How Low Can You Go?

[edison]

Compared to some, my current headline rate isn't too bad on the surface, 15% less than my typical rate the last few years. However, it's inside IR35 as opposed to outside for every other gig I've done which I guess knocks off another 20%.

I also have to travel a 200 mile round trip and stay away 3-4 nights a month at my own expense, which effectively knocks another few percent off the rate.

I feel a lot poorer but as others have said, it's better than no money coming in. The first half of this year was the worst I've ever had for opportunities.

[northernladuk]

Compared to some, my current headline rate isn't too bad on the surface, 15% less than my typical rate the last few years. However, it's inside IR35 as opposed to outside for every other gig I've done which I guess knocks off another 20%.

I also have to travel a 200 mile round trip and stay away 3-4 nights a month at my own expense, which effectively knocks another few percent off the rate.

I feel a lot poorer but as others have said, it's better than no money coming in. The first half of this year was the worst I've ever had for opportunities.

I thought a like for like outside vs inside was more like 35%?

[SussexSeagull]

As a rule of thumb unless there is a falling out (which has happened to me once), I finish a contract. I would have absolutely no problem serving notice on a client who was low balling me if something better appeared.

[dsc]

I've started off roughly 8 years ago on £35 per hour, so would probably be ok with something even that low as it pays the bills and puts food on the table. Assuming of course there was even a possibility of getting a contract / job in the first place as I think this is the main issue people are dealing with now, so it's less about what rate, more about, where's the fecking work.

[edison]

I thought a like for like outside vs inside was more like 35%?

You could be right, I was thinking a previous figure I'd seen was 27%, 20% is probably too low. It hurts, whatever it is, LOL.

I'm partly mitigating it by putting a four figure sum into my own SIPP pension monthly via salary sacrifice.

As someone said above, it's not so much having to cope with lower rates, it's that and seemingly much less work available.

I know a few agencies who only do outside gigs so I'm hoping I can land something in Q1.

[pjt]

I know there must be loads of threads about this. With the current market as it is, I'd be interested to know how much percentage day rate drop or other previous deal breakers some of you have had to make recently in order to close that widening gap between time on the bench and securing a gig, and how it compares to previous contracts.

I have an interview next week for an Inside IR35 senior role which is 15% less (relatively speaking) than my previous Outside rate. 2 days a week in the office....and also...wait for it....working alongside/contracting via one of the Big 4's which I said I'd never consider again after the last time. Normally I'd pass on this but speaking to other contracting friends and ex colleagues' experiences I'm not sure how long or whether to even consider it. The usual, busy January start to the year for decent roles? Not sure about that one.

I was out for 5 months at the start of the year with not a peep for most of that time even though I was furiously working my contacts, Jobserve, LinkedIn etc. It was getting so bad I was starting to think I was done for good. Eventually got a gig that was about a 30% drop on my previous role. The previous role was a mega good rate for me so the drop was expected and after 5 months with nothing I was ready to take anything. In the current market I'd suggest taking what you can and then assess opportunites with some work in hand. In my eyes at the moment being out of contract can mean a big hard painful gap in work.

[ensignia]

When you see job posts for senior devs, technical architects, program managers for £400 p/d inside, and everyone exasperatedly asks "who are these people who would debase themselves for that rate!?".

Well, I think this thread answers that question.

[WTFH]

When you see job posts for senior devs, technical architects, program managers for £400 p/d inside, and everyone exasperatedly asks "who are these people who would debase themselves for that rate!?".

Well, I think this thread answers that question.

Yes, people who need work.

When we see posts from you, we also know what we're going to get.

[GJABS]

When you see job posts for senior devs, technical architects, program managers for £400 p/d inside, and everyone exasperatedly asks "who are these people who would debase themselves for that rate!?".

Well, I think this thread answers that question.

I'm not keen on you effectively shaming those people like me for whom £400/day has been their average rate for the past 10 years. I don't consider that I have debased myself - it is all I have been able to get, and I didn't consider it to be a low rate.

[sadkingbilly]

When you see job posts for senior devs, technical architects, program managers for £400 p/d inside, and everyone exasperatedly asks "who are these people who would debase themselves for that rate!?".

Well, I think this thread answers that question.

applications support and useless oiks with 'manager' in their title you mean??
I do love the way all these new titles* grow and grow with time.
*and the inflated delusions of competence that grow with them.