I was contacted by Prosum's Denver office with regards to a Software Developer position in the area. The position was for a year-long contract. We chatted and discussed the position, everything sounded great but they said the client was not able to support my compensation level. I was unhappy with my current position and trusted the recruiter's relationship with their client so I hesitantly agreed to be submitted at a lower hourly ask. I went through 2 interviews but ultimately did not get the job. The Monday after I found out I didn't get the job, one of my colleagues at work (who went to the same University, graduated the same year as me - with the same degree, and works the same position as me at the same salary) said he was leaving and taking up the contract that I had just lost out on for $5/hr more than I had originally asked, equating to about a $10K increase (he didn't know I had applied for the same job). He's a long-time friend so I'm happy for him, but I am extremely displeased with Prosum. To be fair, their interview management and communication was satisfactory. However, they explicitly told me there was no way the client could match the original asking wage. I understand recruiting companies like Prosum make money off of "spread" meaning the lower the job candidate's pay is compared to the client's set offer price, the more money the recruiting company makes. The recruiter deliberately lied about what the client was willing to pay in order to increase their own profit - essentially trying to take a larger cut out of my potential pay to increase theirs. It's possible that COVID has strangled their business, forcing them to try and maximize their profits any way possible but that shouldn't be an excuse to compromise integrity with shady tactics. I do not recommend them. I've since accepted a job elsewhere through a recruiting company I actually trust, with a company I love, at a pay bump higher than I expected. A word to developers: know your work's fiscal worth and don't budge on your compensation demands unless the company's culture/growth prospects makes it worth your while. If you cave, your loss is solely the recruiting company's gain. Be patient, and don't fall victim to false claims.
