Contracts: Part II
-
I get phone up today about a contract. ASP.NET, JS, JQuery, MVC, SQL SERVER.
Sounds good. The going rate where I live is £300 - £400 a day so I said "Yes I am interested" ... "What is the Rate?".
£225 / day
I said "My very minimum I would consider is £275, It isn't really worth the money" ... recruiter carried on telling me about the job.
Even after I said "Look this is far too low of a rate".
-
Soft well?
-
Had a recruiter email me today. £200 / £210 a day in London.
My reply "Are you taking the piss?".
Waiting for a reply.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
£200 / £210 a day in London.
My reply "Are you taking the piss?".
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
£200 / £210 a day in London.
Based on the e-mails I get, that's low even for the North West, where you can get a
into town for a thrupenny bit(For once, using
to mean trolleybus)
-
Two months ago, a recruiter contacted me about an AP job in somewhere need near 1 hour to travel to. (i.e.: 2 hours per day spend on travelling, and about HKD 35 transportation fee per day)
My current job is about HKD1.5k (or USD$190)/month fewer than that job, but in the current job I only need to walk 15 minutes from home to there.
In the end I tell her I need HKD 3k/month raise to consider that job (Actually the transportation time + fee translates to HKD 5000+ per month considering my current hourly rate so I don't think it's not reasonable). She said she'll ask but never called back.
-
@RaceProUK said in Contracts: Part II:
for a thrupenny bit
They're pretty rare these days. Probably worth a fair bit to a collector
-
I would take a £200 a day contract if it was 100% remote, I could use my own equipment and I could make most of the technical choices.
£300-400 is going rate for a ASP.NET C#, JS, jQuery and a bit of SQL in Bournemouth, add another £50 - 150 in London.
Anything specialised e.g. Sitecore, Dynamic, Sharepoint and you can get silly money. I've seen sitecore contracts in London for £500-600.
-
@cheong said in Contracts: Part II:
need near 1 hour to travel
Here in the Bay area, that's pretty much standard. Of course, that's only 17 miles away... (I was happy to be laid off from the job in San Francisco - that was 2hrs each way. Got a lot of reading done on the train...)
-
@RaceProUK said in Contracts: Part II:
thrupenny
Read that as "turnipy".
Eh, still makes just about much sense to my brain. Mind explaining for us non-English folk?
-
-
@Onyx it's not helped by @RaceProUK seemingly spelling it phonetically as pronounced in her Northern accent.
I've mostly heard it pronounced it as threp'ny
-
@Jaloopa said in Contracts: Part II:
as pronounced in her Northern accent
I may live in the North West, but my accent is East Midlands
-
@RaceProUK I grew up in Cornwall. Anywhere past the Tamar is up North to me
-
@Jaloopa yeah, that's the bit that got me.
Well, now I know
-
@Onyx It is "Northern" way of saying it which is why they consider me "POSH".
-
@Jaloopa said in Contracts: Part II:
Anywhere past the Tamar is up North to me
Pfft. Everyone knows the true border is Watford Gap.
-
The any further North from the line between Cardiff and London is North as far as I am concerned.
-
@dcon said in Contracts: Part II:
@cheong said in Contracts: Part II:
need near 1 hour to travel
Here in the Bay area, that's pretty much standard. Of course, that's only 17 miles away... (I was happy to be laid off from the job in San Francisco - that was 2hrs each way. Got a lot of reading done on the train...)
Yup, but consider Hong Kong is a much smaller place that you can travel to most other region within the city within 45 minutes, needing 1 hour to travel is big minus point here.
-
@Jaloopa said in Contracts: Part II:
@RaceProUK I grew up in Cornwall. Anywhere past the Tamar is up North to me
Or "Down south", as I call it :)
-
@lucas1 I'm near Brighton, how far south does that make me?
-
@Arantor Probably somewhere in the nether regions.
-
I have to drive to Nottingham after work today, so show a man my passport that works at a recruitment company.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
show a man my passport that works at a recruitment company.
Best of luck!
Filed under: I wonder if I should renew my own passport...
-
@Tsaukpaetra It is more of a PITA formality.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
It is more of a PITA formality.
Is it bad that I think formalities are some of the best events to relax and do nothing?
-
@Tsaukpaetra Had to drive 70 miles there and back to confirm my face was the one on my passport
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
Had to drive 70 miles there and back
Well, did you take the chance to enjoy the trip? Gotta stay positive man!
I do about 60 miles round-trip for school, but I listen to uplifting (or sometimes bouncy) music the whole way to stave off the boredom of listening to a lecture...
-
I had to do this after work in rush hour traffic, it cannot be made to be fun, when it is a sunny day and I rather chill out by the bar with a cold one.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
I had to do this after work in rush hour traffic,
School is in the "evening" for me as well, so imagine how hard I work to make it work when I'm already tired from work! :)@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
when it is a sunny day and I rather chill out by the bar with a cold one.
Ah. Well...
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
I have to drive to Nottingham after work today, so show a man my passport that works at a recruitment company.
That's one talented passport, being able to recruit. I can see why a man wants to see it.
-
Yes my passport is sentient.
-
Current contract is ending this week. It been a pleasant contract so far, without too many WTFs.
I am finally get to manage some juniors around in an official capacity, rather than being pestered whenever the bosses are in a meeting (which is usually always).
-
@lucas1 Some days I wish I had the balls to go contracting. The other days I'm glad for the (relatively) guaranteed income from just being an employee.
-
@loopback0 It ain't like a mega risk, you basically agree to a contract with no employee rights (I pay insurance to give me them back) and you write off all your expenses against tax. For the most part it is like working like normal. Note I am talking about the UK.
Some things to keep in mind:
- You are a resource ... you are there to do a job and nothing more.
- You are a gun for hire ... do what you are told and don't argue ever.
- You are a businessmen / women. You must think about the bottom line.
- If your contract get extended for more than 6 months you can probably start ignoring those first tow (with caution).
The benefits for me is enormous. I made more in 2 and a half months than a whole year. If you are senior and honest about your own skills, there is proper money to be made.
I was on £40K a year and it wasn't paying the bills (I had a lot of credit debt), went contract ... after some initial fuckery with moving around money I am far better off with most of my debts paid off.
It is worth it, just make sure you have 3 months cash in the bank and don't burn your bridges unless you really have to.
You don't really make your money on the rate (I am between £300 and 450 depending on contract and where it is) ... you make it back from claiming expenses. Just make sure they are legit and you won't have nothing to worry about.
It is fucking retarded, your mind will tell you not to spend money but spending money gets you money off.
Also employ an accountant. I pay £110 a month for an accountant, I also get a Android App to record expenses and I have "efficient" dividends.
I am looking into pension types that are "Self investment pensions" which my Accountant hadn't told me about, and you can get another £5000-£40000k tax free on that.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
If you are senior and honest about your own skills, there is proper money to be made.
The main issue until recently is that it's been knowledge/skills that's not just industry-specific (Telecoms) but also company specific. I used to do dev and support on two apps - one we're the only company in the UK to use it, the other we're the only company in Europe to use it.
In the last 3 months I've switched teams and now get to do the same for apps which are used by lots of companies in both the UK and Europe, but in the process that's made me much less experienced on paper.I think I'll ride it out for a few months and revisit it when I've got more experience on paper.
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
I was on £40K a year and it wasn't paying the bills, went contract ... after some initial fuckery with moving around money I am far better off with most of my debts paid off.
Officially I'm on £35k but in reality my last two P60s show £48-49k. I'm paying bills with plenty to spare.
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
It is worth it, just make sure you have 3 months cash in the bank and don't burn your bridges unless you really have to.
I've got at least that as actual money, another month or two available as credit.
I think a lot of it boils down to where I am now is (relatively) safe and known, where as going contracting is (relatively) scary - especially when there's currently no need to do it.
-
@loopback0 said in Contracts: Part II:
The main issue until recently is that it's been knowledge/skills that's not just industry-specific (Telecoms) but also company specific. I used to do dev and support on two apps - one we're the only company in the UK to use it, the other we're the only company in Europe to use it.
In the last 3 months I've switched teams and now get to do the same for apps which are used by lots of companies in both the UK and Europe, but in the process that's made me much less experienced on paper.
I think I'll ride it out for a few months and revisit it when I've got more experience on paper.It isn't a bad idea tbh to just work for a while and get some skills. Sometimes even if they are "specific" if another outside employee knows what they are and you can do it, it won't be as detrimental as you think it can be. That is a bit "If" though.
I had solid experience with Web Dev craziness before I went contracting. I worked in gambling and the pressure (we will fucking sack you) and I was in a foreign country pushed me to learn everything and anything that was relevant.
Officially I'm on £35k but in reality my last two P60s show £48-49k. I'm paying bills with plenty to spare.
I expect OT, if you are alright and happy don't risk it.
I've got at least that as actual money, another month or two available as credit.
I think a lot of it boils down to where I am now is (relatively) safe and known, where as going contracting is (relatively) scary - especially when there's currently no need to do it.
I am a risk taker, I moved to Gibraltar as a Junior dev and blagged a middleweight dev job. Luckily for me, me being shit was much better than what they was used to so I got away with it.
It was a massive risk, I would have been living in my Nan's spare room if anything went wrong.
You aren't in that position, but it depends are you willing to risk a little bit to make a lot?
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
I expect OT, if you are alright and happy don't risk it.
Some OT, some on call money, some other bits. Even without it, I (luckily) don't need to be particularly careful with money now.
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
but it depends are you willing to risk a little bit to make a lot?
Yes and no.
Like I said, I'll revisit it soon but for now I'm just going with
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
It isn't a bad idea tbh to just work for a while and get some [new] skills
Cheers though - it's definitely given me reason to think about it more, and a bit more confidence that it can actually work out.
-
Cheers though - it's definitely given me reason to think about it more, and a bit more confidence that it can actually work out.
Some places will let you work our your notice at your place if they want regular contractors.
There is two markets
- Short term need and you start the next week.
- Long term will wait out a notice (maybe).
I have erred on the latter because they normally have tons of cash so I will get paid. Smaller companies can go under and you are left with nothing.
-
@lucas1 I think I'd go for the latter too. I much prefer working for larger companies anyway.
-
@loopback0 said in Contracts: Part II:
@Jaloopa said in Contracts: Part II:
Anywhere past the Tamar is up North to me
Pfft. Everyone knows the true border is Watford Gap.
It's Traitor's Gate.
-
@lucas1 said in Contracts: Part II:
Smaller companies can go under and you are left with nothing.
That's why you don't really want to give smaller companies credit, especially if you're not a co-owner…
-
@dkf I usually work a week in arrears so for me it wouldn't be too bad. I wouldn't work a month in arrears for a smaller place.
-
Threepence (British coin) - Wikipedia
