What to say and when

[Bagpuss]

£500 a day seems a high rate for a first time contractor, most agencies will expect to be ripping you off.

[expat]

Also EDS could have been a potential contract employer.

Are you interested in whether I'd ever touch EDS with a barge pole?

[sasguru]

yeah where is the pleb !

Probably justifying his ENOOORMOUS salary up his managers @arse !

I am the manager, you arse.

[Andyw]

and you dont report to anyone ? oh you must be the chairman then !

[The Lone Gunman]

I can usually clarify that one for him: I'm not committed to his job, or to anything else until I've signed the contract. I went contracting so that I could stop pretending that I really wanted that career move, and the agents could stop pretending that they were offering me anything interesting except money.

So yes, I always have something else on the go.

You are experienced and know what you are doing, some of the advice is for juniors here.

A lot of agents will not put you forward if they think there is a good chance you will turn the offer down.
It is a waste of their time and resources and it puts them in a poor light with their client.

Play your cards tight to your chest, give nothing away. Give them the impression they have your full attention.
tulip on them later.

[sasguru]

and you dont report to anyone ? oh you must be the chairman then !

Oh dear (TM). Not terribly bright, are you?

[EternalOptimist]

Been looking for a few weeks and dont want to give anything away/muddy the waters
I get round the problems in one hit.

'Well I only started looking on monday, finished my last contract last friday, this is the first nibble I have had. Sounds perfect too'


hth

[madhippy]

I seem to have had a similar experience to you earlier in the year (except .net with java/vb etc in past ~10yrs experience)...

was prepared to go from 250/day since I anticipated getting first contract would be hard ...

wasn't getting anywhere with contract interviews - agents seemed keen - wetting themselves over cv but not alot in the way of interviews ... went to a few permie interviews which were particularly interesting ... either did well, got an offer or turned it down after finding out more about the job ...

took permie job in end - after 2/3 months of dealing some of the worst code I've ever seen thinking of leaving and trying the contractor route again ... might still have to deal with crap but don't have to care!

blah

[smiler]

Lone Gunman that is a good bit of advice. I definitely have to get used to lying through my teeth about other opportunities, totally contrary to my principles of course but needs must... My permanent offers have lapsed now anyway.

madhippy that is interesting. I think I'm just going to hold my nerve and keep trying for the contract. I know if I go back to permiedom I'm going to regret what might have been.

[AtW]

Don't lie - you will get caught: always say truth, just the truth, but not necesserily the whole truth - its not court, noone should expect you to tell all your company secrets or your plans.