Working with Agencies vs. Applying for Positions

*not a job advert

My company (UK based) is currently recruiting an in house dev team (previously outsourced) and I’ve been blown away by how tough it is to hire developers.

We’ve been predominantly approached by agencies charging 20% – 30% commission meaning developers will end up being paid less.

As developers, do you prefer to work exclusively with agencies or to apply for individual positions and why?

For people with little work experience but a good portfolio and recognised qualification…how are you looking for your first positions?

For reference, we’re UK based and offering 6 months contracts for £25,000 to £30,000 (£50k – £60k per annum) with the possibility of permanent contracts after 6 months.

I understand these questions are open ended. I’m looking for anecdotal responses to get a feel for what this situation looks like from a developer’s perspective.