Anyone got a cushion...

[miffy]

Windows Server and VMWare. I can understand the Windows jobs being a bit short on the ground but I though VMWare would hold me in good sted.

You'll be competing with me then on the VMware front. I mainly do messaging, virtualisation and scripting.

I've been offered a 70k package with a reseller. Looking at the tax alone it's crippling.

Now going through the "do I", "don't I" process and can't decide if I should tell them to poke it. The contract will be on my door mat by friday. Could stall them for a bit longer though.

Should I ask Wilmslow...

[rootsnall]

Learn SAP

.Net

Note - appears to be only me protecting the gravy these days !?

[Pondlife]

I was about to comment on DPs p1ss poor career advice (again).

Don't know why he insists on being so unhelpful.

Think milan is out potato picking.

[PAH]

I've been offered a 70k package with a reseller. Looking at the tax alone it's crippling.

According to http://calculator.contractoruk.com/ (which I've no idea how accurate it is), it says the equivalent contract rate for a 70k permie salary is:

To earn the same contracting, outside of IR35, you would need an hourly rate of £40 per hour (£302 per day)

To earn the same contracting, inside of IR35, you would need an hourly rate of £54 per hour (£403 per day).

So 70k doesn't look too bad to me, considering the rates I'm having to consider at the moment are in the 30-40/hour bracket, and some agents have even tried to fob me off with rates in the 20s! No idea how much your skills usually pay, but I'm more used to the 45-55 bracket for .Net development work.

[PAH]

.Net

Note - appears to be only me protecting the gravy these days !?

The train left me behind a while ago, now they're trying to get me to accept she-ite rates to climb back on. £25-35/hour. WTF!?

[rootsnall]

Think milan is out potato picking.

I'd of thought it is more likely he is fermenting/distilling last years crop at this time of year.

[bellymonster]

You'll be competing with me then on the VMware front. I mainly do messaging, virtualisation and scripting.

I've been offered a 70k package with a reseller. Looking at the tax alone it's crippling.

Now going through the "do I", "don't I" process and can't decide if I should tell them to poke it. The contract will be on my door mat by friday. Could stall them for a bit longer though.

Should I ask Wilmslow...

I would take it, and leave the contracts for me

[miffy]

So 70k doesn't look too bad to me, considering the rates I'm having to consider at the moment are in the 30-40/hour bracket, and some agents have even tried to fob me off with rates in the 20s! No idea how much your skills usually pay, but I'm more used to the 45-55 bracket for .Net development work.

It is a good offer in the current climate, but paid more because it's for a reseller and you're being shipped out all over the place (that's the reason I left my old permie job).

I don't fancy going back to permiedom and living out of a suitcase with no control over where I'm going. It can be a total nightmare. But then do I wanna be doing 3rd line support

I can usually find 350+ locally and 400+ p/day in London quite easily for non SC stuff. There seems to be a lack of big messaging/virtualisation projects from what I can see (I'm sure bellymonster will agree). I think most of the consultancies are hoovering those up.

Rates in the 20s for .net is rank. I'd stay at home with GTA IV. No way would I work for that. I wonder if some muppets are actually working for that kind of carp rate?

[rootsnall]

It is a good offer in the current climate, but paid more because it's for a reseller and you're being shipped out all over the place (that's the reason I left my old permie job).

70K was sounding good to me until you revealed all. I'd want 170K for a shipped out all over the place job, why/how does anybody put up with those sort of jobs !?

[PAH]

Rates in the 20s for .net is rank. I'd stay at home with GTA IV. No way would I work for that. I wonder if there actually are muppets working for that kind of carp rate?

I would, but I thought I'd walk into another contract (as I've been able to do for the last 10 years) and have blown most of my savings on disastrous plan Bs. Realised too late that contracting is what (I thought) I was good at. Should have saved my money.

If nothing turns up in the next month or so I'm going to either:

a. start selling off bits of kit at car boots to tide me over

b. live on my credit cards, hoping to pay them off when I finally get work

c. accept whatever crap rate the agents are trying to get away with, just to get some work till the market hopefully improves

Been close to landing a reasonable paying contract a couple of times, but it seems there is an average of 20-30 contractors applying for the same role, so not going to be as easy as I'd hoped.