Rick,
The way I think of pimps is as a "service" - otherwise you'll be pissed
off to the point of combustion everytime you send an invoice.
For example - my current position: I sourced it myself (they called me
actually) - and I stated a rate and got it.. however since they're a large
corporation, they won't deal with "a person" or an "unapproved resource
provider" - so HR forced me through a pimp.. that's fine.. I get what I
want - and the pimp charges them a premium just to resell me.. since the
*pimp* didn't find me, they charge them less.. I'm not paying for it so I
don't care.. but if I start thinking about it as money that I *could* be
receiving - i.e. an extra $150/day - then I'd be pissed off.. but
remember it's a service, I get what I want - and I think of them as a
convenient party to invoice weekly (the larger corporates don't pay their
bills on time - so pimps are useful for this as well).
Actually, this is a good point to elaborate on.. for example, if you work
for a large carrier such as Optus - and you went direct to them.. and
invoiced them weekly.. if you started work on the 1st of Jan, your first
receipt of payment would be around March'ish.. their official payment
cycles are 60 days if I remember correctly.. if it didn't get paid in that
cycle.. then you have to chase them up.. this is all too hard.. let the
pimp do it for you.
So, from the pimp's perspective - they have to pay you for roughly two
months' worth without receiving a cent from their client.. that's a
shitload of money to cover while awaiting payment! So then they factor in
timing differences and interest and other bits and pieces, and they come
up with their "Official Shafting Margin(tm)" - which is generally less
than what you see as the "Oh Shit Look at What I'm Being Shafted
Figure(tm)"..
Anyway...
On the other hand - if the pimp finds you a job, then the $x/hour you
bleed is your payment for them to find the job.
And remember - if you don't have a strong social circle in terms of work
and can't ask a friend "hey, know anyone who's hiring Widget Specialists?"
- then pimps are your best option - they spend all day, every day
schmoozing and bribing clients with squishy toys and umbrellas.. and they
find out where the esoteric requirements are.
Finding contracts by word of mouth is the best though. Always. But there's
always the pimp as backup.
//umar.
> I hear ya, mate. Avoid them at all costs. They cost you big $$$ as well,
> since they pay you (or your company), and pocket the difference, which
> can be $10 or $15/hr above what you are getting paid. You are paying
> through the nose for their George St high-rise offices, golf afternoons
> and champagne tastes.
>
> Always go the extra mile and use the 'net and other media to find jobs.
> There are enough resources out there to find a job on your own without
> the help of the parasites.
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