Posting jobs with day-rates

[piper]

Wouldnt it just be swell if all job postings on the forum could come with the day-rate? It would definately save a lot of un-necessary e-mails back and forth, maybe it should be a requirement as well.

[turtle]

But if proposed day rate is posted you preclude the possiility that a qualified applicant may be passed over who would have accepted 2 quid a day less than the advertised day rate. This is a horror that will keep all self respecting underpaid non industry-savvy HR and agency cubicle jocks awake at night. Thus the process starts when a company foresees a temporary manpower need and contacts agencies with the request along with the amount that they are willing to pay for the body. Here the feeding frenzy begins…you see the same post by several agencies in the forums and mass emails with a request for "your current day rate". Stacks of cvs are assembled and the candidate that meets the minimum requirements that are acceptable to the client and is willing to take the contract for the smallest pile of peanuts is offered the job.

Supply and demand — free market alive and well!

[Andy Shiers]

Now that ………………………….. Is funny 😆

[piper]

Amen… 😕

[Benny Edelman]

The problem is that some agencies bid against each other for a total day rate. The oil company or contractor then accepts the lowest bid. The agencies try to fill the slots at the low rate and make a profit.

[bt]

So the Agency’s are the ones dragging the rates down…….Talk about biting the hand that feeds.

[piper]

Benny, if what you saying is true, not that I doubt it, then we need more comments from the Agencies.Their silence just simply validates your views. They will be the ones actually bringing down the rates.

[Roy Simson]

For many years I have requested that should the Agencies should put there rates on view but very few do . So you send off your cv then find out there paying silly low rates so a total waste of time . But they did get to keep a copy of your cv and your contact details .

Many of the main line rov companies are unable to find people to work with these silly rates so they farm out to the agencies . At the moment there are over 735 agencies that I know of dealing with Rov Personnel and there all chasing the same work , So the rates go down and down the problem is then finding people to work for these rates .

Cheers

Raptor

[turtle]

Hi BT

It’s true that the agencies, because they take a percentage of the day rate, are cutting their own throats by nibbling day rates down. It is not correct to represent this scenario as "biting the hand that feeds them". Agencies are fed by the clients they supply bodies to. (When there is a dispute on expenses, travel pay, etc see how quickly your agent chooses to support the "feeding hand"). Raptor is spot on — with so many agencies competing to catch the business from the client the competition to supply the cheapest product to market is overwhelming.

The single advocate and force to maintain or improve current day rates is the ROV guy. No other entity in the system has a priority to do so. The only real tool you have to exhibit this force is by exercising the option to refuse to work for a lousy rate. Your only ally is a market condition when demand for ROV manpower exceeds current supply. So while we may see a temporay bump when times are busy, the long term track on day rates will continue south because there are so many forces stacking the cards that way.

Now back to the original issue — agencies MUST send a lot of emails back and forth to be assured that the day rate is absolutely nibbled down to the bone so they can stay in that lovely seat between you and your paycheck.

[rov_er]

So the rates go down and down the problem is then finding people to work for these rates .

I think the problem is rather that there are always people accepting to work for such low rates, unfortunately.

And these are usually people with little or zero skills.

rov_er

[sedco]

If you want to get more of the total day rate being paid by the ROV company, work direct for the company on a freelance contract and cut the agency out of the deal.

Most divers and LS’s work this way.

[bt]

A lot of company’s will only employ you through Agency in this game.
Not many will let you go direct.

[Roy Simson]

Most main line rov companies will hire you direct but are unable to find people to work for the silly rates that they are offering , At the end of the day they want to keep the costs down but still want to offer there clients a good service .

If you look at rates in the middle east unless your working for Subtec the max your going to get for a supervisor is $700 – $750 USD but Subtec are paying over $825 USD , But I find if you can work direct then thats the best route to go .

I have nothing against agencies they do act as a buffer when your working for companies that have a bad history of none payments or late payments or when the work is down say in Nigeria , Always go via a agency that way you will get paid .

The other thing that I dont like is when agencies are looking for personnel for work in Norway or Denmark ( Oil + Gas ) They dont tell you that the money is subject to local Tax , Yes they do put the day rate down but say nothing about Tax . Just look back on the jobs that are available on this Forum ,Very few say any thing about tax . The day rate might be £500 GBP a day but take away Tax and I think your be lucky to take home £380 which is a silly rate for a experienced Supervisor .

Now the agency might say " Dont worry your get the tax back " Yes you might get some thing back in the years to come , But why pay it in the first place !

So be very careful or do what most people do leave it well alone .

Good luck with the new season its going to be a busy one again !

Cheers

Raptor

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