General Advice - Starting Contracting Jan 2009

**BrilloPad** · 30 April 2008, 06:19

Originally posted by jkoder View Post

Hi Everyone,

I am a software developer (Java, PHP) currently working on the continent where I will be until the end of the year. I will have then had two years experience as developer (strong Java and good in plenty of other areas). I am from England and wish to return there and start contracting. I am currently working as an internal contractor for an agency, so I am bit like a permie but they sell me on to other comapanies. Both my contracts have been with finanical clients (one a large clearing house and the other a software house who make an application for investment funds)

Some questions I have are as follows:

* Do you see any issue with starting to contract after only two years?

* What soft of money can I expect to earn around this time? My company are currently charging 365 Euro for me and I was hoping for around 250 pounds next years

* How is the market for development? (I use job websites to keep an eye on things and it looks fine to me althoug a lot of contracts want people with 3-5 years experience)

Any other stuff you think might be useful to know then fire away. I know the legal side is important but I have the time to sort that out.

Cheers

You can start as a contractor after any length of time - agents will treat you as "fresh bait" so beware.

At the moment, market is still holding up. Who can tell where it will be in 6 months? And the way the market behaves will determine rate.

**lambrini_socialist** · 30 April 2008, 08:57

Originally posted by BrilloPad View Post

agents will treat you as "fresh bait" so beware.

could you elaborate? i've been contracting since November and feel it's going well, but I'm curious what this means....

**NotAllThere** · 30 April 2008, 09:27

They'll try to pay you a lower rate on the basis you've not been contracting before and are a higher risk. But they'll charge the same to the client.

They'll also try to get you to accept any old crappy contract.

**lambrini_socialist** · 30 April 2008, 09:38

Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post

They'll try to pay you a lower rate on the basis you've not been contracting before and are a higher risk. But they'll charge the same to the client.

They'll also try to get you to accept any old crappy contract.

i see. so far i've been getting the upper end of whatever rate they put on Jobserve for the contract, then upping it at renewal. may explain why my first contract was so IR35 unfriendly though.

**BrilloPad** · 30 April 2008, 09:41

Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post

They'll try to pay you a lower rate on the basis you've not been contracting before and are a higher risk. But they'll charge the same to the client.

They'll also try to get you to accept any old crappy contract.

exactly - and they will tell you all sorts of stuff about them doing you favours. and ask for references (i.e. leads).

post it all on cuk...

**jkoder** · 30 April 2008, 10:52

Hi thanks for the replies.

@ Lambrini Socialist - What expeirence did you have before you went contracting and what area do you work in?

@Anyone else - Do you just apply directly for jobs you find online or do you submit your CV to agencies in advance?

**lambrini_socialist** · 30 April 2008, 12:43

Originally posted by jkoder View Post

Hi thanks for the replies.
@ Lambrini Socialist - What expeirence did you have before you went contracting and what area do you work in?

.NET developer, 4 perm roles over 7 years, starting as a VBScript web monkey earning just under 8k when i quit uni* (with no qualifications or certifications). based in london.

* yadda yadda, university of life, taxpayers' money p!ssed up the wall, they don't teach 'em common sense do they, not proper subjects anyway, obligatory media studies reference. *yawn* *stretch*

**Jennifer.Hewitt** · 17 April 2009, 10:58

Contract signed in Euros but they are paying in Pounds....Is this right???

Hi Everyone,

I am new to contracting and new to this site and I am hoping that someone will be able to answer this question.

I have recently signed with a UK based company to work on a military contract in Germany. the contract I signed had my rates in Euros but come time for first payment they are paying me in Pounds then sending it over to a German bank account and converting it to Euros.

Is this right? Are they allowed to pay me in Pounds if I have signed a contract in Euros, also who is liable for any charges incurred when converting my pay from Pounds to Euros?

Hope to hear from someone soon!

**Not So Wise** · 17 April 2009, 13:03

Look at your contract, payment is in whatever currency is stated there aka "Rate: £" Or "Rate: € or Rate: X Euros" (unless specifically stated elsewhere in contract)

If that is not what they are paying you in and there in any deficit in amount hitting your accounts after conversion they are liable

Key bit is "your accounts" though, not sure what setup you are running but you describe a conversion (Pounds to Euros) happening on their end and cannot see how you would know (or care) about this. Is it case you set up a UK business bank account (or working though an umbrella) for them to pay into that does not accept Euros and are forwarding that on to your german account where it gets converted back to Euros?

PS: Unless a question post is a very good match for topic you are better off starting a new thread

General Advice - Starting Contracting Jan 2009