WTFord

Most of my work comes through either recruitment agencies or word of mouth. That’s just how the contracting game works. Recruiters phone me up and email me and add me on linkedIn on a regular basis which is great and every now and then they have exciting things and I’m actually available and I say YES. Quite often though I say “no, I’m busy until suchandsuchatime”.

Experience has taught me to apply the following simple rules:

The rate I say is the rate I expect. If client X won’t pay it, someone else will. Do better. Don’t even try to beat me down on rates, it’s not happening.

Recruiters MUST tell me what cut they are taking. In plain simple numbers. This is a good policy for everyone - me, them and the client. Being up-front about it means nobody thinks the wool is being pulled over their eyes or that they are being ripped-off. It means we can’t end up in a situation later on where somebody sees the wrong paperwork and gets uppity. It means everyone comes back for more.

Meanwhile go forth o demons of the night and fetch me juicy corpses to feast upon!