disclosures

[Whitney Quesenbery <whitneyq -at- COGNETICS -dot- COM>]

I'm not an independant, so I've hesitated to get involved in this
discsussion, but I find it shocking that agencies seem to be taking 40% and
50% of fees for contractors they place.

As someone who occasionally hires contractors, I have difficulty seeing how
they provide THAT MUCH value for the cost. (I use agencies - espcially
small ones who know their people well. When I am hiring outside of my own
expertise, their ability to help "vet" prospects can be invaluable....well,
it is "valuable" --- at some more reasonable markup.)

For a really depressing view of this statistically, visit the Lone Star web
site, and take a look at their survey results, which clearly show that
those working through an agency make less than those who do not. In my past
life (as a theatrical lighting designer) the agent's pitch was that they
could get you more and better work, so that the commission would be
absorbed in the EXTRA dollars you were making!



Whitney Quesenbery
whitneyq -at- cognetics -dot- com
609-799-5005 ext. 224
http://www.cognetics.com/

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