Market Rate .NET

[Diestl]

You really havent contracted before, have you

Basically however much experience you have, someone will always have '6 months more'...you'll also see adverts written by HR or agencies trawling for CVs that specify something like '3 years experience of Sql Server 2005'...

No I haven't contracted before just looking into the option. There are some contractors where I work who are on 40-50 an hour doing public sector work.

Thanks for answering btw.

[mcquiggd]

One tip - take what contractors SAY they are earning with a pinch of salt

And don't forget the tax obligations.

The £50 an hour gig was on a public sector project through a consultancy, who ended up screwing me by ignoring a signed 6 month renewal due to budget cuts.

Me, Ive gone permie for a while - offer I couldnt refuse, nice 7 hour day, 5 minute walk to / from work, all the latest toys, acceptable levels of politics, plus finance experience.

If you accept the approximate figure that to match a 40k permie salary you need to be on £40 an hour, Im doing much better than I could do contracting around here.

One of the other questions is, are you ready for the contractor lifestyle?

[Diestl]

Lifestyle is a problem as I have a young family/mortgage.

[mcquiggd]

Then you have to bear in mind there may be times you won't be earning money. Who knows what market conditions may be like from time to time.

Most of us on here will have enjoyed the boom times around 2000 - and the lean times soon after.

You need to be able to support yourself for, preferably, at least 6 months without income, just to give yourself some breathing space.

There is also the fact that you may need to be away from home during the working week if local contracts are thin on the ground.

Not trying to convince you to stay permie, but do make an informed decision. It can be very rewarding - and not just financially. But it isn't for everyone.

[mcquiggd]

I was out for a year, for various reasons... not pleasant.

[Diestl]

I'm sure the other half would nag me to death if I was out of work that long. Were these periods due to the burst of the dot com? If we rate the dot com bubble period for IT contractors as 100 (boom), how would you rate each year since then?, is it getting better?

[mcquiggd]

The point is, you cannot predict what the market would be like....

You might get some idiotic government that allows a few million people to move here seeking work so rates fall, you might have a crisis in market confidence... extra tax laws brought in that make employers scared of taking on contractors... (i.e. new labour).

At the moment, the market appears to be fairly bouyant, but rates are not high. Durations tend to be 3 month rolling in the finance arena. Be prepared to look for work every 3-6 months, together with all the associated interviews.

[DaveB]

I don't know what the contract market is like at the moment as I've had a couple of dead end permie jobs since 2004... not quite burger flipping but not far off it.

The wonders of the British Edjukashun system, eh Zeit

[partimer]

contracting

Contracting is so unqiuely dependent on the person doing it, with a large dose of luck. I've known very capable people who couldn't get a contract to save their lives. Others who I wouldn't allow through the door, let along log on to the network, have managed to bullsh1t and get constant new contracts.

Utlimately everything is market driven. You go where the work is. You pick up the skills that the market requires. I don't think it's for every person because you are only as good as your current contract. Many people lack the ability to sell themselves, constantly live out of a suitcase, do the donkey work at a site for months, take cr@p from agents / brollies / IR.

Most of all don't do it just for financial reasons. The number of people who say, do it for a few years and I'll be sorted. It doesn't quite work that way because the economy has the normal boom and bust cycle. Look at the people talking above.

Always think long term and make sure you keep your skills (marketing, technical, financial, etc.) sharp. E.g. many newbies have spent their VAT money not realising it belongs to the Custom and Excise ...

Your aim is to run a business and not be a disguised employee.
If that isn't your aim then just ask your current boss for a pay rise

[Diestl]

I have no problem selling my self Ive never been to an interview and not got the job ,the reasons for doing it would be financial as this is motivating factor for any job, if I can earn 3x as much doing the same thing as a contractor then why wouldn't I do it?