Turned down a contract

[Mich the Tester]

Just been offered a contract to start at an old client without the need for interview on april 1 following on from this contract (which might be extended again anyway). Clientco are rebuilding huge chunks of a system that Bob delivered in the last few years, because, you wouldn’t believe it, Bob’s handiwork is a big pile of tulipe.

Why? The rate. I know what the rates for test managers are at that clientco and they’re a lot more than 45 euros per hour. I’m on 75 now, so f**k it. But of course it’s a large international agency who are losing money all over Europe and are trying to recover it with huge margins at a couple of clients in Holland. The other thing is I have a no-competition clause at that client and that agent that lasts until march 31 this year, so if I go back to that client I want it to be after 31 march AND with another agent whose margins are transparent.

Honestly, 45 euros for a test manager with 15 years testing experience, senior management experience, very good knowledge of clientco’s systems and proven experience in clearing up Bob’s mess. Shove your 45 euros up your bum.

Oh, and it feels good to be turning down offers again.

[milanbenes]

Mich are you 40+ ?

Milan.

[Mich the Tester]

Mich are you 40+ ?

Milan.

No. Why?

[norrahe]

Oh do please rub it in for those of us on the bench

[Mich the Tester]

Oh do please rub it in for those of us on the bench

I'm doing you a favour by not taking tulipe rates. Only when lots of people refuse the low rates will the rates go up.

[scooterscot]

I've noticed a similar trend in the whole margin territory for the past 12 months now.

With around 12 years experience agents are calling me up with almost half of what they would have offered me a few years back.

It's not the clients either. I ignored one job for the best part of a year and the exact same job the rate went up by 1/3

Every agent that talks to me these days spills something out along the lines of "Well the market now has so many people available to do the work"

Whot a recession flooded the marketplace with individuals with 12+ years of engineering mathematical modelling experience, @££%£$ money grabbing idiots

Well the derrière is not for shafting so take your Vaseline else where Mr agent

[FiveTimes]

Oh do please rub it in for those of us on the bench

our time will come

[norrahe]

I'm doing you a favour by not taking tulipe rates. Only when lots of people refuse the low rates will the rates go up.

It doesn't work, believe me!

[AtW]

Whot a recession flooded the marketplace with individuals with 12+ years of engineering mathematical modelling experience, @££%£$ money grabbing idiots

I hope those modellers don't come from the City!

[scooterscot]

While I'm having a rant I'll tell you another thing.

My client, who searched the best part of a year to get someone, I'm establishing a really good relationship with, possible direct work in the future. Now that I've had the chance to prove myself I'm working from my own office most of the time now.

You want to know the future? Wind the clock back 20 years. You've got to earn trust before you get paid well - simple simple simple.

Folks/agents who are obsessed with making a quick buck, those folks me dears are in for the biggest shock of all.