Are dayrates suddenly taking a dive?

[kal]

Rates do dip at points of the year depending on the demand.

I find that operating a 'feast or famine' policy and keeping the warchest bursting means you can set yourself a target rate and hold out through the dry spells until you get one that is satisfactory. I also find its much better to be in a 3 month contract on a good rate that is extended, than a 12 month one on a low rate.

Indeed especially as a 12 month contract is no more secure than a 3 month one, they can bin you at any time so I don't buy the 'its a low rate because its a long contract' tulip from agents.

[Dactylion]

Indeed especially as a 12 month contract is no more secure than a 3 month one, they can bin you at any time so I don't buy the 'its a low rate because its a long contract' tulip from agents.

When have you ever bought into any agent tulip?

[Brian Potter]

If the role was fake then why advertise it at a cr@p rate, punt it out at 500 notes a day and commence CV harvesting, I mean 200 a day for a dev role in CL is not economically viable...

Because the numbnut who wrote the advert does not have a clue and probably thinks 200 is the going rate. Monarch are notorious for doing the exact same thing which is to advertise fake jobs with low salary or day rate. It's usually some newbie numbnut agent who thinks he/she is the first one to try out fake jobs to get CVs. Fortunately for us, the crappy rate gives away the agent's cluelessness when it comes to the industry going rates.

And if it were a real job then the phone would be ringing and it wouldn't even make it onto the board.

[kal]

When have you ever bought into any agent tulip?

True if an agent told me the sky was blue I would have to look outside to check!

[sunflower]

It's usually the agent.

Colleague of mine was put on contract at a customer for €45 p.h. Agency claimed the rates were not brilliant in the market. End client was paying €75-€85 p.h

I've sat in earshot of contract resourcers and HR at a client (open office). They put out a gig with local agencies and quote rate as 400-450 per day. Agency advertises it at 300 per day.

Stand your ground for a reasonable price.

[SussexSeagull]

I have been looking for a new test contract for a few weeks. Advertised rates seem to be very poor. I suspect it is agents looking after their margins as when you get talking to them they usually find some money from somewhere to get you interested.

As it happens the contract I start on Monday is dealing direct with no agency involvement with a very agreeable daily rate.

[SGD]

...Barclays just stuck a 10% take it or leave rate cut on all contractors.....

3rd time they've done that, after taking their lead from RBS who started this nonsense around 5 years ago. Also factoring in "mandatory" 10 day holidays irrespective of whether you have just come back from your jollies.

For businesses which count on a lot of goodwill, they sure know how to destroy it in spades.

[riffpie]

Why, are you an agent too?

No, he's an opportunistic contractor.

[riffpie]

True if an agent told me the sky was blue I would have to look outside to check!

I'd simply assume it was grey, or perhaps no longer even there.

[riffpie]

3rd time they've done that, after taking their lead from RBS who started this nonsense around 5 years ago. Also factoring in "mandatory" 10 day holidays irrespective of whether you have just come back from your jollies.

For businesses which count on a lot of goodwill, they sure know how to destroy it in spades.

Mandatory holidays? Do they actually call it that? Is it written into the contract like that?