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Previously on "BOOM! New Contract in the City"

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  • BR14
    replied
    Originally posted by mattfx View Post
    It's my second gig, you have to start somewhere. Gradually been increasing the size of company that I've been working with and trying to make my CV more impressive each time I've made a move. I used to be paid £30k a year as a perm and got pimped out at £1200 a day for one consultancy, and that was only a couple of years ago. I didn't cry about it then and I certainly won't cry about it now
    Hear Hear!

    Leave a comment:


  • mattfx
    replied
    Originally posted by tarbera View Post
    Chap in my office was delighted to get £600 a day until I told him he was pimped out at £1850 a day
    It's my second gig, you have to start somewhere. Gradually been increasing the size of company that I've been working with and trying to make my CV more impressive each time I've made a move. I used to be paid £30k a year as a perm and got pimped out at £1200 a day for one consultancy, and that was only a couple of years ago. I didn't cry about it then and I certainly won't cry about it now

    Leave a comment:


  • tarbera
    replied
    Originally posted by mattfx View Post
    Thanks for the words of wisdom and all the congrats. I won't be in London all the time, in fact at time I could find myself up the other end of the country - I'm being pimped out to my clients clients. They front the bill on the expense tab outside of the M25 though, so that's all good. It's only a 3 month gig so if I don't like it I'll find something elsewhere.

    One nice thing about being there is that my other half works a 5 minute walk away from their offices, so at least lunch times won't be dull!

    Chap in my office was delighted to get £600 a day until I told him he was pimped out at £1850 a day

    Leave a comment:


  • mattfx
    replied
    Thanks for the words of wisdom and all the congrats. I won't be in London all the time, in fact at time I could find myself up the other end of the country - I'm being pimped out to my clients clients. They front the bill on the expense tab outside of the M25 though, so that's all good. It's only a 3 month gig so if I don't like it I'll find something elsewhere.

    One nice thing about being there is that my other half works a 5 minute walk away from their offices, so at least lunch times won't be dull!

    Leave a comment:


  • woohoo
    replied
    Originally posted by Lance View Post
    I quite like working in London and I live in the North.
    I go to site when I want.
    They pay my expenses (well most, they have a cap on evening meals which fine a McDs but not for food).
    I fly.
    I WFH the rest of the time.

    To mattfx - get your feet under the table, get them to let you WFH at least 2 days a week and enjoy London town.
    Lance, you enjoy it because you arent there most of the time. Being in London has wrecked your brainy processes.

    Leave a comment:


  • vwdan
    replied
    Originally posted by woohoo View Post
    I'm afraid it's happened to you already, you have turned into a bumbling, rambling londoner. You now think you enjoy it there but like someone suffering PSDT you can't tell your arse from your elbow.

    God help you.
    I currently neither live, nor work, in London

    Leave a comment:


  • woohoo
    replied
    Originally posted by vwdan View Post
    Balls! With the single (albeit HUGE) exception that it means being away from home, I *love* working in London.

    Gets a bit intense after a while - especially once people realise that you're nearly always available for some after work drinks but a cracking good laugh.
    I'm afraid it's happened to you already, you have turned into a bumbling, rambling londoner. You now think you enjoy it there but like someone suffering PSDT you can't tell your arse from your elbow.

    God help you.

    Leave a comment:


  • MyUserName
    replied
    Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
    Stand in first class - **** that!
    No alternative. Something had happened with the other trains and by the time I got on it was barely standing room only.

    Leave a comment:


  • vwdan
    replied
    Originally posted by woohoo View Post
    Find a contract elsewhere. You are happy now, but soon even if they doubled your doubled day rate you will wish you had never accepted this London contract.

    But it gets worse, in a few weeks you will become miserable and in a vain attempt to make yourself happy you buy yourself things. Perhaps a new car, tv etc. Soon, you will be trapped, you can't afford to take a contract elsewhere and lose your London day rate. You have a fancy car to pay off, still have to pay for that fancy holiday.

    Trapped in the dredge of London, I only hope you hit rock bottom as gently as possible. Until, then my only advice is move up North, to the Jeweled city of Manchester.
    Balls! With the single (albeit HUGE) exception that it means being away from home, I *love* working in London.

    Gets a bit intense after a while - especially once people realise that you're nearly always available for some after work drinks but a cracking good laugh.

    Leave a comment:


  • quackhandle
    replied
    I used to work with a fellow contractor who would never do a London (City) gig back to back, he would always try to do the next one outside of the M25 as it was too much, commute, lifestyle, drinks, cost, etc.

    Any way

    Good luck.

    qh

    Leave a comment:


  • Lance
    replied
    Originally posted by woohoo View Post
    Find a contract elsewhere. You are happy now, but soon even if they doubled your doubled day rate you will wish you had never accepted this London contract.

    But it gets worse, in a few weeks you will become miserable and in a vain attempt to make yourself happy you buy yourself things. Perhaps a new car, tv etc. Soon, you will be trapped, you can't afford to take a contract elsewhere and lose your London day rate. You have a fancy car to pay off, still have to pay for that fancy holiday.

    Trapped in the dredge of London, I only hope you hit rock bottom as gently as possible. Until, then my only advice is move up North, to the Jeweled city of Manchester.
    I quite like working in London and I live in the North.
    I go to site when I want.
    They pay my expenses (well most, they have a cap on evening meals which fine a McDs but not for food).
    I fly.
    I WFH the rest of the time.

    To mattfx - get your feet under the table, get them to let you WFH at least 2 days a week and enjoy London town.

    Leave a comment:


  • woohoo
    replied
    Originally posted by mattfx View Post
    It's my first ever time commuting to London, any seasoned vets have any pearls of wisdom they'd care to share?!
    Find a contract elsewhere. You are happy now, but soon even if they doubled your doubled day rate you will wish you had never accepted this London contract.

    But it gets worse, in a few weeks you will become miserable and in a vain attempt to make yourself happy you buy yourself things. Perhaps a new car, tv etc. Soon, you will be trapped, you can't afford to take a contract elsewhere and lose your London day rate. You have a fancy car to pay off, still have to pay for that fancy holiday.

    Trapped in the dredge of London, I only hope you hit rock bottom as gently as possible. Until, then my only advice is move up North, to the Jeweled city of Manchester.

    Leave a comment:


  • stek
    replied
    You get stabbed in London I believe.

    Plus the beer's flat and there's nowt moist in the chip shops...

    Leave a comment:


  • Lance
    replied
    Originally posted by mattfx View Post
    For almost (but not quite) double the day rate of my first contract at the airport I will have spent a whole week on the bench between gigs. It's my first ever time commuting to London, any seasoned vets have any pearls of wisdom they'd care to share?!
    Slug and Lettuce in the city do half price gin on Thursdays

    Leave a comment:


  • psychocandy
    replied
    Originally posted by MyUserName View Post
    I used to commute to London from Basingstoke (still live there). I paid the extra for a first class seat and I don't thing I had to stand once on the way there and only once on the wah back.

    I used to nap or read.
    Stand in first class - **** that!

    I was lucky - pretty much always had two seats to myself apart from odd fridays and when there was an event on in cardiff. Rugby world cup was a nightmare.

    Leave a comment:

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