Contract rate negotiation?

[Wanderer]

How many stages of interviews do they usually need? I am an hour train journey away from where they are, would they pay for the cost of the travel for the interviews?

It's a £450/day contract, you've had one phone interview and you've got a face to face one now. I reckon there is fairly good chance that you will get the job. Are you willing to invest the price of a train fare and half a day of your time in trying to win this business?

Get on your bike and find a job my son.

[Hex]

If you've been put forward at £450 then the client will have seen this when they were sent your CV. IBs work by knowing exactly what the contractor gets paid and paying the agency a fixed margin. There is little point in your negotiating the rate after the interview I think. They'll just think you're messing them around.

A 1 hour journey for an interview for a £450/day contract seems a reasonable thing for you to fund yourself.

[MarillionFan]

1st time out, take the money and get it under your belt.

If you find out later that you could have got an extra £100 per day(or the guys around you are on more), that's what negotiation is for.

[3starmn]

£450 per day seems a pretty decent rate to me especially considering it's your first contract. Besides I really wouldn't let yourself get distracted by rate negotiations at this stage, secure the interview and offer first then negotiate, you will be in a much better position. At this stage getting some contracting experience under your belt is the important thing.

[Boo]

the agent has quoted me £450/day for a post in an investment bank, which I think it's on the low side, but for securing an interview, I let him put me forward with this rate.

Good decision : the time to quote the actual rate is when the client has the hots for your skills and has decided nobody else will do.

My question is that, could I or should I talk about the rate during the interview or should it be strictly between my agent and myself?

Yep. Defo mention your required rate during the interview. That way the agent can't add a huge margin and talk you out of the role. If the client really like you and can afford your rate, but only just, then they will want to edge the agency out of the loop and go direct. Make sure you leave them a business card so they can contact you directly afterwards, I also take the opportunity an interview offers to hand round copies of a version of my CV which has previous client names and managers so they can easily take references if they want (they never do, but seem to appreciate the consideration).

Once the client likes me, can I re-negotiate with the agent? I think £500-550 is a fairer rate.

Of course, as I said above after interview is the ideal time to negotiate rate. After all you did not know that onsite working was required before interview, did you ? Or that the skills were significantly up-market from those mentioned beforehand ? Or that your experience in XXX really came to the fore in the interview and you can't be expected to accept the same rate as someone without it ? That kind of thing...

Hth,

Boo