atw: Re: Another "rates" query "the exponential job game"

I dont think that would happen very often.
The agents are trying to put up several "best" candidates for every position
on their books.   The same position  is lodged with usually about 4 to 6
different competing agencies.   It is possible, but rare, that agents within
the same agency will compete against each other.
If they haven't got tons of good candidates on their files, (and sometimes
even if they do)  they will advertise.
The agents may be just as desperate as us, going flat out, working unpaid
overtime trying to get a placement!   They cant spend much time rewriting
CV's.
Recently I counted 13 agents phoning and inviting me to apply for ONE Govt
job.  That's a record for me.  Later, the job was cancelled, ostensibly
because of a staffing freeze on that Govt department.  (the ATO)
All this activity increases the moneyflow,  though it's simply the resources
used up by more people competing harder for fewer possible outcomes.
The Government can theoretically increase GDP by giving the same job to more
agents.  However, does the GST on the wasted resources exceed the income tax
loss thus generated?    ..............Unlikely.........
Was it a market test?    Was it a fraud?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Jenner-Lawson" <tnr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 9:11 AM
Subject: atw: Re: Another "rates" query


Hi Warren

Which trade are you going back to?

Tracy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Warren Lewington" <wjlewington@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 7:47 PM
Subject: atw: Re: Another "rates" query


> "And there are those of us who simply choose to remain independent of
> any affiliation with a professional organisation -- for their own
> reasons -- "
>
> Miriam I saw all this sort of "argument" from panel beaters, and do you
> have any idea how the insurance companies manipulated it to their own
> ends?
>
> Nope. Bet you don't.
>
> Well they played each of the individual panel beaters off against each
> other until they screwed them down on rates so much that beaters can't
> make an affordable living from insurance work using tradesmen. You get
> sub-standard work from poorly trained and un-supervised staff, using
> aftermarket body panels that don't meet Australian Design Standards.
> That means your car only looks road worthy... And safe.
>
> Since this is likely to be one of my last posts to this list as a
> technical communicator, I might as well just say it the way I want to:
>
> I think the employment agencies are generally trawling for resumes to
> prop up their "pets" who are often not right for the job. I suspect the
> agencies are "re-writing" the good non pet candidates to make the pets
> look better. I am almost sure that the good tech writers looking for
> work in these situations are getting nowhere. I know I have applied for
> a number of jobs that I should have had an interview for but never
> received a call. That's a big call isn't it? Evidence? How about not
> giving you the full job spec? What about the deviousness when it comes
> to re-writing resumes? Why are we never allowed to see what was written?
>
>
> When I quote my current rates, which I refuse to go any lower than, I
> get silence, as though "how do I sell that rate?." I have heard $35.00
> per hour for four week contracts is the go now... Even for specialist
> stuff.
>
> "Your skills were not right for the job..." is what you usually get if
> the agents can be bothered to get back to you. Most of the problems our
> fraternity have can be traced back to employment agencies, who do very
> little in reality. More often than not, we are being played off against
> ourselves, each other; the end result being that we lose out.
> Collectively lose out.
>
> The best way to avoid this is to be aware of each other, talk to each
> other and stand united. The easiest way to start that is to all belong
> to the same incorporated organisation (not an Email list). IT DOES MEAN
> SOMETHING. It's called power in numbers. That's what unions were all
> about until we forgot about some of our more egalitarian (leftist)
> leanings in the wash out of the baby boomers greed trip...
>
> Anyway, it doesn't matter much to me now. As some of you may be aware,
> it looks like I will have to go back to the trade to make a living.
> Should have been smart and stayed dumb, instead of wasting so much time
> (years), energy and money trying to get smarter to make a better living.
>
>
> Still, in the trade at least I don't have to worry about ironing a
> shirt, shaving, and being nice to people I don't like. I can always say
> what's on my mind and say it how it is. And I can pin up porn or fart
> and swear when I want to, and I can punch an irritating workmate in the
> nose, then go and have a beer with' em.
>
> Best part about it is, when the jobs finished, its finished, and you
> just have to wait for it in the mean time.
>
> Good bye, good luck, fare well!
>
> Warren.
>
>
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