What's the contract job?

How to deal with contract employment headhunters?

• The last time i took a contract position, i found out that like most positions there is a salary range. And depending on the job description i could make a better decision about my desired salary. But these days i get calls for potential jobs and before i even here a job description they ask me whats my desired rate. How am i supposed to go about this? Im used to direct hire jobs and have not had good experience with these contract houses. The jobs i get called for are engineering jobs. Who do the headhunters work for? Are they trying to get me the best deal or the employer? Is it in their best interest to get me to take a job for less? If so then aren't in a adversarial kind of role fighting for whats best for me? Thank you world.

• Answer:

  The headhunters work for themselves. They mostly earn their money off of actual hirings. The company pays for their fee. So it is in their best interest to get you hired, in that sense, he is working in your favor. But also, he is trying to be favorable towards the employer in terms of benefits so that the employer will get the best man for cheap. So you see the dilema. If I were you, I would have my set salary range and let the headhunter know. Whether or not to take a job for less, that is up to you.