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Some of the concerns you express I share and some of them I don't.
I agree that it's unreasonable, even absurd, for an agency to demand
that you not seek work with any of their clients. This would only make
sense if the agency was actually guaranteeing you work over a very long
period of time. If anyone can promise me that I'd be working steadily at
a reasonable wage, I don't think I'd have a problem. I do think it's
quite sensible for them to have a one-year non-compete clause for the
specific client you're doing work for. Otherwise, there's no way they
could exist as an agency. Their own contractors would always be cutting
them out of the loop.
I believe that the amount that an agency is billing their client is
really none of my business. All I have to know is what I'm willing to
work for. If someone can bill another 50% or 100% or more on top of
that, well, more power to them. All that matters to me is that I get a
fair return on my efforts. If an agency offers less than I think I'm
worth, it's up to me to prove them wrong and find my own contracts. It's
just a marketplace. I have services to sell at a certain rate. Some
folks will see the value and some won't. If I'm turning clients away,
I'll always charge my full rate but if times are slow I'll gladly give
an agency a cut and not give them too much grief in the process.
So I guess in the final analysis I would view them more as a client to
be served than as a business partner.
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