What's the minimum rate you would work for, away from home?

[Sockpuppet]

Probably £500 a day. Then again I'm in a contract now. I might take £400 if I was on the bench to work away.

It all depends on the definition of "away". Living in Leicester there are lots of places, Manchester in the North and London in the South that are not an unrealistic commute. At the moment I burn 800 miles a week commuting. It's not great but cheaper than a hotel.

[Mupps]

What area do you specialise in?

Networking. (The techie kind - not talking to people)

[TheFaQQer]

Probably £500 a day. Then again I'm in a contract now. I might take £400 if I was on the bench to work away.

It all depends on the definition of "away". Living in Leicester there are lots of places, Manchester in the North and London in the South that are not an unrealistic commute. At the moment I burn 800 miles a week commuting. It's not great but cheaper than a hotel.

For the last time - driving a truck is NOT commuting!!!

[TheFaQQer]

I have a base daily rate, and then I add on what it's likely to cost me to get to the client and stay away. Depending on the role, location and how desperate I am to work, I then add on a premium to factor the work-life balance in.

[BolshieBastard]

In the UK or in Europe.

Is it worthwhile working away from home for £300/day? What if there's a 4 hour drive each way (so ~£100 petrol for the week) and hotel costs of £50/night. Then your other costs like food etc.

After costs & tax you might walk away with, what, £150 a day, annualised to £35,000.

And the fact that you're away from home all week, away from the family and friends.

There has to be a cut-off point right?

OK, so what you are saying is, it's better not to work and have no income rather than work for £300 a day less your expenses?

Let's say your expenses are £100 a day. Your co has still earnt £200 a day gross.

Why is it better to turn this down and wait, unpaid for however long, for a job never mind a rate, that may not even come along for months!?

[Scoobos]

Why is it better to turn this down and wait, unpaid for however long, for a job never mind a rate, that may not even come along for months!?

Perhaps:

1. Because your skillset will die quicker than if you trained at home
2. Because some agents only look at your last position
3. Contracting is always twist or stick.
4. You have self confidence and belief that may be eroded by working in a role that doesnt use your skills.

Just my 2 cents mr bolshie, now get back to the footie thread and row with me about kenny being tulipe.

[d000hg]

OK, so what you are saying is, it's better not to work and have no income rather than work for £300 a day less your expenses?

Let's say your expenses are £100 a day. Your co has still earnt £200 a day gross.

Why is it better to turn this down and wait, unpaid for however long, for a job never mind a rate, that may not even come along for months!?

That's like saying if you don't have a contract you should work in a pub for minimum wage because it's better than no income... if you need the money you do what you can get but when merely benched you wouldn't.

[KentPhilip]

I'm on £360/day in central London. Might seem low, but that seems to be the average for my job type on jobswerve.com
Maybe I'm just a loser

[MarillionFan]

I'm on £360/day in central London. Might seem low, but that seems to be the average for my job type on jobswerve.com
Maybe I'm just a loser

For what it's worth I think that's a good rate in London. Lots of crap spoken on CUK by posters about rates. The vast majority are not pulling in a 100k a year and £1750 a week is beyond the vast majority of people. You're in the 1% of earners in the country at that rate. Were all well overpaid.

[psychocandy]

I can smell bulltulip on here with some people saying they wouldnt get out of bed for less than £400 a day.

One other point. Even £150 a day is £150 per day more than £0 per day on the bench. (Although, I would also say that if you end up taking a crap rate you might miss out on a better rate a week later but its a chance you take).

Personally, I'd take £150 local if I needed to. Working away, which I'm not keen on, wouldn't do unless I was skint.