Reply to: State of the Market

[Fraidycat]

But wouldn't that be fraud and the local plod would be put on the case and come after you for being a naughty boy?

Do you think it's OK to commit fraud just because of the low day rate?

It is not fraud, it is 'thinking time' and is fully billable in my book. You can spend 6 hours a day thinking about a solution and two hours on the keyboard. I would prefer that, over a code monkey who churns out spaghetti code for 8 hours without thinking about it.

Thinking time can be subconscious as well, actually maybe better done subconsciously. So do something else, whatever you like for six hours and let that part of your brain work out the best solution for the client in that time.

Actually there is something to be said about working for a client as a skilled knowledge worker: You are actually working 168 hour a week for them. Because you are always thinking about the problem you are solving for them in the background, subconsciously , even as you sleep. You often get the result of this overnight thinking when taking a shower in the morning.

[edison]

To the lady that emailed me today about whether I was available to fill a Landscape Architect role in Dublin working for a property management company, thankyou, I think you have just marked the bottom of the market.

You might be on the streets, starving but the only way is up from here boys.

I know a couple of Enterprise Architects who get one contact a year asking if they are interested in a town planning role

[Bluenose]

To the lady that emailed me today about whether I was available to fill a Landscape Architect role in Dublin working for a property management company, thankyou, I think you have just marked the bottom of the market.

You might be on the streets, starving but the only way is up from here boys.

[JustKeepSwimming]

Contract Details:

• Location: Midlands - South of England (field based travel)
• Duration: 6 months (views to extend)
• Day Rate: £200-£250 (depending on experience)
• Determination: OUTSIDE IR35
• Start Date: ASAP

They do provide a fuel card though! Wear and tear on your Discovery?

[dsc]

Not sure that stacks up. I have a dev team out in Romania working on a project for me (its a software house my business partner part owns). They wouldn't do it for £250 a day. £350 probably.

Yeah I wasn't sure whether £250 would be enough, then again a software house probably charges more to cover extra costs vs a single contractor?

[eek]

Not sure that stacks up. I have a dev team out in Romania working on a project for me (its a software house my business partner part owns). They wouldn't do it for £250 a day. £350 probably.

Would expect even an Indian outsourcer to be charging more than that.

Got to ask whether the agent is on a fixed percentage or just playing a game of seeing how desperate some people are...

[dx4100]

£250pd is low for people in the UK used to being on £750+ but someone from Eastern Europe with good skills will still think this is a good rate (maybe not Poland as you can earn that locally, but maybe Romania / Ukraine etc.). Or is this UK based only? then it's a bit of a joke, but still in the current climate someone might bite as it's significantly more than £0pd benched.

Not sure that stacks up. I have a dev team out in Romania working on a project for me (its a software house my business partner part owns). They wouldn't do it for £250 a day. £350 probably.

[dsc]

I just received this via email ( yes I know it’s low, it's not my comment):

£250pd is low for people in the UK used to being on £750+ but someone from Eastern Europe with good skills will still think this is a good rate (maybe not Poland as you can earn that locally, but maybe Romania / Ukraine etc.). Or is this UK based only? then it's a bit of a joke, but still in the current climate someone might bite as it's significantly more than £0pd benched.

[eek]

But wouldn't that be fraud and the local plod would be put on the case and come after you for being a naughty boy?

Do you think it's OK to commit fraud just because of the low day rate?

Why? We both know you views on the matter and it's old news we can't be bothered to talk about,

[TheGreenBastard]

That has to be considered as war chest protection, or as a second contract as it is fully remote. And give the client £250 of value per day, no more. Pre Covid you would have had to have been in the office for 8 hours for £250 a day, so it was no way. Now you can 'work to rate' as it is from home.

But wouldn't that be fraud and the local plod would be put on the case and come after you for being a naughty boy?

Do you think it's OK to commit fraud just because of the low day rate?

[andromedan]

That has to be considered as war chest protection, or as a second contract as it is fully remote. And give the client £250 of value per day, no more. Pre Covid you would have had to have been in the office for 8 hours for £250 a day, so it was no way. Now you can 'work to rate' as it is from home.

Tbh with you I think the rate is too low and shows what the market is becoming. I'm currently in 650+ which ends soon. I don't mind taking this rate but they will expect me to work at least 4 hours a day. They can put meetings and other stuff. Anyway, is someone else getting almost a few InMails for contracts lately or it's mostly me?

[malvolio]

Stop lying, nobody uses this.

. I don't like being accused of lying. Plus, you are wrong. Again.

[Fraidycat]

I just received this via email ( yes I know it’s low, it's not my comment):

That has to be considered as war chest protection, or as a second contract as it is fully remote. And give the client £250 of value per day, no more. Pre Covid you would have had to have been in the office for 8 hours for £250 a day, so it was no way. Now you can 'work to rate' as it is from home.

[andromedan]

I just received this via email ( yes I know it’s low, it's not my comment):

I have just had a 2 month contract opportunity come through for a large publishers who are looking for a front end react developer to join them.

• Commercial HTML, CSS, JavaScript & React experience.
• Fully Remote
• Outside IR35
• £250 per day – yes I know it’s low.

Please let me know if you’re interested in hearing more.

[eek]

Personally i always prefer to get the agent on the phone before sending my CV. But thats is not always possible.

I have known some people make their CV searchable on Jobserve, for any agent to find. Never done that myself.

Years ago that would have been the approach to use - nowadays you are probably way better off making sure your linkedIn network is in a good state and posting your availability there....