What's your last rate?

[inferno]

I dread this question. Am getting better at being more vague, but haven't fully mastered the art. I find it incredible how they expect you to quote a day rate with no JD!*

[kingcook]

It annoys me too how they expect to know my rate BEFORE i've met the client.

I gave an agent my rate recently just based on a few specs i'd seen on a sheet of A4. I didn't get to meet the client until the week after.

Has anyone ever told the agent their rate AFTER the interview with the client?

[BolshieBastard]

Well I could tell 'em my last rate was 40 quid an hour (which it was) but then you never get calls as that is registered on their database.

Does my ******* head in these pimps expect you to quote a rate, which you are then frequently held to before you've spoken to the client. A job spec can be between 5 sentences or a 3 page wish list so that's frequently as much use as a fart in a spacesuit.

[Pondlife]

Just tell him your last gig was somewhere in the middle east and you're not allowed to talk about it. Your rate was 3K a day but you might consider working for less if it was an easier commute and you don't need to provide your own security force.

[PinkPoshRat]

I get fed up with them too! I just say it was between £200 and £2000

[BolshieBastard]

Just had a pimp on to me giving it some. Then he says 'what rate was you on at your last client?' I said dont see any relevance. I look to get as much as the client will pay for my skillset but, neither do I look to price myself out of the market.

'But we like to match you to what the client pays and if we know what your last rate was, we can do this better.' So I said well, you just contact me with the job location, what it is etc etc and I'll give you a rate range, then, once I've had the interview I can firm up my rate expectations.

'Why dont you just tell us your rate?' I said because no other ******* business would be expected to quote you a price for a job over the phone that they had scant details for. They'd give you an estimate if you were lucky and only give you a quote once they'd seen the job!

******* morons