First time contractor - How long to hear from an agency???

[bracken]

Cojak your being polite again. What have you been drinking?

Seriously OP I know plenty of contractors who put their rate down by up to £250 a day in order to get a contract in a new skill or new area of work even though they have a track record in other areas. As this is your first contract you should expect to be on a lower rate simply because both the agency and the client are taking a risk using you. After all you may find within a month you don't like contracting and go back to permiedom.......

All - thanks for the advice. I've gone back to to the agency with a counter offer (£450) given that my CV was in their words 'flawless'! I may even go lower...

More generally, I have to admit that I was a little bit economical with the truth when I first posted...I used to run 30+ contractors and agencies as part of my role as Head of Procurement so I'm pretty much up to speed with how it all works. When I left after 22 years, I also bagged a 4 month contract with my 'previous employer' at £640 per day and am currently doing 5 days work at £600 per day through a mate. I didn't mention this originally as I don't think they count as 'real contracts' given that they've come to me on a plate. It's only now that I'm doing this 'for real' that I'm having to decide whether to take (in my eyes) a 20% pay-cut against the market or fix in to a slightly lower rate at a time when the consensus is that rates could be heading south.

You collective advice is appreciated - I'll let you know how I fare...

B

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I said I'd let you know how I got on...

Well, it didn't go too well!! I never heard from the agent following my £450 counter-offer and other than a few odd days work, I've been benched since beginning of January.

The good news though is that I've just accepted a 6 month contract on a decentish rate. The bad news is that it's less money (£500 pd) than I was hoping for and I have to stay away Monday to Thursday (although the client is picking up my accommodation - not sure if there's any tax implication?).

All in all, I wish that I'd taken the £400pd job close to home rather than hold out for a higher rate at a time when the market (for me at least) is slow.

Ah well, you live and learn...

B

[cojak]

Yep, even though you've hired contractors, it's all a bit different when you're on the other side.

But you've learned from it, so you'll know for next time.

Good luck...

[Epiphone]

Jesus wept. "ooooh I've only got £500 a day. I should get much more than that"

Boo ******* hoo.

[Moscow Mule]

Jesus wept. "ooooh I've only got £500 a day. I should get much more than that"

Boo ******* hoo.

Jealousy will get you nowhere my dear chap.

You're worth as much as the market is willing to pay for you - it varies a lot.