If such an offer is made to you, a very important thing to remember is that you are both an employee and an asset of the Agency. That's how the Client found you and that's how you found the Client. If a Client wishes to hire you, they should work through the Agency.

You should not make a commitment to the Client until the Agency has had a chance to work things out. There is almost always an established "finder's fee" or an alternative arrangement in the Agency-Client contract which deals with a transitional long-term assignment associated with one of their workers going "Temp to Perm." After the transitional period, or after the Client pays the finder's fee, your status changes and your new status becomes an issue exclusively between you and your new employer.

This is a normal process. The Agency ought not lose out because they found someone who recognizes your talents and wants to keep you. They should be compensated for finding you for the Client and for losing you as a resource.

If you are asked to sign on with a Client, the proper response should be: "I'm very happy that you want me to stay, but you'll have to call Ms. Soandso (of the Agency) and let her know. I'm sure you and she can work out the details. Then you and I can talk about my staying on."

"Temp to Perm" is actually pretty common and affords both sides the option of trying before buying. There are some things you may be tempted to do which you should avoid. Don't show up with a resume, discuss potential job openings in the company with the employee co-workers, or express a desire to become a permanent employee by saying things like: "I like it so much here, I'd love to stay!" and don't apply for a job there - not even informally: "If Mary doesn't come back, will you be looking for somebody to fill her spot?" You have no way of knowing what's going on with the management of the Client company.

In many companies, especially the large ones, they may have to post the job and interview internal people first. They may already have someone else in mind. They may not want to fill the position at all (once you have cleaned up the residue). They may not feel as though you are suited for the position and don't want to hurt your feelings. And they probably don't want to pay the Agency fee.

But, rest assured, if they like you and want to offer you the job, they will find a way and get over the psychological hurdle of the finder's fee. Once they raise the issue with their Personnel Dept. or the person who handles their hiring, they'll find out that a finder's fee is usually no more expensive than running a "Help Wanted" ad and is a more likely and efficient way to hire someone suitable - like you.

Besides, if the Client wanted to keep you on as a permanent employee and you had already let him know (through other people in the department or directly) that you were anxious to stay, he'd probably come down a notch or two in the salary he would offer. There's nothing good to come out of begging for a job. If you have earned the job by performing well for the Client, you'll be given a decent offer.

What's at stake here is loyalty and integrity. When you signed on with the Agency, the fine print undoubtedly had words in it that said you'd play by these rules. Now is the time to show both your Agency and the Client (your prospective new employer) that you can be trusted to live up to your agreements and to do the right thing. That's also certainly the way you want to start out your new relationship.

Furthermore, permanent jobs have a way of ending - and you may want to get back with an Agency some time in the future. Remember what I said about your journal? The agencies keep them too.

Some approaches people will use to get you to leave your Agency:

1. We'd like to hire you but the Agency is asking for a fee that we really don't have in our budget. (Possible response: "Surely, their asking fee is less than what it would cost you to advertise and interview someone for the position.")

2. Can we have your home number? (That's a no-no!")

3. We'd like to deal with you directly. After all the Agency doesn't own you. ("I've signed a contract with them. You wouldn't want me to just walk away from it, would you?")

4. We'll put an ad in the paper. And then you can answer the ad and apply for the job directly. ("Why waste the money and the time needed to deal with all the responses you might get? How about just calling the Agency and see what they say?")

Or (if I thought the person trying to chisel the Agency could use a little poke in the conscience) "I came in here through the front door. If I accept your offer without letting my Agent know, I'll have to sneak in through the back door." One time I just decided to say, "Well, I've been friends with the owner of the Agency since High School.. What shall I tell her?")

If you feel as though your saying something negative to the Clients may jeopardize their relationships with the Agency, then don't say anything at all; but (again) be sure to write it in your journal. It's very difficult to remember who said what to whom after a few different jobs. You don't want to run into the same problem twice or to turn down a perfectly good assignment because you've gotten some memory wires crossed.

If you do get an offer you'd like to consider, even a tentative one, let your Agent know - including how the conversation went. They've been there before and very well might be able to put the deal together for you.

NOTE: This tip is an excerpt from TEMP-tation: An Introduction to Busyness Management, a delightfully illustrated, informative and entertaining book by Carol Feltman. If you are interested in this book, you can obtain it through your local bookstore, order it directly from the publisher, Oak Leaf Systems, at 781-275-6609, or visit her website at www.kahrol.com

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