Companies trying to get contractors on low permie wages or fixed term salary

[AtW]

PS I was getting £50K pa in IT in early 90's when I was permie.

If this is true then how did you end up in Swindon without owning like half the place? If I remember correctly house prices in early 90s were well cheap, but your talk is much cheaper than that...

[DimPrawn]

If this is true then how did you end up in Swindon without owning like half the place? If I remember correctly house prices in early 90s were well cheap, but your talk is much cheaper than that...

I did own half the place and then sold it all. Then bought a villa and sold that for a huge profit.

Hence the millions.

How's working (hard) for a living compare?

[Gonzo]

Have you noticed the latest tricks that companies do to try and secure contractor calibre people for a fraction of the cost?

Let's say you can contract your services on £400/day.

Instead of offering you a £400/day contract for 12 months, they offer you a 'fixed term contract' where they would pay you say £40k salary plus allow you to enjoy their company benefits for 12 months.

Nothing new to this, they try this trick during every IT down-turn.

[MarillionFan]

Yay AtW

Touchy fella isn't he. He's just discovered that in the US, his comrade spies got paid $Millions and had a cushy lifestyle, while in the UK all he got was a couple of King Edward potatoes, a dirty bedsit and a used copy of Razzle from 1982.

[gingerjedi]

Have you noticed the latest tricks that companies do to try and secure contractor calibre people for a fraction of the cost?

Let's say you can contract your services on £400/day.

Instead of offering you a £400/day contract for 12 months, they offer you a 'fixed term contract' where they would pay you say £40k salary plus allow you to enjoy their company benefits for 12 months.

Do the maths- this is much cheaper for them. Instead of paying you potentially £400*5*40 = £80k they pay you salary £40k plus 'benefits'. Benefits at these companies have been seriously downgraded over the years. You're lucky to get an use of an outdated gym now. Forget free parking space, cheap lunch, free cups of tea etc.

Obvious downsides is that you get paid less plus you are taxed more on PAYE and can't offset expenses.

Surely self-respecting contractors should avoid these offers.

Furthemore, some companies are now offering 'permanent' jobs paying less say £30-35k... but who's to say they will not make you redundant in 2-3 years? Then you would have worked for 70-90k salary over that 2-3 year period when you could have raked in £250k+ contracting. Not forgetting paying much less tax.

Surely self-respecting contractors should refuse these bogus offers and demand adequate daily rate. Stay strong contractors, don't give in to bogus 'stable' offers. They're a con.

Ah bollox thats where I'm going wrong, I should ignore all the tulip gigs and just pick the cream from the plethora of opertunities... I don't know what I was thinking.

[BolshieBastard]

Personally Im not bothered too much about these 'FTA's,' I dont apply for them.

Im more concerned with tulip agencies like Reed becoming preferred sole supplier to companies like LTSB and raking off an extra 25 to 50 quid a day from the daily rate on offer.

I have nothing to do with that bunch of shysters.

[Troll]

Personally Im not bothered too much about these 'FTA's,' I dont apply for them.

Im more concerned with tulip agencies like Reed becoming preferred sole supplier to companies like LTSB and raking off an extra 25 to 50 quid a day from the daily rate on offer.

I have nothing to do with that bunch of shysters.

Spring are in LTSB as well - not sure if that really helps though

[contractor79]

Personally Im not bothered too much about these 'FTA's,' I dont apply for them.

Im more concerned with tulip agencies like Reed becoming preferred sole supplier to companies like LTSB and raking off an extra 25 to 50 quid a day from the daily rate on offer.

I have nothing to do with that bunch of shysters.

Have you sulked enough with an agency to actually refuse them your CV, or ask for it to be removed? Think I'm reaching that point now. Tired of being offered things much less than what I went to the interview for.

[AtW]

Have you sulked enough with an agency to actually refuse them your CV? Think I'm reaching that point now.

No, please don't - I am begging you - PLEASE DO NOT REFUSE YOUR CV!!!

Otherwise the whole world will collapse, and just think what that would do to house prices

[contractor79]

No, please don't - I am begging you - PLEASE DO NOT REFUSE YOUR CV!!!

Otherwise the whole world will collapse, and just think what that would do to house prices

don't give up your day job, please