I've jumped

starting off

I started this time last year, first contract was £32 per hour. I'd advise to take a short term contract around the same mark then you can either re-negotiate your rate upwards or look for something more juicy and since you have a contract under your belt and hopefully a good reference you can command a larger fee. Worked for me and they seem to take you more seriously after one or two contracts.
I'd advise to take the java side skills from your cv as it could look like your a jack of all trades master of non.
Good luck

Re: rates

Definitely, I do see contracts that I think, yeh, I can do that.

I really don't want to sing too much about the design side of my experience, prefer to stick to .NET and SQL Server as my core skillset, however I do think it is a good combination that should see me get some web dev contracts.

My rate is something that I am unsure of, like I said in my original post, in this arena I am a fluorescent shade of green! I would look at contracts from £25/hour upwards, but if they want to give me £45 I'll accept it, initially I am not going to be too greedy though, what are your thoughts?

thanks for your input by the way,
regards,
J.

Re: rates

Depends on what you're bringing to the party.

.Net will stand you in good stead. You have a varied set of skills. Is there anything you have seen on Jobserve that you feel you could go for and how much do you think you're worth and want each day.

Re: rates

5 years commercial experience. Prior to that I was really a hobbiest web developer using tools like dreamweaver, frontpage, flash and interdev, ultimately I got a very lucky break working with vb6 iis applications (webclasses), most people seem to loathe these but I think they are great

Do you think my limited experience will work against me, I have primarily worked in the telecoms sector, caudwell group eventually soaked up by vodafone.....

J

Re: rates

How many years have you been working?

Re: rates

Thanks MF and HW. I'd always thought I would go umbrella but I'm leaning towards limited company now.

My skillset spans design and development, photoshop(out of the loop since version 4), psp, dreamweaver, fireworks(love it!), flash(mild knowledge) with .NET certification 305 and 306 last June. I am doing another exam soon but don't know whether to get my MCAD and do the 310 or do the 229 SQL Server. I aren't sure how much worth there is in the certifications from Microsoft but I thought better to have them than not.....
I've recently been working in BEA Weblogic Workshop 8.1, Java J2EE and all, working on an internal system for my employer, Vodafone, but I'm just not as comfortable in it as I am in .NET, so I think I am going to lose that from my CV for fear of agencies picking up on it and inundating me with requests for Weblogic.....
The agencies trouble me, I realise they are just trying to make a living but I just see them as blood sucking, lying, cheating leeches, is that a bit strong or kind of me?

regards,
J.

rates

hard to assess your rate without knowing your skillset.
For me, skilled in c#, xslt, xml, sql server brings £350 per day outside of London.
I use Giant, good returns, some slag it off but there pretty efficient.

Well good luck.

Depends on whether you plan t stay out. You could go umbrella for a while but avoid Prosperity - have a bad rep.

If you're going to do more than 50k a year, become vat registered.

I did it, I handed my notice in a while back now and I have only a month to go and I'll be on my own from the 1st of July :rolleyes .

I've a lot of reading to do to get up to speed because in this arena I am a fluorescent shade of green, things I need to decide is whether to use an umbrella company or have my own limited company? Who are the tulipe payers? Agencies to avoid in general? Rates to charge/expect?

Really glad I found this place and hope you will forgive me for some of the 'wet behind my ears questions' I will no doubt ask you.....

regards,
J.