Would you take this?..

[sweetandsour]

Would you take the £25p/h knowing that if you do, you'll be stuck on that rate with no hope of the increase to £35p/h for at least 6 months? OR
Hold out for the £35p/h

I would still take it - it is better to be invoicing.

I admit that I wouldn't have said that 12 months ago.

[Zippy]

Somebody will be prepared to take it for £25 p/h so it might as well be you.
Try and make the most of getting new skills while you are there.

[XLMonkey]

Take it if:
- you really need the money
- you like the people (i.e. you won't hate trolling in there)
- you like the work
- you can get a suitably short notice period (so if something better comes up, then you will be able to get out of this contract quickly)

roll with the punches, don't have an ego about it etc. its just a bad market.

generally, I prefer to be busy (i.e. in work) than idle, even if the rate isn't ideal

[DodgyAgent]

If you're a .NET developer:

C#.NET
London Gatwick area
6 months+
£25 p/h
40hrs p/w

Depleted warchest, cack market and above rate considered, would you take this contract if you had to work and stay away from home to do it?

This is not an open request for a slag fest - please be gentle

And how much does the contractor get?

[jim2406]

Yes

[Weltchy]

I'd take it. But I'd negotiate the contract from an hourly to a daily or weekly rate and then reduce my daily hours to maybe 6 hours per day, or work a 4 day week and charge £1000 for the week.

[TheRefactornator]

And how much does the contractor get?

All of that, no dodgy involved

[Ivor Bigun]

Depleted warchest, cack market and above rate considered, would you take this contract if you had to work and stay away from home to do it?

This is not an open request for a slag fest - please be gentle

Before you take this gig, look at your outgoings first and the following FIRST:
Cut all monthly bills.
- If you have a mortgage, SELL
- If you have a car loan, SELL.
- If you have any vanity possesions, SELL

Now consider taking the job.......it will still be there.....and you will be able to live well.

[Pickle2]

Why not try for the orig 25/hr + accomodation paid for? They might have an easier time getting that signed off. Accounts doth work in mysterious ways.

[TheRefactornator]

I'd take it. But I'd negotiate the contract from an hourly to a daily or weekly rate and then reduce my daily hours to maybe 6 hours per day, or work a 4 day week and charge £1000 for the week.

I see your point and that would work for someone who would use that free time to keep looking, but for me cutting the hours/rate is not viable.

It's been mentioned that the hours can be flexible to help compensate for working and staying away, so if I took it I'd probably work it as 4.5 days at the hourly rate. There could also be the option to work +40hrs p/w which is always good on hourly rate working away and this would help the depleted warchest.