IT Contracting Daily Rate

pobber1

Hi All,

I am currently in a permanent C# .Net development role. I am looking to get into contracting. I have done a lot of research on what I need to do in terms of setting up a company or working under an umbrella company however I'm not sure what daily rate I should be charging. I am a senior developer in my current position. I was hoping to get €350+ a day to make the transition from the permanent role worth it.

Basic overview of experience:-

6 years VB6 and SQL, 2 years C# .Net WinForms and WCF (experience in other areas too but those are the main ones).

Any advice much appreciated.

pobber1

Anyone?

srsly78

2 years experience with modern tools is not enough, you will be lucky to even get 350. Stick with current job and get more experience.

pobber1

Hi srsly78,

Thanks for the reply.

My current role had given me all the experience it is going to unfortunately.
I was hoping that a move to contracting would expose me to more modern technology. Given the two years experience I have with modern tools what daily rate do you think would be fair? 300-330 maybe?

srsly78

Move to another permanent job (payrise+learn new stuff), try contracting when you are more experienced.

pobber1

I appreciate the advice, thanks.

dazberry

Can you not learn the stuff you're interested in outside the job? You're still in a C# role, it will stand to you if you hang around for another couple of years but be able to demonstrate knowledge in those other technologies, and not just come across as a 9 to 5er...

A friend of mine has just come off a few years of maternity leave into a great c# job, simply because she studied her ass off any free time she got, and when it came to the crunch she was able to show she knew her stuff

D.

pobber1

I have done plenty of self learning to get away from VB6. More recently I have done a lot with ASP.Net MVC.

Interviews for contracting roles have gone well (i.e. I was able to answer all questions put to me) but I am now being asked what my daily rate is.

srsly78

Your rate is whatever you can get.

MMAGirl

I dont even go to an interview unless they tell me what daily rate range they are willing to part with. if say they said 400 - 500 then 500 it will be.
when i was interviewing people if they said 400- 500 then they are telling me they will get 400 max if they got the job.

if you are looking for better contract rates try the uk or europe too.