A new Dial Emma for me to deal with.

[PaulB]

After my seven month career break earlier this year to achieve some outdoors-y goals (to climb all my remaining Munros), I jumped back onto the treadmill last month but realised early on it was not the right treadmill. But no problem, a much better offer has arrived and I now have to make a decision. It's a fairly easy one as my present 'employers' are a cut-throat band of unethical shylocks while the new suitor is a British company with a growing and a glowing reputation.

The problem I have is in how to drop the bomb?

My offer arrived yesterday as a nice birthday present but they want me to start with them on the 3rd of December. As I don't have a contract with my present employers, this doesn't present me with a problem; it's only been eight weeks so as much as it's a probationary period for me, it's also a probationary period for them and I've decided they haven't passed it.

But the employment agency that got me the first position, also found me the second one. They've accepted payment from my present company and the agent wants me to keep quiet about the new position until next Friday! This means he wants me to tell them with only a weekend between finishing one and starting the other! Not enough time to clear the decks, hand over all the equipment and report at the new place at 9am on Monday.

So I'm placed in a tricky situation. Given the above scenario, how would you play this one?

 

[green1]

I tell them and fark over the agent.

 

[PaulB]

I tell them and f*** over the agent.

That's my preference. He can't be expecting my present comp. to pay the full fee for two months? Having said that, my present comp. wanted me to tell the agent that the agreed salary was much, much lower (below 50% - the rest to be made up on commission) than it really was so they could get away with paying a considerably reduced fee! It's a dog-eat-dog world out there!

 

[fossyant]

Give then a weeks notice and go. It's the Agent that wants his cake - i.e. both fees, and I bet he has a minimum repayment period if you leave. It's the Agent's issue.

A week's notice should be more than enough, and represents good practice. I have walked out of one job with no notice after 6 weeks. Job wasn't what was promised, boss was out, and I was stuck in the office, phoned him, this isn't working and left. We'd also lost another new member a week earlier, they too thought the job wasn't for them.

 

[green1]

You've got the perfect situation then. Tell the company, but then tell the agent your actual agreed salary.

 

[Beebo]

it sounds like the agent and your current employer dont really like each other.

Dont get involved in their dispute, give your notice asap.

Remember you work for "PaulB Ltd". The agent doesnt give a stuff about you.

 

[ASC1951]

After my seven month career break earlier this year to achieve some outdoors-y goals (to climb all my remaining Munros)....

Ah, but have you done all the Tops?

As to your Dial Emma, I agree with your preference. The fact that you see it as a problem means IME that you know that dropping the present employers in the mire is just 'not the right thing to do'. And from the practical point of view, it's worth not pissing anyone off if you don't have to - what goes around, comes around, especially in the contracting world.

 

[dellzeqq]

After my seven month career break earlier this year to achieve some outdoors-y goals (to climb all my remaining Munros), I jumped back onto the treadmill last month but realised early on it was not the right treadmill. But no problem, a much better offer has arrived and I now have to make a decision. It's a fairly easy one as my present 'employers' are a cut-throat band of unethical shylocks while the new suitor is a British company with a growing and a glowing reputation.

The problem I have is in how to drop the bomb?

My offer arrived yesterday as a nice birthday present but they want me to start with them on the 3rd of December. As I don't have a contract with my present employers, this doesn't present me with a problem; it's only been eight weeks so as much as it's a probationary period for me, it's also a probationary period for them and I've decided they haven't passed it.

But the employment agency that got me the first position, also found me the second one. They've accepted payment from my present company and the agent wants me to keep quiet about the new position until next Friday! This means he wants me to tell them with only a weekend between finishing one and starting the other! Not enough time to clear the decks, hand over all the equipment and report at the new place at 9am on Monday.

So I'm placed in a tricky situation. Given the above scenario, how would you play this one?

Paul - I have been in a similar situation. In the days when I'd have a hissy fit and move every year I took a job which turned out to be crap, and decided to move back to the previous mob after six months and a drunken slobberykiss encounter with my former boss. Cue nastiness between agent and ditched boss - bear in mind that the agent's cut was over £10k. Cue m'learned friends. Cue very carefully worded letters. Cue distinct cooling of agent's affection for me (restored by the next two moves which gained her over £32k).

You have to be straight with these people, however little you think of them. Sorry. If they want their money back (and they might well) you will be dragged in to it. You don't want to found to be colluding with the agent.

And wot ASC sed. Never leave a bad smell behind if you can possibly help it.

 

[PaulB]

Some very useful information on here and I thank you all for contributing.

The reason it's not working out with the present lot is that they pay me my full monthly salary and commission, no deductions, for which I send them an invoice as a 'consultancy fee'. I have to sort out my own tax and NI etc and the one ethical guy who does work there has had this situation himself for 20 months so it's not going to go away. Additionally, the other position is almost twice the salary of the present one and with a pension and shares attached. There's one other major problem which they've forced on me and I'm not anxious to reveal it just yet but there's no doubt it's illegal.

The agent is now pleading with me not to show my hand until next Friday and telling me I'm his 'mate' and he'll come up to see me and 'reward' me with a night out. He's wheedling away there and getting on my nerves.

 

[gary in derby]

Paul - I have been in a similar situation. In the days when I'd have a hissy fit and move everyear I took a job which turned out to be crap, and decided to move back to the previous mob after six months and a drunken slobberykiss encounter with my former boss. Cue nastiness between agent and ditched boss - bear in mind that the agent's cut was over £10k. Cue m'learned friends. Cue very carefully worded letters. Cue distinct cooling of agent's affection for me (restored by the next two moves which gained her over £32k).

You have to be straight with these people, however little you think of them. Sorry. If they want their money back (and they might well) you will be dragged in to it. You don't want to found to be colluding with the agent.

And wot ASC sed. Never leave a bad smell behind if you can possibly help it.

+1

 

[gary in derby]

Just have to do whats best for you. always look after #1

 

[Globalti]

Agents are unethical money-grabbing leeches, whether in property sales, financial services or employment. He will get over it and like you, my sympathy would evaporate the moment the wheedling and whining started. If he can't think of a proper solution that doesn't involve inconvenience to you, he's not worth bothering about and he probably won't be around for long. Companies on the other hand have long memories and can give you jobs irrespective of agents.

 

[Scruffmonster]

If ever you get the chance to scr3w an agent out of cash, do it.

 

[fossyant]

I had an agent promise me a fee having signed up with the company I mentioned earlier, guess what, nothing - good job actually as I left, but he backtracked as soon as I had started. Wriggly worms the lot of them.

Oh and what your current employer is doing is indeed illegal. You are an employee by the definitions of the Inland Revenue, and the company could be right in the poop (I've got a good background in this, as my job involved the CIS scheme in Construction). I'd remind your Agent about your current situation.

 

[PaulB]

Oh and what your current employer is doing is indeed illegal.

That's the least significant illegal thing they are doing. They expect me to stock implantable medical devices in my garage, to be used as their Northern hub, and deliver them to cardiac units in my own vehicle!