Same job from two different staffing agencies.

wseyller

So Staffing Group A called me about a network engineering job. They told me pays $60K to $65K. I have an interview lined up for thursday 11/8.

On Tuesday 11/6 Staffing Group B had me come by to fill out some paperwork for a potential job that pays $85k to $90K. I go fill out the paperwork and she shows me the job and it looks exactly like the job from Group A. She said it was a drug company which is the same as the one from Group A. Then she finally tells me the company and it is the same company.

I have confirmed they are the same jobs. Is Group A making $25k a year off of my salary.

What would be the best way to handle this. I got the interview first with Group A but I would hope to get the higher pay that Group B suggest.

scaredoftests

Can you see if you can apply directly? I have done that before.

TechGromit

Pretty simple, go to the interview, and tell them you expect to make 85k. If they laugh at you, just go to Group B.

paul78

wseyller wrote: »

So Staffing Group A called me about a network engineering job. They told me pays $60K to $65K. I have an interview lined up for thursday 11/8. On Tuesday 11/6 Staffing Group B had me come by to fill out some paperwork for a potential job that pays $85k to $90K. I go fill out the paperwork and she shows me the job and it looks exactly like the job from Group A. She said it was a drug company which is the same as the one from Group A. Then she finally tells me the company and it is the same company. I have confirmed they are the same jobs. Is Group A making $25k a year off of my salary. What would be the best way to handle this. I got the interview first with Group A but I would hope to get the higher pay that Group B suggest.

Are these recruiting firms looking to fill a FTE role?

Recruiters are compensated as a percentage of the first year basic salary usually anywhere from 18% to 25% so Group B would make more money. Companies and recruiters usually sign a binding recruiting agreement so that the company is obligated to work with the recruiter that presents the candidate first.

If you apply directly, the company still has to work with the recruiter and pay them.

As for how to handle it - you now have some inside information that the company may be willing to pay in the 85K range so you could use that info when they company ask you for your compensation requirements.

edit: it is considered professional courtesy for you to inform the second recruiter that you are already working with a different recruiter for that same role.

One other thing - are you sure it's the same position. And not different positions? Perhaps there are 2 different openings with the same role but different level of seniority and expected expertise level.

wseyller

This is a full time position. I know enough about the company to know how many guys are involved and the situation. They have 2 network engineers and wanting to add a third.

I did inform GROUP B. GROUP B wasn't going to tell me the name of the company at first but then she went ahead and told me. I wouldn't have known for sure otherwise. Group B originally told me that were not receiving compensation from the company or something like that (what ever that means).

May just waiting to see how the interview tomorrow goes and see what happens.

paul78

Good luck on the interview.

It could just be the case that Group A doesn't really have the latest compensation info from the company. If Group B is saying that they aren't being compensated, that would be unusual unless there's some other arrangement in place.

clarson

I don't think it is that simple.

1) when you apply to the same position from multiple firms, the company won't hire you.

2) he just mentions pay. there could be a difference in benefits. although, 25k in benefits has to be pretty good. and I don't see staffing firms providing that.

3) he is equating the staffing firms equally. some do more than just count your billable hours and send you a check.

4) he thinks the staffing firms are charging the same amount for his services. one firm could be charging less. and if i'm can buy the same thing for less, I'm going to pay less.

5) this person seems to be uninformed. and those that are uninformed will get taken advantage of, especially by recruiters/sales people.

you need to trust but verify. And don't trust anything you can't verify.

like techgromit said you can always ask for more money. but you should ask it of the staffing firm. you maybe working for the company, but you aren't their employee. So, the company is going to see you going around your employer for a pay raise even before you have the job. that probably isn't going to help you get the job.

But, you need to be asking a lot more questions from your staffing firm before signing that contract. That contract isn't there to protect you.

paul78

clarson wrote: »

1) when you apply to the same position from multiple firms, the company won't hire you.

That's not entirely true. I usually have multiple recruiting agreements in place. If I decided to source candidates from multiple companies, I expect that there's a possibility that I will see resumes from multiple agencies. In those scenarios, I am obligated to work with the agency that presented the candidate first - regardless of the commission agreement that I already have with the other firm.

clarson wrote: »

3) he is equating the staffing firms equally. some do more than just count your billable hours and send you a check.

I believe OP said that this was a FTE position so this shouldn't apply.

clarson wrote: »

4) he thinks the staffing firms are charging the same amount for his services. one firm could be charging less. and if i'm can buy the same thing for less, I'm going to pay less.

That's true for firms that are doing contingent staffing, not recruiting firms. And OP said this was FTE position.

@OP - you may want to clarify if you are working with an agency that's looking to fill a position for their client or if you are working with a contracting company that provides contingent/contract workers.

Anonymouse

I had this happen to me recently. Same thing, staffing agency A had a lower pay than staffing agency B. I liked dealing with staffing agency A and told him about the compensation offered with B. I also told him that I'd rather work with them than the other agency. A matched the offer from B.