Rates - Am I just a sucker or in low demand skillset?

[niceguyeddie]

This may seen a stupid question to most of you but I do need to ask!

People seem to be banding around 350 a day rates as though this is common practice - if this is the case, what skills are these for and what locations?

I am deemed a very reliable and good contractor and (as most of you probably are) am always offered a permie role by every business I work for at normally well over the rate other permies I'd be working with are on

What am I doing wrong as my rate seems to hover around the 200 a day (26/hr) mark.

Either I'm

a) naive or stupid (nice comments only please )
b) not in possession of the correct skillset (8 years development in mainly vb biased skills & web but with very good .net and sqlserver/oracle

Also, the agency seem to be taking 30% for their cut which seems a bit much to me.

How do I

a) up my rate
b) get the agency to take a lower %
c) stop the agent from nearly choking down the phone when I politely ask what % they will take/charge

Advice would be gratefully appreciated.

[MarillionFan]

What do you do exactly?

[niceguyeddie]

web development projects at the moment. asp.net/sqlserver - single full life cycle or as a member of a project team...

[Not So Wise]

Honestly, yes that does seem low for the skillset and experience.

Though does seem by what you say you are mainly on web based development which these days i find does not pay that well, as so much web work gets offshored these days which has lead to an overabundance of web developers over here persueing too few contracts, thus generally reducing rates big time in the field.

If i was you would aim to make my next few contracts non web based to get the smell of the net off you and thus be able to get offered better jobs and thus better rates (and hell you are on such low rates would not even have to take much, if any of a pay cut during the transfer period)

From things i have seen over the last few years would give anyone the recomendation to get out of web work if they want to contract, if they want to remain doing web work then they are financially best off going permie because the small gains financially of contracting are not worth the financial insecurity.

As to the 30% *cough* *splutter* *Chokes*

ps: Location for the better rates, generally south east, further north you go lower rates gets

[MarillionFan]

Got to agree the web market bottomed out a while back. You see where you have a situation where every man and his dog can learn something, they will - so the price drops.

My rates are £350p/d minimum, but I tend to get £400. But I do niche & offer a whole realm of business experience.

Tried and tested methods like SAP will always offer more as they are difficult to get in. Business Objects and the Ilk also offer a fair chunk. SQL/Oracle DBAs are always in demand and if they have .NET experience then they will be paid greatly more.

Support is always low. .NET hardcore developers are in demand, but that will drop - so it comes to business experience. Anyone with Insurance or Banking always gets paid well.

Its a combo of skills & experience.

[BlasterBates]

Web....

Its that "word"; anything that is remotely "webby" is low paid, especially web frontend stuff.

[stacks]

I'm doing Release/Change/Implementation Management in the £350 a day bracket but I think with a bit more experience and qualifications I can up that to nearer £500.

getting that break into that area from being a former VB developer was for me the key to more pay.

[thunderlizard]

It took me a couple of years to get from 200/d to 350/d. Main difference was targeted sector experience, but it also helped that my technical skills moved up the difficulty scale a bit.

tl

[Ivor1]

I think alot has to do with the emloyer as well as industry.

I work only in Investment Banks or Banks, I found the US or Swiss based banks were pretty poor payers (£350 to £425) a day, rates tend to be lower if they have a significant outsourcing setup. The best payer I have found is a British Bank probably one you alot of you are with, rates are between £475 and £550 aday and thats for ANY IT contractor regardless of skill set. So if you wounder why you get crap interest on your current account you now know why

Hate to say it as well that if you fall in side IR35 its not worth contracting in IT in banking unless you are getting £425 plus a day, you could get the same £ as a permy, say £60k base sal and £10k bonus, as a senior'ish developer. This is London though so its all relative, high cost of living and all that.