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Underpaid in one role - does it hurt your next role?

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    #11
    Originally posted by vwdan View Post
    Exactly. I saw a much more junior role in my hometown the other day - no real commuting/staying away would mean actually only a tiny hit in my takehome so I was a bit tempted. Problem is, I don't think I could handle not running the show now.
    I could if it meant I was home for 5.30 with the rest of the (hopefully sunny) evening in front of me...
    "I can put any old tat in my sig, put quotes around it and attribute to someone of whom I've heard, to make it sound true."
    - Voltaire/Benjamin Franklin/Anne Frank...

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      #12
      Originally posted by cojak View Post
      I could if it meant I was home for 5.30 with the rest of the (hopefully sunny) evening in front of me...
      I'm too much of a diva! Honestly, though, I'd worry about how it looks on my CV

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        #13
        Lot to be said about local gigs. But depends on your outlook I suppose.
        If you want to chase the cash and spend the whole week away from your family then up to you - personally thats not for me (I've never, in 20 years contracting off and on done a gig mon-fri away from home - although I've done some where I've stayed over now and again).

        Back to agent question. No dont tell them the rate. This is where its useful to know the going rate for the skillset/area. If agent asks what last rate was I just say something along these lines (unless is advertised with rate). Saves getting hassle off them.

        But I took a rate last year that was about 40% of what Im on now (which is market). It wasnt that local either but I was skint. Glad I did, nice place to work, crap money is better than no money and I got to learn a few things. Did for 3 months then something better came up and I didnt renew - client was fine they knew rate was crap.

        But did I tell agent for new gig the rate. Did I bollax? They would have tried to add £20/day more on and kept the rest themselves.
        Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

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          #14
          Originally posted by PerfectStorm View Post
          Sorry, by "tell them your rate" I did mean your desired/realistic one
          You tell them your desired rate - not the rate that you are currently on.

          The current rate is irrelevant to future rate. Some projects I'd have gone in cheaper than I did (including this one), just because of the kind of role / location / team that I would be working with. Some I've jacked up because I knew who I would be working with and I needed the danger money to keep me sane.
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            #15
            Originally posted by MyUserName View Post
            Tell them it depends on the exact location and specifics of the contract (technologies, conditions etc.) and bounce it back to them by asking what range they are offering.
            Never, ever fall into this trap. I dont see what difference it make to the rate you want where the role is based.

            As soon as you indicate you want a higher rate for further away, de facto you confirm you'll take a lower rate for the same tasks nearer home. You'll soon find agents will drive your 'preferred rate' down because its within daily commute.
            I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

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              #16
              Originally posted by BolshieBastard View Post
              Never, ever fall into this trap. I dont see what difference it make to the rate you want where the role is based.

              As soon as you indicate you want a higher rate for further away, de facto you confirm you'll take a lower rate for the same tasks nearer home. You'll soon find agents will drive your 'preferred rate' down because its within daily commute.
              If it costs me £200 a week to travel to London, plus accommodation, plus food, plus inconvenience - then I factor that into the rate.

              My rate is pretty much a constant value, to which I add an approximation of the additional costs that the role will incur. I'd prefer to bill on a lower daily rate plus expenses basis, but clients and agents don't like that model.
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                #17
                Originally posted by vwdan View Post
                I'm too much of a diva! Honestly, though, I'd worry about how it looks on my CV
                Then you need to get better at CV writing.
                "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

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                  #18
                  Originally posted by SueEllen View Post
                  Then you need to get better at CV writing.
                  I know it's good fun to pretend that everyone on this board is rubbish at everything, but it'd take some seriously creative writing to positively explain moving from a senior consultant position to a mediocre support position....

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
                    If it costs me £200 a week to travel to London, plus accommodation, plus food, plus inconvenience - then I factor that into the rate.

                    My rate is pretty much a constant value, to which I add an approximation of the additional costs that the role will incur. I'd prefer to bill on a lower daily rate plus expenses basis, but clients and agents don't like that model.
                    London rates are generally already a lot higher than for similar roles elsewhere in the country.

                    In any event £200 a week is only £40 a day. You'd be better upping your rate by that 40 quid a day for all applications but that's just how Id look at it.
                    I couldn't give two fornicators! Yes, really!

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                      #20
                      Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
                      If it costs me £200 a week to travel to London, plus accommodation, plus food, plus inconvenience - then I factor that into the rate.

                      My rate is pretty much a constant value, to which I add an approximation of the additional costs that the role will incur. I'd prefer to bill on a lower daily rate plus expenses basis, but clients and agents don't like that model.
                      WTF said.

                      I had one yesterday called me about a permie job, had my CV in front of him apparently. Job didn't really suit my skillset so wondered if he had read my CV.

                      I explained I was only interested in contracts. He asked if I was willing to travel. I explained that my CV listed all the places I had worked so if he read it he would know. He asked what sort of rate I would be looking for. I explained, as above, that I couldn't just give him a rate as I would need to factor things in such as travel, hotel, etc.

                      He was sort of stumped after that so said he would call at the end of my current contract to get an update.

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