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How to Respond when asked for Current / Previous Rate

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    #11
    Easy...

    "As a professional business all of my engagements are commercial-in-confidence, therefore, I'm not at liberty to disclose any details regarding current or previous clients"

    As I often say, I like to always "put the shoe on the other foot" with cheeky questions such as this to see how the other side likes a tastes of their own medicine, so I'll frequently add the following to the above statement:

    "Would you like to provide me with a list of all of your current and past contractor companies that you've done business with and the daily rate that you paid them?"

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      #12
      Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
      What I charge one client is irrelevant to what I might charge another one
      This.

      I might want more, I might want less, for a multitude of reasons.

      "ah but we don't want to contact you if the rate is too low"....

      If I'm looking, I want to hear about everything matching my skillset.

      Last client co was £125/day less than current client, and the one before them, simply because it was a 10 min walk from my house.

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        #13
        I had a slightly different rate problem recently.

        An agent approached me after being recommended by a colleague and although the role was a little vague, I sent my CV and the agent duly called me the next day. My friend suggested pitching high so I went for £800/day which is more or less at the top end of what I could reasonably justify.

        Agent told me that although my experience across several clients was broadly what he was looking for, my 'low day rate' was indicative that I wasn't experienced enough.

        Apparently I should have said £1200!

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          #14
          Originally posted by edison View Post
          I had a slightly different rate problem recently.

          An agent approached me after being recommended by a colleague and although the role was a little vague, I sent my CV and the agent duly called me the next day. My friend suggested pitching high so I went for £800/day which is more or less at the top end of what I could reasonably justify.

          Agent told me that although my experience across several clients was broadly what he was looking for, my 'low day rate' was indicative that I wasn't experienced enough.

          Apparently I should have said £1200!
          Agent is a fecking fool.
          "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

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            #15
            Always ask them what rate the client is wiling to pay and what is competitive against other clients that have been put forward

            I always go in with a range, its vital to be flexible on rate in my opinion, start with a range and then if you impress on interview then you can ask for the higher end of the range

            Always remember that there are times when you may go to five interviews and get five offers, other times you may only get one or even none. Always have back up options so don't price yourself out of anything unless you already have other concrete offers

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              #16
              Originally posted by edison View Post
              Agent told me that although my experience across several clients was broadly what he was looking for, my 'low day rate' was indicative that I wasn't experienced enough.

              Apparently I should have said £1200!
              The agent is not experienced enough.
              You're awesome! Get yourself a t-shirt.

              Comment


                #17
                Originally posted by Zylon View Post
                I'm quite new to contracting and would be interested in how people actually deal with the question?
                "Reassuringly Expensive."
                nomadd liked this post

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                  #18
                  I've got an idea of what rate i want... I add £75 and tell them that's what I'm on and I'd be looking for more then let them negotiate down to the rate i actually want.

                  Let them think they're pulling one over on you.

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                    #19
                    Originally posted by Snarf View Post
                    I've got an idea of what rate i want... I add £75 and tell them that's what I'm on and I'd be looking for more then let them negotiate down to the rate i actually want.

                    Let them think they're pulling one over on you.
                    Beware though when they just respond by saying that is more than the budget and move onto the next call they have to make.

                    I tend to say my rate is flexible depending on location, role and length of contract.
                    This default font is sooooooooooooo boring and so are short usernames

                    Comment


                      #20
                      [QUOTE
                      My preferred would be always to get the agent to suggest a range and then I'll decide what I'm happy with. I also like to leave it slightly open until I've spoken with the client - what the agent pitches as £400 a day may in reality turn out to be a £600 a day project once you understand what the client is expecting.[/QUOTE]

                      I hear this. But how do you get around this when they 'put you forward' at a certain rate? who do you discuss the extra money with; am assuming its the agency? Recently I had an agency tell me that the client wasn't willing to pay more than X because it had another contractor doing the same role in another department at that rate. I thought the agent was trying it on a bit as I know what they've paid in the past and I was sure they would go to an extra £50 a day at the very least. I was called to interview but another role popped up and I took that instead. There's quite a bit of this 'rate lowering' on the part of agents going on recently so it would be good to be armed and dangerous for the next time.

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