Asking for a rate increase

[arthur_cider]

if u dont ask u dont get , dont u know it from the birds ?

what a numpty

[vlc]

Commitment

A contract is a commitment or promise. If either side is only willing to commit for three months then that's fine, but it's also completely fine to re-negotiate at the end of that commitment. Remember, before you started they (I assume) did not know you. So, now that they do, they should have a good idea of what they are prepared to pay you. Don't raise your rate just because you're comparing with the rate the other contractors get. Set your rate according to the value the client perceives you bring to them. It could be that you're extremely good and should be charging much more than other contractors in a similar role. Or maybe you're not and should stay on your current rate. In any case, 3 months would normally be more than enough time for a client to access the value you bring and have a good idea of the risks.

[BolshieBastard]

When asking for a rate increase, you really do have to take into consideration many things; state of the market, niche skills, first contract or not etc, etc.

I think someone who's on their first ever contract and has no track record is taking the piss asking for a rate increase at the end of that first 3 months. They probably got that first contract by pleading they'd take a lower rate because it was their first contract and they were new to it.

So they've become a seasoned contractor in 3 months have they? Yeah right.

If I was a hiring manager and a first time contractor asked the agent for a rate increase with their first ever contract due for renewal, I'd say provide a business case for it. Then when they did, tell 'em to **** off cos we got another first time contractor who'd do it cheaper!

[Wanderer]

Get it into your head that you get a cut of the agency's money, they are not taking anything out of yours. Understand that it gets much simpler.

If that's the way you do business then that's fine but it isn't true.

The fact is that for a business person (as opposed to a disguised employee) EVERYTHING is negotiable, there is no hard and fast rules about how much a client pays the agency and how much the agency pays you.

If the agent is taking 30% then at renewal time they can cough up a rate increase, 15% would be about right. If they want to pass this on to the client then that's their perogative.

[MarillionFan]

Pah! He's already had it.

[Sockpuppet]

I think he possibly has already asked about the raise (or binned) considering it was over 2 years ago.