ways to ditch the agent/agency from the loop

[evilagent]

Hi comrades,

Any experiences of ditching the parasite from the loop when in contract? How do clients react to it?

Thanks

re: "when in contract"

so, you mean how to screw the "parasite" after having gone through the process of finding you the contract?

be careful, though, the client might decide to ditch the contractor and not pay the final few weeks worth of invoices! (what goes around, etc)

to avoid agents;
1: do your own cold-calling for new business
(that is, find out the names if companies that use your skill-set, and build relationships with managers.
That is, dont bin them just because they dont have anything for you NOW.)
2: ensure you have a decent legally sound contract that the client is willing to sign
3: be prepared to wait several weeks for payment
4: when leaving an existing client, keep in touch on a regular basis to keep your name in their minds
(assumes you were any good, and they would want you back), and let them know what new skills you are gaining


best of luck!

I would start a thread called "How clients can ditch expensive contractors by employing people at half the price" but can't be bothered.

[evilagent]

also ....

ensure you sign up, if you havent already, to LinkedIn.
There are job-boards there for your specialisms.
(note: it might be worth starting a couple of threads there, to raise your profile)

network with other contractors. this can be problematic, as if they let you in on projects coming up, you may be required to reciprocate and let them know about projects. problematic as you may feel you want to keep this to yourself. need to give and take, not be parasitic.

[d000hg]

comrades ... parasite

Really?

[malvolio]

snip...

I would start a thread called "How clients can ditch expensive contractors by employing people at half the price" but can't be bothered.

I recently did a fully worked cost breakdown for a contractor for a year at £450 a day vs a permie on £55k salary (using the basic salary/1000=hourly estimator so the rates are comparable).

Assuming no holidays, the contractor is £117k (more realistically it would be around £100k since nobody works all the days available). The permie would cost £129k.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Hi comrades,

Any experiences of ditching the parasite from the loop when in contract? How do clients react to it?

Thanks

Why do you want to ditch the agency as a matter of interest?

[evilagent]

I recently did a fully worked cost breakdown for a contractor for a year at £450 a day vs a permie on £55k salary (using the basic salary/1000=hourly estimator so the rates are comparable).

Assuming no holidays, the contractor is £117k (more realistically it would be around £100k since nobody works all the days available). The permie would cost £129k.

I was being flippant, as in reality we all have specific niches to inhabit.

Perhaps what I should have said was "How to ditch the client from the loop and get ALL the money".

[d000hg]

I recently did a fully worked cost breakdown for a contractor for a year at £450 a day vs a permie on £55k salary (using the basic salary/1000=hourly estimator so the rates are comparable).

Assuming no holidays, the contractor is £117k (more realistically it would be around £100k since nobody works all the days available). The permie would cost £129k.

Don't suppose you're able/willing to share it?

[Antman]

+1

I'd be interested in seeing your sums/working out too.

[malvolio]

+1

I'd be interested in seeing your sums/working out too.

The numbers and percentages themselves were set for the current client so are fairly meaningless. The method though is to tot up all the factors that represent costs to an employer at some level or another - gross salary, ErNICs, Pension funding, car allowance, insurances, training and management overhead of around 10%. You can ignore office space, heat, light and desktop support costs since on site contractors will still consume those. You then add in the hidden extras; permies are only 80% efficient, losing 20% of their effort to team meetings, appraisals and other non-productive garbage and you have to factor in a notice period, which was 3 months of gross salary in my example.

Work that out properly and you will struggle to undercut a contractor on an equivalent rate

Then again, two gigs ago I charged £65k-ish and saved them £450k-ish. So now who's expensive?

[d000hg]

The numbers and percentages themselves were set for the current client so are fairly meaningless. The method though is to tot up all the factors that represent costs to an employer at some level or another - gross salary, ErNICs, Pension funding, car allowance, insurances, training and management overhead of around 10%. You can ignore office space, heat, light and desktop support costs since on site contractors will still consume those. You then add in the hidden extras; permies are only 80% efficient, losing 20% of their effort to team meetings, appraisals and other non-productive garbage and you have to factor in a notice period, which was 3 months of gross salary in my example.

Work that out properly and you will struggle to undercut a contractor on an equivalent rate

Then again, two gigs ago I charged £65k-ish and saved them £450k-ish. So now who's expensive?

But where are you allowing for CUK affecting contractor efficiency?