How to handle

[simondachstr]

Hi everyone,

I'm new and this is my first post

So I got an interesting situation here..

1. I've been contracting for the past 4 months... At the current contract I'm getting x pd and it expires end of november. My agent has been pushing for a renewal since September and I told him I would like to get my rate up to x+12% with the renewal, starting in Dec. He comes around and says that's no issue and after several weeks of silence he comes back to me today to tell me that he can offer me x+10% starting from November (one month earlier). Isn't that a little bit fishy? That offer in my opinion is not in his interest.

2. In parallel to that I've been interviewing and landed a contract (basically my dreamjob) for x+25%, 6 month rolling, probably 2 years, starting in December.
However, I have not yet received a written confirmation of this offer, only the agent has told me the news last week. Because of policy issues at the end client, they are not able to issue me a contract earlier than the month before the starting date in Dec.

Obviously, since being pushed by my current gig 1, I've told 2 that I need an (informal) written confirmation of the offer they are about to make so I can safely decline a renewal at 1. However, I'm now waiting for about 5 days to get it and agent 2 tells me on almost a daily basis that he's on it trying to sort it out etc..

Ultimately, 2 is where I want to land, but not having a warchest and wanting to play it safe, I need to consider my options.

a) Accept 1 (missing out a great opportunity and better pay but I get an additional +10% for the month of november)
b) Decline 1, hoping 2 won't turn sour. (risky, but agent 1 will appreciate my honesty)
c) Push agent of 2 to the limit to get the confirmation (Being an annoying contractor)
d) Reveal offer 2 to agent 1 trying to get a better deal for myself (I will not get gig 2, which I want, possibly burn bridges with 2 since I orally accepted)
e) Play it super slow and stalling it with agent 1 until november/agent 2 gets me the confirmation sorted (possibly getting sour with agent 1 if 2 goes well)

Very likely I'm making too many thoughts and everything will be sorted sooner than expected, but I would like to get your thoughts on this!

Thanks

[TheFaQQer]

Hi lads,

Not the best start - that's going to piss off a few posters round here.

Very likely I'm making too many thoughts and everything will be sorted sooner than expected, but I would like to get your thoughts on this!

Money isn't everything. Consider what each role offers. Consider the likelihood of ending up with nothing. Determine whether you want to stay or want to go.

I'm surprised that the agency are willing to tear up the current contract and issue a new one paying a higher rate, when they don't have to. That could be because they are making a shed load of money and are thinking you might disappear and leave them with nothing, or they could be really nice people who want to share the wealth, or the client is keen to make sure they retain your services so will increase your rate when they don't have to, or the agent is lying and the rate won't appear until December anyway.

If you are reliant on the thoughts of Internet strangers about what to do, you might want to consider the path that you have chosen carefully.

[BolshieBastard]

Hi lads,

I'm new and this is my first post

So I got an interesting situation here..

1. I've been contracting for the past 4 months... At the current contract I'm getting x pd and it expires end of november. My agent has been pushing for a renewal since September and I told him I would like to get my rate up to x+12% with the renewal, starting in Dec. He comes around and says that's no issue and after several weeks of silence he comes back to me today to tell me that he can offer me x+10% starting from November (one month earlier). Isn't that a little bit fishy? That offer in my opinion is not in his interest.

2. In parallel to that I've been interviewing and landed a contract (basically my dreamjob) for x+25%, 6 month rolling, probably 2 years, starting in December.
However, I have not yet received a written confirmation of this offer, only the agent has told me the news last week. Because of policy issues at the end client, they are not able to issue me a contract earlier than the month before the starting date in Dec.

Obviously, since being pushed by my current gig 1, I've told 2 that I need an (informal) written confirmation of the offer they are about to make so I can safely decline a renewal at 1. However, I'm now waiting for about 5 days to get it and agent 2 tells me on almost a daily basis that he's on it trying to sort it out etc..

Ultimately, 2 is where I want to land, but not having a warchest and wanting to play it safe, I need to consider my options.

a) Accept 1 (missing out a great opportunity and better pay but I get an additional +10% for the month of november)
b) Decline 1, hoping 2 won't turn sour. (risky, but agent 1 will appreciate my honesty)
c) Push agent of 2 to the limit to get the confirmation (Being an annoying contractor)
d) Reveal offer 2 to agent 1 trying to get a better deal for myself (I will not get gig 2, which I want, possibly burn bridges with 2 since I orally accepted)
e) Play it super slow and stalling it with agent 1 until november/agent 2 gets me the confirmation sorted (possibly getting sour with agent 1 if 2 goes well)

Very likely I'm making too many thoughts and everything will be sorted sooner than expected, but I would like to get your thoughts on this!

Thanks

Jesus wept. If people cannot make decisions like this without recourse to asking a forum full of strangers, how do they make important decisions on the actual project \ work they are doing?

Is everything 'phone a friend' nowadays?

[simondachstr]

Jesus wept. If people cannot make decisions like this without recourse to asking a forum full of strangers, how do they make important decisions on the actual project \ work they are doing?

Is everything 'phone a friend' nowadays?

Ultimately, I will take the decision on my own, like I always have regardless what people here will write or not. Given the fact that I'm not contracting for a long time, I'm aware that there's always an element of I don't know what I don't know. Presenting my case to a forum full of experienced contractors might give me a new thought, new approach or point out something that I've missed. Or not, in which case I am at the same point where I was before. I can only win by asking for your valued opinion, which might turn out to be a good ROI if you consider I spend 15min and 0£ writing this.

[kaiser78]

Jesus wept. If people cannot make decisions like this without recourse to asking a forum full of strangers, how do they make important decisions on the actual project \ work they are doing?

Is everything 'phone a friend' nowadays?

Why do some many people post these types of responses so often ??

No doubt OP will come round to his own thought process and decision, however it doesn't hurt to bounce some ideas around on what is a shared profession forum. So sometimes responses from others may offer views that hadn't been thought of by the OP, and therefore put a different perspective or provide clarity on what is being asked. There is no harm in asking.

[tractor]

Hi everyone,

I'm new and this is my first post

So I got an interesting situation here..

1. I've been contracting for the past 4 months... At the current contract I'm getting x pd and it expires end of november. My agent has been pushing for a renewal since September and I told him I would like to get my rate up to x+12% with the renewal, starting in Dec. He comes around and says that's no issue and after several weeks of silence he comes back to me today to tell me that he can offer me x+10% starting from November (one month earlier). Isn't that a little bit fishy? That offer in my opinion is not in his interest. This is called negotiation. It's not fishy and you didn't do badly to get within 2% of what you asked for.

2. In parallel to that I've been interviewing and landed a contract (basically my dreamjob) for x+25%, 6 month rolling, probably 2 years, starting in December.
However, I have not yet received a written confirmation of this offer, only the agent has told me the news last week. Because of policy issues at the end client, they are not able to issue me a contract earlier than the month before the starting date in Dec. You cannot have your cake and eat it. Make a decision and live with it.

Obviously, since being pushed by my current gig 1, I've told 2 that I need an (informal) written confirmation of the offer they are about to make so I can safely decline a renewal at 1. However, I'm now waiting for about 5 days to get it and agent 2 tells me on almost a daily basis that he's on it trying to sort it out etc..

Ultimately, 2 is where I want to land, but not having a warchest and wanting to play it safe, I need to consider my options.

a) Accept 1 (missing out a great opportunity and better pay but I get an additional +10% for the month of november)
b) Decline 1, hoping 2 won't turn sour. (risky, but agent 1 will appreciate my honesty)
c) Push agent of 2 to the limit to get the confirmation (Being an annoying contractor)
d) Reveal offer 2 to agent 1 trying to get a better deal for myself (I will not get gig 2, which I want, possibly burn bridges with 2 since I orally accepted)
e) Play it super slow and stalling it with agent 1 until november/agent 2 gets me the confirmation sorted (possibly getting sour with agent 1 if 2 goes well)

Very likely I'm making too many thoughts and everything will be sorted sooner than expected, but I would like to get your thoughts on this! A contract in the hand is worth 15 in the bush! (Unless you have a warchest, and it appears that you don't)

Thanks

Answers in bold above. Make a decision and live with it. A written confirmation of renewal is not the same as a contract, only an expression of intent. Valueless.

Also, for anyone to give you any really sound advice, we would have to knwo what notice (if any) you are able to give on the current contract.

[northernladuk]

Why do some many people post these types of responses so often ??

No doubt OP will come round to his own thought process and decision, however it doesn't hurt to bounce some ideas around on what is a shared profession forum. So sometimes responses from others may offer views that hadn't been thought of by the OP, and therefore put a different perspective or provide clarity on what is being asked. There is no harm in asking.

Have to admit they do irk me as well and I can't see the point. It's just someone splurging their mind on to a forum and not thinking about what they are trying to achieve. There no information about locations, technology, size of company and all the other factors that go in to making a decision. Getting advice on a do this or that without any relevant information is an utter waste of every ones time and all it will do is further complicate matters for the OP if he get's the wrong advice cause we don't know the facts..

If people post x+10% or x+20% we might as well just say the higher cause there is nothing else to go on.

[TheFaQQer]

If people post x+10% or x+20% we might as well just say the higher cause there is nothing else to go on.

You could tell them to ask their accountant which role to take

[Platypus]

(e) stall

[sal]

I would:

1. Sign the extension for role 1 at X+10%
2. Keep the negotiations for role 2 alive and ask for a written contract X weeks in advance where X is role 1 notice period.
3. If you get the contract for role 2 in time, serve your notice and pray role 2 doesn't fall through as this is always a possibility.

What you should with 4 months of experience and no warchest is:

1. Sign the extension for role 1 at X+10%

There will be plenty of opportunities in the future for better pay/work. Taking risks with no warchest can lead to a situation where you are forced to accept even worse role/pay just to get some income.