How do I negotiate a pay rise with my employment agent?

Question

I've just found out they're taking 40% of my annual pay.

Answer 1

You do need to read the contract that you signed with the agency. Some agencies require at least one year of service before a pay raise. Your employment agent might not be able to raise your pay without getting the okay from your employer to raise your bill rate. Pretty much it is your employer's (the company that you are contracted to) that will determine whether they want to give you a raise.

You could talk to your recruiter and let them know you are seeking an increase in pay and give them the exact amount of increase. The recruiter then will speak to his/her supervisor and put in a request for you. If you have skill that is in demand and cannot be easily replaced, then your employer might give you the raise.

Most employment agencies standard percentage they take from your pay is about 40% and that is a rate determined by the corporate office. Your employment agent may not be able to do anything about that.

Answer 2

You have to look at your contract or agreement. It's very common for headhunters, temp agencies, contracting firms and etc to bill you out at a much higher rate than you see on your paycheck. It might not be that they are taking 40% of your pay, it's more likely that they are paying you what you agreed to work for them for and selling your service back to their customer at a higher rate. Totally not strange for third-party employment--- at my last job I was making about half of what I was being billed at.