Reply to: Naive question

[technobabble]

Listening

There comes a point when a 'naive question' just becomes 'I will only listen to and, accept the answer I want to hear.'

I think this thread reached that point a few days ago.

Well I am here to learn and have to accept the advice of people who are specialists in this area.. Of course I don't like what I am hearing and I are hoping its not the way it is but it is what it is.... and I am half regretting even returning home.. but I had no choice with that either.....

[BolshieBastard]

There comes a point when a 'naive question' just becomes 'I will only listen to and, accept the answer I want to hear.'

I think this thread reached that point a few days ago.

[GhostofTarbera]

Well I am from London and whilst I actually did a lot of work for USA companies whilst working as an expat I was not based in the USA and don't want to be. However one of my ideas is to to attempt to find direct work with USA companies via a sales agent and through a website whilst basing myself here, which I can then support with regular trips to the US. I do have a number of contacts over there which could help.

I'm a long way from that point yet though, as I don't have a website for the services I want to offer plus there is a good market for them in the UK anyway. I also don't want to be contracting long term, I just see this as a way to earn money whilst I setup my own business and find direct clients. I reckon I need a year to build up enough end clients that I can then drop out the contracting aspect all together, like most everyone else I need to work and London isn't cheap and so on. Hopefully I can reduce down to 4 then 3 days a week in the summer using that time for my own business development.

Cool fairytale

Try also digging for gold at the end of a rainbow


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[technobabble]

Then I would advise trying to get a work visa for the USA and working there, because you ain’t going to get that here.

Well I am from London and whilst I actually did a lot of work for USA companies whilst working as an expat I was not based in the USA and don't want to be. However one of my ideas is to to attempt to find direct work with USA companies via a sales agent and through a website whilst basing myself here, which I can then support with regular trips to the US. I do have a number of contacts over there which could help.

I'm a long way from that point yet though, as I don't have a website for the services I want to offer plus there is a good market for them in the UK anyway. I also don't want to be contracting long term, I just see this as a way to earn money whilst I setup my own business and find direct clients. I reckon I need a year to build up enough end clients that I can then drop out the contracting aspect all together, like most everyone else I need to work and London isn't cheap and so on. Hopefully I can reduce down to 4 then 3 days a week in the summer using that time for my own business development.

[technobabble]

But you don't have the network and don't have the means to demonstrate that you know it so take the £550 job and get experience in the UK that you can use to move onward.

Yes I am more and more coming around to that point of view also. 12 years is a long time and my knowledge the market and now IR35 is really different to how it was back in "the day" Trying to close that agency down at the moment!

[eek]

The £200 is based on one agency I have spoken to who so far have been the only agency to put me forward for roles at £550 and they have been open and said their end clients would be charged £750. I've not yet been offered a role on that basis so far but in these last two weeks I've had a couple of separate similar discussions with them at the same rate but different clients. They seem to specialise in IT roles in London.

I don't have a network in the UK, so I'll be going to trade shows and the like trying to network and build one up but as others have mentioned normallythese roles come through recommendation or networking and not agencies.

But you don't have the network and don't have the means to demonstrate that you know it so take the £550 job and get experience in the UK that you can use to move onward. After all it's better to have money coming in rather than nothing as an awful lot of people around here will affirm.

And while I don't know your industry I know that I personally wouldn't have any problem finding work abroad - as there is ample evidence online that I am the expert I claim to be (mind you no-one else would be stupid enough to offer an enhanced security model for a product that already has 3 security options within it).

[cojak]

Well my target rate is £700 per day, which would leave me in a similar after tax position, guys in my niche earn a lot more than that in the US and are in demand.

I am getting enquiries at £550 just not yet above that and the agencies would charge me out at £750 keeping £200 as there slice so clearly it is doable.

Then I would advise trying to get a work visa for the USA and working there, because you ain’t going to get that here.

[GhostofTarbera]

The £200 is based on one agency I have spoken to who so far have been the only agency to put me forward for roles at £550 and they have been open and said their end clients would be charged £750. I've not yet been offered a role on that basis so far but in these last two weeks I've had a couple of separate similar discussions with them at the same rate but different clients. They seem to specialise in IT roles in London.

I don't have a network in the UK, so I'll be going to trade shows and the like trying to network and build one up but as others have mentioned normallythese roles come through recommendation or networking and not agencies.

What you currently have is a hill of beans, words from agents are meaningless


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[technobabble]

In banking agencies were taking around 10-15% markup of my contract rate. £200 of £750 seems extreme to me.

The £200 is based on one agency I have spoken to who so far have been the only agency to put me forward for roles at £550 and they have been open and said their end clients would be charged £750. I've not yet been offered a role on that basis so far but in these last two weeks I've had a couple of separate similar discussions with them at the same rate but different clients. They seem to specialise in IT roles in London.

I don't have a network in the UK, so I'll be going to trade shows and the like trying to network and build one up but as others have mentioned normallythese roles come through recommendation or networking and not agencies.

[jamesbrown]

Fair point. What I am finding is that it is tough to find agencies that understand my niche and therefore the value of what I can offer. As you say the US is a different and far bigger market.

You can't be that niche if you're using an agent.

The US doesn't have a contracting market analogous to the UK.

[starstruck]

Well my target rate is £700 per day, which would leave me in a similar after tax position, guys in my niche earn a lot more than that in the US and are in demand.

I am getting enquiries at £550 just not yet above that and the agencies would charge me out at £750 keeping £200 as there slice so clearly it is doable.

In banking agencies were taking around 10-15% markup of my contract rate. £200 of £750 seems extreme to me.

[KinooOrKinog]

Fair point. What I am finding is that it is tough to find agencies that understand my niche and therefore the value of what I can offer. As you say the US is a different and far bigger market.

What is your niche?

[eek]

Fair point. What I am finding is that it is tough to find agencies that understand my niche and therefore the value of what I can offer. As you say the US is a different and far bigger market.

Few niches are big enough in the UK to have specialist agencies. Out of the ones I'm aware of both SalesForce and Dynamics do, most others will have a few agents inside an agency who may know more than others do and have the appropriate contact book.

Equally a lot of niches will no longer use the job boards - Dynamics contracts very much appear on linkedIn and not elsewhere.

[technobabble]

It's kind of irrelevant what you can earn in the US. You're not in the US. If all the enquiries/calls you're getting are at the 550 mark then that's the market rate for your role, regardless of what you need/want.

Fair point. What I am finding is that it is tough to find agencies that understand my niche and therefore the value of what I can offer. As you say the US is a different and far bigger market.

[KinooOrKinog]

Well my target rate is £700 per day, which would leave me in a similar after tax position, guys in my niche earn a lot more than than in the US and are in demand.

I am getting enquiries at £550 just not yet above that.

It's kind of irrelevant what you can earn in the US. You're not in the US. If all the enquiries/calls you're getting are at the 550 mark then that's the market rate for your role, regardless of what you need/want.