Permie > Contractor

[elpato]

So I've just had an agent contact me to discuss a new role. Sounds decent.

The only issue is the rate. It's much lower than I hoped to start off with. Should I just hush and accept - afterall this would be my first gig.

Hey Danny - posted my background in another forum as a bit of an intro but probably relevant enough to be worth repeating here.

I was in the same position - my first role (which I'm in now) started at a much lower rate than I was hoping for. Roughly about the same as my permie salary. Was it a perfect deal? No. Was it more than the £0/day I was pulling in sitting on the sofa at home? Yep. Did I take it? Of course!

Most of all, the fact I've now got my first contract sorted massively put my mind at ease. That was most important to me. Sure, I like the role, the client is great (and very happy with my work), the hours are better and I've since been extended with a decent rate hike...but those are bonuses

Overall, I'd say go for it and best of luck!

[northernladuk]

Don't forget, the second gig is the hardest to get.

[MrMarkyMark]

Don't forget, the second gig is the hardest to get.

Then the third can be quite tricky and as for the fourth.........

[elpato]

Don't forget, the second gig is the hardest to get.

[DanielSQL]

I think you're right.

I knew I wouldn't be able to bag a 500+ day rate from the get go... But that didn't prepare me for the figure quoted. I had to ask her to repeat what she just said.

Oh well... Let's see how I get on

It's been a while since my last update. So here we go -

The role I last mentioned fell through. I chased the agent a couple days later. From what I remember the client had decided not to take on a contractor in the end.....

Fast forward to last week. I was invited out for a few drinks with a couple of colleagues. One of them is a contractor. I told him about my plans and his response was "why don't you work with me"! To cut a long story short, one of his clients have been waiting on him for a few months now to start on a new project.

A couple days later I receive some of the requirements. And I'm left thinking "let's do this".

We also spoke over the weekend to discuss things in more detail. Im trying not to get my hopes up. But it looks as though I may have secured my first gig!

As for monies. It looks as though we'll be charging the client a set fee for the project as a whole - thoughts?

[DanielSQL]

The person that wrote it probably knows it needed improvement. There are too many reasons why you find stuff like that laying around. The main reasons are

Lack of time to implement it.
Someone wanting to add a skill to their CV.
Lack of skill in something they think they know.

I was able to chase the contractor down. I used to work with his business partner a year or two ago.

Basically he said he was under alot of pressure. I kind of believe him.

[northernladuk]

It's been a while since my last update. So here we go -

The role I last mentioned fell through. I chased the agent a couple days later. From what I remember the client had decided not to take on a contractor in the end.....

Fast forward to last week. I was invited out for a few drinks with a couple of colleagues. One of them is a contractor. I told him about my plans and his response was "why don't you work with me"! To cut a long story short, one of his clients have been waiting on him for a few months now to start on a new project.

A couple days later I receive some of the requirements. And I'm left thinking "let's do this".

We also spoke over the weekend to discuss things in more detail. Im trying not to get my hopes up. But it looks as though I may have secured my first gig!

As for monies. It looks as though we'll be charging the client a set fee for the project as a whole - thoughts?

Are you negotiating through your mate or directly with the client? Personally I'd avoid anything through 'a mate'? I've seen more than enough people bringing newbies in and screwing them harder than agents do. Be very careful.

Fixed fee? You've got to make sure you negotiate an extremely tight set of deliverables to make sure the client doesn't change scope, cause the delays which means you don't get paid and so on. If he's paying you 10 grand for what you think is month long piece of work but takes 6 to 8 weeks it could you to stay until you delivery.

Loads of gotchas with fixed price so have a look through these links...

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ns-advice.html

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...2yGIKpe_-6k4AG

[CompulsiveArsonist]

It sounds like he is busy doing other things, which is why this client has been neglected. Is it wise to do this with him given he may not be able to commit the time to get this finished. Perhaps it may be better to do this solo?

Are you negotiating through your mate or directly with the client? Personally I'd avoid anything through 'a mate'? I've seen more than enough people bringing newbies in and screwing them harder than agents do. Be very careful.

Fixed fee? You've got to make sure you negotiate an extremely tight set of deliverables to make sure the client doesn't change scope, cause the delays which means you don't get paid and so on. If he's paying you 10 grand for what you think is month long piece of work but takes 6 to 8 weeks it could you to stay until you delivery.

Loads of gotchas with fixed price so have a look through these links...

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ns-advice.html

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...2yGIKpe_-6k4AG

[DanielSQL]

It sounds like he is busy doing other things, which is why this client has been neglected. Is it wise to do this with him given he may not be able to commit the time to get this finished. Perhaps it may be better to do this solo?

He would very much be the middle man here. Technically the colleague / contractor would be my client.

[northernladuk]

He would very much be the middle man here. Technically the colleague / contractor would be my client.

Personally I wouldn't touch that with a barge pole unless he is 100% transparent with the whole thing.