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Temp rate miscalculations rife among recruiters

As the temp and contracting market heats up, it's crucial for recruitment consultants to understand how rates and on-costs are calculated, from both a profitability and a talent attraction perspective, says industry trainer Sophie Robertson.

Temp demand is now "definitely" exploding, says Robertson, the director of Younique Coaching

And recruiters not paying temps correctly is one of her bugbears, she says. "It's actually a very common mistake."

A recruiter will often think, for example, that if the perm salary on offer for a role is $100k then the temp equivalent is roughly $50 an hour, and they'll merely confirm that this is above the relevant award rate.

"But it's not technically correct... it's not technically the temp equivalent of the perm rate," Robertson says, because they haven't factored in the 25% loading...