Did I overreact? (Recruiting firms)

[Lou Quillio]

Diana Ost wrote:
> I asked her, "What are you
> paying the rest of the team?" I could hear her choking on the phone :-)
> Needless to say, I skipped that one. 

I was about to disambiguate the "recruiter" term, but Diana's done
it for me.

Shelly (OP) described getting a rather anonymous ping on a contract
gig, at what Shelly felt was a low rate.

That circumstance is unrelated to the fee-based "executive" or
"professional" placement services that some here are describing.
This is different.  This is job-shopping.

In this scenario, multiple agencies are advised of (or independently
learn of) a contract placement opportunity, they mine prospect
databases, and email anybody who might be a decent fit.  I'm
routinely pinged by multiple agencies for these.  Each of them know
the employer's billable rate (often a range), and they know how much
of that rate they'd like to carve-out for themselves.  What's left
over is what they quote the prospect.

I'm obliged to shop these offers (for the same gig) for the best
return.  Loyalty doesn't figure much here -- not because I lack it
but because the system (which I didn't create) doesn't value it.
It's designed to be cutthroat.  Must I pursue the opportunity *only*
through the guy who *happened* to contacted me first?  Sorry,
there's no rule like that.

This is what Shelly seemed to encounter.  My earlier reply means to
point out that: (1) the _employer_ isn't offering $24/hr (rather
more), so don't be too dismayed; (2) there are likely to be other
agencies shopping the gig, perhaps offering more; and (3) these
kinds of gigs can often be had on a direct basis, it just didn't
reach you that way.  Get more information.  Get all the information.

Apologies to anybody who's spouse is a recruiter (or real estate
agent ;).  I'm sure they're total pros.  Seems to me that Shelly
crossed paths with a different sort of animal.

LQ