Have you ever been asked your day rate in an interview?

[PCTNN]

Yeah, great start telling the perms working for you how much you are on. That isn't going to help you one iota.

To be fair this isn't a big deal at all.

Permies are not that stupid; they know how much contractors make. Any permie that has some experience will receive messages on a daily/weekly basis from agents about contract roles so even the most clueless permies have a rough idea of how much a contract ba/pm/dev makes.

[ladymuck]

Maybe they asked because they're thinking of moving into contracting and want to know the going rate?

[eek]

Maybe they asked because they're thinking of moving into contracting and want to know the going rate?

They are American - the contractor market is very, very different there.

[TheDude]

They are American - the contractor market is very, very different there.

Which makes the question even more bizarre.

I have interviewed at many large firms and have only every discussed salary with HR. For contract positions I have only ever discussed rate with agents.

[ConsultingTechArchitect]

Maybe they asked because they're thinking of moving into contracting and want to know the going rate?

Because it's literally impossible for a permie to find that out any other way...

They were fishing for info because they're not happy and want to wallow in their bitterness over someone else getting paid more than them. I bet at least one of them updated his CV after that conversation.

[TheDude]

Because it's literally impossible for a permie to find that out any other way...

Rubbish - there are plenty of contractors who love to imply how much they earn and use crass phrases such as 'every day is bonus day'

[ConsultingTechArchitect]

Rubbish - there are plenty of contractors who love to imply how much they earn and use crass phrases such as 'every day is bonus day'

I once heard "every day is ka-ching day". That's my favourite. Even I wouldn't say that out loud though.

[eek]

Because it's literally impossible for a permie to find that out any other way...

They were fishing for info because they're not happy and want to wallow in their bitterness over someone else getting paid more than them. I bet at least one of them updated his CV after that conversation.

In which case they would be very stupid because the people interviewing were American and as I pointed out before the US contract market is very, very different.

[ConsultingTechArchitect]

In which case they would be very stupid because the people interviewing were American and as I pointed out before the US contract market is very, very different.

What're the key differences? I assume hourly rates vs day rates, anything else?

[TheDude]

What're the key differences? I assume hourly rates vs day rates, anything else?

When I was working in the US my colleagues could not imagine taking the risk to go freelance.

Nothing to do with income - everything to do with walking away from employer provided healthcare.