Day rate negotiations to account for high inflation

[PerfectStorm]

Having a day rate to speak of at all may be one way of beating a potential upcoming recession

[pr1]

Every single contractor ever thinks they are indispensable to their client/project. The reality is absoultely no one is indispensable.

This is true, but for most the cost (in time and/or money) of replacing them with someone equal or better is more than the cost of a small-moderate rate increase over (eg) 3 months. Make hay while the sun shines

[Guy Incognito]

Every single contractor ever thinks they are indispensable to their client/project. The reality is absoultely no one is indispensable.

Totally agree.

I have seen so many "indispensable" people summarily booted to ever get complacent.

[northernladuk]

This is true, but for most the cost (in time and/or money) of replacing them with someone equal or better is more than the cost of a small-moderate rate increase over (eg) 3 months. Make hay while the sun shines

Absolutely. There are opportunities that can be leveraged for sure but never confuse that with being indispensable. I've seen many a shell shocked contractor that believed they were and then got let go. I've never thought of myself like that that but I've been let go in situations that seemed absolutely ludicrous. Tons of time wasted, nothing delivered properly, tons of value to add but budget says no so off I went. Clients also have different thresholds of expectations for contractors as well. Worked at a big pharma that extended some of the worst contractors I've ever seen but I'm currently at a client that will, and has not hesitated to, walk contractors on the spot that aren't performing.

[TheDude]

Every single contractor ever thinks they are indispensable to their client/project. The reality is absoultely no one is indispensable.

It's amazing how many mediocre Java and C# developers turn into Alan Turing or Jon Von Neumann the second they go contracting.

[CheeseSlice]

Let us know how it goes.
I think changing rate for your next role is the way to go personally, assuming the market is paying it.
Better still line up the new higher paying role and inform the current client you're going to be taking it unless they match or exceed it. I think the awful inflation environment is a perfect excuse here.

[edison]

Ultimately it is a case of supply and demand. As much as we discuss 'the market' on this forum, every skillset and even sector to some extent, has its own market and dynamics.

Years ago I managed to get a small percentage increase at renewal time. The agent predictably tried to put me off when I (a bit naively in hindsight) 'asked', so I went direct to the client who agreed to the uplift. I don't know whether the client agreed to fund it completely to maintain the agent margin or the agent took a part reduction.

Talking to friends who do a lot of hiring, it seems like the pendulum is moving fairly quickly towards the client companies having the upper hand.

[hugebrain]

Tons of time wasted, nothing delivered properly

This could be why you got canned. Maybe they just mentioned the budget to spare your feelings.

[northernladuk]

This could be why you got canned. Maybe they just mentioned the budget to spare your feelings.

And I am sure they do. Thankfully in both cases I am thinking off the rest of the contractors went as well... but I am sure it will just be me one day

[PCTNN]

Every single contractor ever thinks they are indispensable to their client/project. The reality is absoultely no one is indispensable.

Totally agree. Contract I'm about to start had someone in my role who left 11 months ago. Didn't get replaced until now (with me). And the client/project is still alive and well.