Stupid Low Rates :(

[ChimpMaster]

I'm on a good rate too, but the technology is dated and possibly dying.

However I don't give a damn - because I haven't got "accustomed" to having a £100k+ annual paycheque and I'm still living below my means. I'm realistic in that I know I may not be able to ride this gravy train for long so I try to save/invest until I'm at a comfortable level. I never saw contracting as a long term option and would be happy to get just 5 years out of it at this rate. After that I wouldn't give much of a tulipe.

There is a danger that contractors can get used to bringing in great earnings and then blowing it all away month after month. Having said that though, most on this board don't seem to be that type and seem to understand the need to restrain themselves.

[2uk]

Foreigners – by ourselves – is not a complete option. It should state – “Foreigners/Government/”Employers taking advantage of cheaper labor” .

[Troll]

Foreigners – by ourselves – is not a complete option. It should state – “Foreigners/Government/”Employers taking advantage of cheaper labor” .

I'm so peeved off with correcting the work of the cheaper labour imports. It seems to be the norm now to fill positions with imports but have a UK national heading up the team.
Do I stop doing it and insist I will only be responsible for those people I personally recruit... likely to get shown the door very quickly

...or what?

[bobhope]

I'm on a good rate too, but the technology is dated and possibly dying.

However I don't give a damn - because I haven't got "accustomed" to having a £100k+ annual paycheque and I'm still living below my means. I'm realistic in that I know I may not be able to ride this gravy train for long so I try to save/invest until I'm at a comfortable level. I never saw contracting as a long term option and would be happy to get just 5 years out of it at this rate. After that I wouldn't give much of a tulipe.

There is a danger that contractors can get used to bringing in great earnings and then blowing it all away month after month. Having said that though, most on this board don't seem to be that type and seem to understand the need to restrain themselves.

That's pretty much my anthem:

Give me 5 more years and then I'm home free.

I don't know if the current market has legs on it or not though.

I've never really blown lots of cash anyway, but recently, whenever I've been tempted to buy anything (e.g. toys) I think:
what would I rather have: the toy or the equivalent time not in the office.

Not in the office normally wins :-)

[Cowboy Bob]

Not in the office normally wins :-)

Unfortunately in our case, the toys normally win out - though it's never more than a few hundred quid. We don't go over the top. There needs to be a balance between saving all your wonga and living like a student, and blowing all your cash on a new Bentley IMO. Life is there to live after all...

[Captain Dispensable]

Yeah, buy a 3 year old Bentley and save a packet

[Euro-commuter]

I think my skills are starting to become less valuable.

For the last few years I've demanded (and got) very high daily rates, but over the last 6 months most of the jobs that I see are now £150/200ish a day less than they were last year.

Who can I blame for this?

Contractors who assess the market rate by listening to what agents tell them they can get.

Maybe there's a place for us to list our actual current rates, possibly anonymously? That is real data.

[Bright Spark]

I tend to use this salary survey to justify to agents my rate if they
quote below, if above then obviously don't mention it.

http://www.robertwalters.com/resourc...tedKingdom.pdf

[AlfredJPruffock]

I am now commanding a net increase of 10 per cent from my previous rate - so my hourly rate is now a princely Fiver Fifty ie 5.50.

Eat your hearts out !