Giving personal details to an agency leads to slanging match.

[vetran]

It's also a fact it's legal to chop your own cock off but you'd be stupid to do it.

pity some posters on here only found out afterwards.

[billybiro]

Glad to see you've caught up with the rest of us.

Flouncing about a passport image doesn't change whether you're a doormat or not. If you don't like the fact that customers call the tune maybe it's better to get a job with your local council.

But do they, though?

The client has a need for someone with X skills and experience. I'm a person who can provide X skills and experience. Sure, the client can arguably hire other contractors with X skills and experience, but then so too can I find other clients willing to hire me.

The difference between most other people's attitude here and mine seems to be that they advocate a "sell out at any cost" kind of whoring, while I greatly prefer entering into a relationship on a more equal footing basis.

[BR14]

But do they, though?

The client has a need for someone with X skills and experience. I'm a person who can provide X skills and experience. Sure, the client can arguably hire other contractors with X skills and experience, but then so too can I find other clients willing to hire me.

The difference between most other people's attitude here and mine seems to be that they advocate a "sell out at any cost" kind of whoring, while I greatly prefer entering into a relationship on a more equal footing basis.

I have to admire the massive flexibility in your business model

[Mordac]

But do they, though?

<some deluded crap snipped>.

Yes.

[billybiro]

Yes.

And yet in over 15 years of contracting, I've had a sum total of around 6 months on the bench (ignoring time on the bench taken purposefully).

But I'm sure I'm doing it all wrong. Please, do tell me how I can be so much better like yourself.

[billybiro]

I have to admire the massive flexibility in your business model

No need to be "flexible" if it's already working well.

Of course, also bear in mind that I didn't get into contracting for the filthy lucre (which is what most people seem to do it for - hence the whoring themselves to the highest bidder), I got into contracting for the autonomy and control over my own work-life and career.

Could I have done things differently over the years and gained more money than I have done? Almost certainly, yes.
Would I have been happier if I'd done that? Almost certainly, no.

As baffling and alien as it seems to some folks, money isn't everything.

[BR14]

As baffling and alien as it seems to some folks, money isn't everything.

True, but it does help to have a healthy buffer between oneself and the harsh realities of life

[Mordac]

And yet in over 15 years of contracting, I've had a sum total of around 6 months on the bench (ignoring time on the bench taken purposefully).

But I'm sure I'm doing it all wrong. Please, do tell me how I can be so much better like yourself.

In which case I congratulate you on being a very lucky boy. Because if I turned up with an attitude like yours and handed the client a £500 a day invoice, I wouldn't be holding my breath whilst waiting for payment.

[NotAllThere]

And yet in over 15 years of contracting, I've had a sum total of around 6 months on the bench (ignoring time on the bench taken purposefully).

But I'm sure I'm doing it all wrong. Please, do tell me how I can be so much better like yourself.

6 months? Loser.

[WTFH]

Giving personal details to an agency leads to slanging match.

6 months? Loser.

Why about the 14 years purposefully on the bench?