3 ms·

think of it like this: the margin the staffing agency is charging is the cost-of-discovery for both the supplier (you) and the client (end employer). Seems like

think of it like this: the margin the staffing agency is charging is the cost-of-discovery for both the supplier (you) and the client (end employer). Seems like this is a great fit - in a market with imperfect information, what are the chances of you two both being able to find each other? The end client has saved on advertising costs, you have saved on having to look at those adverts. Unless the margin is egregious - and you get the rate you're happy with - I don't see any problem

deleted 4y ago
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jes 4y ago
Thank you. I think I figured out what was bugging me. I see the relationship as rent-seeking[1]. I'm assuming the agency is going to take somewhere between 25 - 30% cut on all hours billed to the client. Over the first year, that amounts to about $57K. I'd be OK with paying that tax for the first year. Yet I can't just cut the agency out of the deal after the first year. Anytime I cut them out, I have to leave the client for a year. I get this. I understand it's common practice, and designed to keep providers (like me) from ever cutting the staffing agency out of the deal. I think what was / is bugging me hinges on whether I look at this from the perspective of "It's everyone for themselves" or "What's good for society also matters." In rent-seeking, one party is extracting value on an ongoing basis without doing anything productive (also on an ongoing basis). While it may be good for me on a selfish basis to take this deal, I question whether it's good for our society at large for people to engage in rent-seeking transactions. I think I have clarified this a bit for myself. If nothing else, I learned a bit about why people can be of different opinions about rent-seeking. Again, thanks for your help. [1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking
- hunglee2 4y ago
  agree with this, after introduction the role becomes parasitical, unless that agent has an agreement with you directly to constantly find other / better opportunities on your behalf. Given what I know about employment law, they should not be able to do this if they also represent the end employer. another way to look at it is to review your ideas on rent seeking as being 'always bad'. I think in most cases it is, but perhaps we can also understand rent seeking as a pen test of a system, forcing it to improve. Parasites exist in biology - the trick maybe to try find a way to make them symbiotic rather than just parasitical good luck!
  - jes 4y ago
    I really appreciate your insights here. I declined the position today. Thank you for the help!

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

jes 4y ago

Thank you. I think I figured out what was bugging me. I see the relationship as rent-seeking[1]. I'm assuming the agency is going to take somewhere between 25 - 30% cut on all hours billed to the client. Over the first year, that amounts to about $57K. I'd be OK with paying that tax for the first year. Yet I can't just cut the agency out of the deal after the first year. Anytime I cut them out, I have to leave the client for a year. I get this. I understand it's common practice, and designed to keep providers (like me) from ever cutting the staffing agency out of the deal. I think what was / is bugging me hinges on whether I look at this from the perspective of "It's everyone for themselves" or "What's good for society also matters." In rent-seeking, one party is extracting value on an ongoing basis without doing anything productive (also on an ongoing basis). While it may be good for me on a selfish basis to take this deal, I question whether it's good for our society at large for people to engage in rent-seeking transactions. I think I have clarified this a bit for myself. If nothing else, I learned a bit about why people can be of different opinions about rent-seeking. Again, thanks for your help. [1]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent-seeking

hunglee2 4y ago
agree with this, after introduction the role becomes parasitical, unless that agent has an agreement with you directly to constantly find other / better opportunities on your behalf. Given what I know about employment law, they should not be able to do this if they also represent the end employer. another way to look at it is to review your ideas on rent seeking as being 'always bad'. I think in most cases it is, but perhaps we can also understand rent seeking as a pen test of a system, forcing it to improve. Parasites exist in biology - the trick maybe to try find a way to make them symbiotic rather than just parasitical good luck!
- jes 4y ago
  I really appreciate your insights here. I declined the position today. Thank you for the help!