Question about switching agencies.

[MotivatedOne]

I was wondering how do you tell your current agency you're taking an assignment with a different agency and stay in good standing with that current agency? My recruiter has been looking for a job for me but she's only been able to find positions in areas I have no desire to visit. So I used a different larger agency to find a job in an area I'm definitely interested in working.

I've heard people say they've used multiple agencies and go with the one that offers a better deal but does that mean they shut the others out completely? How exactly does that work?

[NedRN]

You are a free agent. You can have as many agencies working with you as you can stand (you will probably find that a winnowed list of 5 agencies that have all your paperwork is about the max you can handle). You should have more than one agency if only for a reality check on compensation and to make sure you are not without an assignment (no long breaks if you don't want one).

Be upfront and tell them that you are working with other agencies, but that you hope to find suitable assignments with them in the future and stay in touch.