What would you do?

[farout117]

Ok so this is my first post here, just wanted to know what you would do in my position.

So basically I have been at this client for the past 2 years now. First year, extended but no increase in rate. Now renewal in 2 months time, clients wants to renew but no increase in the rate again!

Work is ok and quite easy compared to other contracts I have had, working mainly on old technologies, like .NET 2.0 and old Classic ASP. However am quite pis*** off since there is no new technologies planned for next year, such as silverlight and WPF.

So I tried to negotiate with the agent but he told me that the client will not move (am almost sure that if they pressed him, he will move a bit).

My instinct is telling me to risk and move on, and wait for a better contract/rate, however in these times, seems like its better to stay in work until hopefully, things will start shaping up again, if they will eventually do. And as you know, looking for work when you are already in a contract is quite tough.

Any ideas?

[Dread]

Spruse up the CV and start looking now. In the meantime, play hardball, tell them if they wont renew at a higher rate then you want a weekly rolling contract, so that you have the ability to just walk away if something better comes along at a weeks notice. If they wont do that either then really you're better off without them, they dont value your contribution.

By the way, talk to the person at the company about this not the recruiter, the recruiter just wants you to STFU and continue making them their commission. If you can get an agreement from the person at the company, they can direct the recruiter to do as agreed between you and the company.

[Scrag Meister]

Ok so this is my first post here, just wanted to know what you would do in my position.

So basically I have been at this client for the past 2 years now. First year, extended but no increase in rate. Now renewal in 2 months time, clients wants to renew but no increase in the rate again!

Work is ok and quite easy compared to other contracts I have had, working mainly on old technologies, like .NET 2.0 and old Classic ASP. However am quite pis*** off since there is no new technologies planned for next year, such as silverlight and WPF.

So I tried to negotiate with the agent but he told me that the client will not move (am almost sure that if they pressed him, he will move a bit).

My instinct is telling me to risk and move on, and wait for a better contract/rate, however in these times, seems like its better to stay in work until hopefully, things will start shaping up again, if they will eventually do. And as you know, looking for work when you are already in a contract is quite tough.

Any ideas?

What is your current rate like compared to market/advertised rates.

Personally if I was that annoyed about the non-increase I would accept the extension and start looking for something else to jump to once the opportunity arose, but wouldn't expect a prompt move considering the client contract climate.

GL if you decide to go looking.

[farout117]

Thanks for the replies guys

@Dread
As regards to a weekly rolling contract, they will never agree with that, cause someone else tried that. Playing hard ball is also very difficult to work since at the moment, there is very few work here and they can hire someone else at giffy.

Yes I was thinking of talking to my manager (the one who wants me to get the extension, however I have since phoned the agency and told them that after 2 years I deserve a better rate, and they should come back to me)

Market is not really in favour at the moment If this happened like 3 years ago, I would have been already at another client by now!)

@Scrag Meister

Its about 30% below the norm here, however as I said, not that too much contracts at the moment floating around, even maybe cause of the time of year. That is why I was thinking to keep what I have and continue searching, just a bit hard though.... if I tell another agency, yeah I have a contact till........ but I have a 1 month notice, does that appear professional enough? And if I tell my agency to reduce the notice period, it will be quite obv what I am after.

Ah wish I was in the UK at the moment! More opportunities there.

Thanks again for your contribution, kemm em coming

[CheeseSlice]

Does your contract allow you to give notice? or are you stuck for another year?

[TheFaQQer]

If the client aren't able / willing to move, then see if the agency will. You've been there a while, and there is naff all that they do from here, apart from factor your payments.

If there is no movement from anyone, then negotiate a decent notice period into the new contract, so you can leave if you want / need to, without being stuck for a while.

If they won't do that, then leave and find something else to do.

[oliverson]

I don't think you're doing yourself any favours. WPF and Silverlight have been out for several years now. As a contractor you should keep your skillset up-to-date no matter what you're working on. Anyhow, you've missed the boat with both those technologies are they are soon to be legacy if not already.

Given your commercial experience in web development and the way development is going in general, much as I'm loathe to say it being a WPF developer, I'd focus on HTML5, Javascript and CSS along with ASP.NET MVC 3 (and the next version). The added benefit is that once you get truly sick and tired of this contracting rat race you have some skills to knock up a sideline project, maybe an e-commerce site of some flavour, that may ultimately lead to hanging up your contracting keyboard!

[farout117]

Does your contract allow you to give notice? or are you stuck for another year?

yes I have 1 month notice period

[farout117]

If the client aren't able / willing to move, then see if the agency will. You've been there a while, and there is naff all that they do from here, apart from factor your payments.

If there is no movement from anyone, then negotiate a decent notice period into the new contract, so you can leave if you want / need to, without being stuck for a while.

If they won't do that, then leave and find something else to do.

No most prob there won't be any movements from anyone, so yeah I have a 1 month notice and see how that goes. Maybe something will come up before I sign the new one.

[farout117]

I don't think you're doing yourself any favours. WPF and Silverlight have been out for several years now. As a contractor you should keep your skillset up-to-date no matter what you're working on. Anyhow, you've missed the boat with both those technologies are they are soon to be legacy if not already.

Given your commercial experience in web development and the way development is going in general, much as I'm loathe to say it being a WPF developer, I'd focus on HTML5, Javascript and CSS along with ASP.NET MVC 3 (and the next version). The added benefit is that once you get truly sick and tired of this contracting rat race you have some skills to knock up a sideline project, maybe an e-commerce site of some flavour, that may ultimately lead to hanging up your contracting keyboard!

You reckon WPF will be legacy soon? Well I am concentrating on it at the moment since I really love this technology, though I must admit I am quite behind till now. But I think there will always be the need for LOB applications, and I cannot imagine HTML5, Javascript or CSS can achieve that, let alone ASP.NET MVC3! I think that WPF is there to stay, IMHO.

Yeah would love to come out with a million dollar idea and hang up my contracting keyboard, but what are the chances realistically?