Freelance

Brokers, Recruiters and Intermediaries — What freelancers need to know

Honest overview of brokers, recruiters and intermediaries in the BI/data market. Types, costs, value-add and red flags.

Last updated: 2026-03-28

The intermediary landscape: who does what?

As a freelance BI or data professional, you will encounter intermediaries. Recruiters, brokers, managed service providers, payroll companies — everyone calls themselves something different, but they all want a piece of your rate.

This guide makes the landscape transparent: which types exist, what do they cost, and when do they add value?

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About the author — Peter Heijnen is a data and process specialist with 20 years of experience at multinationals. He runs business-intelligence.info and helps companies with planning, reporting and automation through BPA.