Fixed Term Contracts

[wurzel]

No, it was for a French bank. They wanted PL/SQL, C#, C++, .Net 3.5, fluent French - all for 6 months at 46k pro rata.

[scotspine]

nhs by any chance? something about a bargepole...

[AZZIK]

What's the point of them? I've just had to turn one down because the client insists on paying on a salary basis over a 6 month period & I just can't afford to do it. If they'd paid me gross and I'd been able to claim expenses through my Ltd Co then that would have swung it. Don't see what they stand to gain from this.

Spring/Barclays by any chance?

[gingerjedi]

.....

The most annoying thing, is that clients don't believe you when you show them the cost in black and white - such is the amount of BS that gets spouted by MSP's, volume agencies, and cowboys - the proper, consultative specialists don't have a hope!

<rant over>

Sometimes I think they do now the costs but don't like the contractor trousering all the cash, they'd rather waste it. Jealousy?

[weemster]

Fixed price duration = Crap, Fixed price development = Good.

[The Agents View]

Sometimes I think agent try to sell these FTC's to clients deliberately.

I flaming HATE the FTC agency monkeys. This is basically the Managed Service model trying to make the client think they are looking after their best interests. Conversation goes something like this.

Client: "your services aren't performing, so we're having to bring in interims to cover the gaps you can't fill"

MSP: "you don't need to do that - we have plenty of people who would do the same job on a fixed term basis, and save you the cost of these nasty interims"

Client: "well that sounds good - lets try that"

MSP: "I'll sling CV's to you tomorrow X30 - sift through and let me know which one you want".

Client: "perfect"

What said client doesn't realise, is that FTC means benefits, employers NI, sick pay, holidays - not to mention excessive on boarding costs, payrolling costs, etc etc..... I did a comparison just yesterday of a £80k fixed term contract vs a £600 per day (inclusive) contractor. The figure for the permy FTC thing came out £3000 more expensive than the interim. This of course assumes that the agency knows what they're doing, finds the right person first time (which is what I'd done) and doesn't involve 25 senior directors to make a decision.

So in some circumstances, FTC is more expensive than interim services - but because it's dressed up with the salary at the front end, managers think that's how much they cost!



The most annoying thing, is that clients don't believe you when you show them the cost in black and white - such is the amount of BS that gets spouted by MSP's, volume agencies, and cowboys - the proper, consultative specialists don't have a hope!

<rant over>

[BolshieBastard]

What's the point of them? I've just had to turn one down because the client insists on paying on a salary basis over a 6 month period & I just can't afford to do it. If they'd paid me gross and I'd been able to claim expenses through my Ltd Co then that would have swung it. Don't see what they stand to gain from this.

I applied for a role once that was advertised on jobswerve as a 6 month contract. Turns out the client wanted to pay pro rata rate for the term.

Told agent what rate I wanted and he says client wont pay that, were looking to pay 32k pro rata over 6 months! I said so they want a contractor but only paying 16k!? He got very indignant when I told him I was no longer interested.

Sometimes I think agent try to sell these FTC's to clients deliberately.

[MonzaMike]

These are the worst of both worlds.

Salary of a permie, but with none of the benefits or security.

[DSW]

I think you'd be lucky with expenses - most are firmly in the bounds of ir35. If you are going to take a fixed term expect to get Salary, no benefits or probably holidays.

basically WHS there is not much point if you are an out-and-out contractor.

[RichardCranium]

They're not meant for us contractors. They're meant for permies.

[wurzel]

What's the point of them? I've just had to turn one down because the client insists on paying on a salary basis over a 6 month period & I just can't afford to do it. If they'd paid me gross and I'd been able to claim expenses through my Ltd Co then that would have swung it. Don't see what they stand to gain from this.