"Fixed-term" vs casual contracting

**sasguru** · 20 February 2006, 12:32

What's the point of contracting if you're going to earn the same as a poorly paid permie? Tell 'em to bog off.

SG in "HTH" mode.

**eternalnomad** · 20 February 2006, 12:34

Originally posted by tamper

Hi all - my first post, so be gentle!

For the past 8 months I've been contracting for £475/day. Always a 2-month contract period, but extended 3 times.

Now I'm looking for the next thing, and an agent has just called with a 6-month "fixed-term" contract for a large ISP offering £42k pro-rata. When I said that this seemed to be considerably less than I was earning, the agent said "This is a fixed term contract and thus cannot be compared to a regular contract payable on a daily rate".

Which sounds like rubbish to me. Now you lot probably hold the same opinion of recruitment agents that I do, but that aside, are there any circumstances under which he could be right? I've read the arguments about 'contract hourly rate = permie salary in thousands', but even if that's true (hmmm...), I don't see that I'd accrue any useful benefits within 6 months!

What do you think? Has anyone been in this position?

Cheers,
tamper

Have a look at the various calculators on

http://calculator.contractoruk.com/

**threaded** · 20 February 2006, 12:40

tamper: It is utter rubbish.

I have been in the position of an agent telling me fairie stories as well, it does take considerable effort to not get angry or burst out laughing at the best of times.

Confusion at what an agent says is quite common, and asking the opinions of the congregation at a board such as this is a good idea.

**ratewhore** · 20 February 2006, 12:41

wouldnt touch a fixed term contract like that. sasguru is right...

**zathras** · 20 February 2006, 12:46

Originally posted by tamper

Hi all - my first post, so be gentle!

For the past 8 months I've been contracting for £475/day. Always a 2-month contract period, but extended 3 times.

Now I'm looking for the next thing, and an agent has just called with a 6-month "fixed-term" contract for a large ISP offering £42k pro-rata. When I said that this seemed to be considerably less than I was earning, the agent said "This is a fixed term contract and thus cannot be compared to a regular contract payable on a daily rate".

Which sounds like rubbish to me.

Sounds like rubbish to me as well. At a rate approx 33% of what you were getting. What I've usually done with these is just tell them it is uneconomic to provide services and turned it down.

**Muggers** · 20 February 2006, 12:48

Have to agree with everyone..... even though it's fixed term, you're still not getting holiday, sick pay or any of the other 'benefits' that come with a permie role...... it's twoddle!

**ChimpMaster** · 20 February 2006, 12:49

It's amazing what agents will tell you sometimes to try to sell the job! Just tell him your minimum daily rate and leave it at that. It's then up to his client whether he wants to pay for you!

£425 / day = approx £8925 a month , and = £17850 for 2 months work (before tax)

£42k pro-rata for 6 months = £21k .... i.e. you'll work for 4 months for only £3150 more !!

easy choice eh.

**Alexander Coe** · 20 February 2006, 12:56

Sound like a crap deal to me...

The idea of a fixed term contact paying pro-rata sound weird - even so, going on what i've seen on the job boards before, someone who could command £475 a day could expect 60-65k and bonus on a permi style wages, not 42k.

**tamper** · 20 February 2006, 13:15

Thanks all! I know that on the surface it was a much worse deal, I just figured maybe there was something pertinent in the fact that it was 'fixed-term', though essentially most contracts are for a fixed period of some sort aren't they?

Not that it means anything, since they can be cancelled at short notice. Hmmm...maybe that's what the point of 'fixed-term' is? Protection against the contract being cancelled early?

"Fixed-term" vs casual contracting