Another one of those 'what would you do' questions...

[GillsMan]

I'd appreciate some advice from the esteemed and experienced members of this board.

Me: Next week I finish my first contact. Three monther, renewed several times, daily rate of £315, been here a year. Central London. I'm sort of an IT training co-ordinator, e-learning developer and project manager.

Job 1: I've been offered a similar gig at a blue chip law firm starting 31 May. Similar role, but quite highly pressured, paying £295 - and I'm on about £50pd more than the other contractors apparently. Accepted verbally subject to contract. Haven't signed the contract yet, but have queried a couple of clauses with them.

Job 2: Been offered an interview with a hedge fund company. Rate is £350pd, but I can almost certainly negotiate up to close to £400pd. Sounds like they're struggling to get someone with the exact experience, which I have. So not a guaranteed role, but I've a good chance of securing it.

Question: What would you do? I'm almost of the mindset that, regardless of whether I've signed a contract, I've verbally committed to Job 1, albeit subject to contract. Job 2 sounds amazing, it's in a good sector and of course it's quite a lot more money.

I always say "don't be a rate whore" and, frankly, £295 is good for me, though I think the role actually deserves a higher daily rate. But Job 2 would give me an amazing chance to work in IB. One mitigating factor: Job 1 only became available because they were let down by a contractor who handed in his notice and left, which kind of left them in the lurch. They wanted me to agree to a one month notice period (which I'm happy to do). So if I do turn around and say that actually I'm not going to take the role, it muddies the name of contractors further, which obviously isn't great.

So, in my situation, what would you do? Any advice welcome, thanks!

[rd409]

What is your specialty? Try and pass on the role (A) to one of your mate, and see if that is okay with the client. If you find a suitable replacement, I dont see a reason, why client would be unhappy. Just tell them that your current project has got into tulip and you had to agree a short term extension, as a professional courtesy.

[GillsMan]

What is your specialty? Try and pass on the role (A) to one of your mate, and see if that is okay with the client. If you find a suitable replacement, I dont see a reason, why client would be unhappy. Just tell them that your current project has got into tulip and you had to agree a short term extension, as a professional courtesy.

That's a good idea re: substitution, but in reality I don't know that many people.

What is my speciality - good question. I'm sort an IT systems training co-ordinator, which means, I analyse training needs, I've project managed an implementation of a learning management system, that sort of thing.

I have considered the idea of just telling the agency that my client needs to extend and seeing what happens. Not overly comfortable with the idea of lying, mind, but it's an option, yes.

[Scrag Meister]

Go Hedge fund, be a rate whore.

Whats the difference in the commute?

[jmo21]

A bird in the hand and all that....

You've only been offered the interview for the second one, and even then you think you'll be able to push them up another £50?

That being said, the 2nd one does seem more appealing. Better prospects with getting you into IB, and better money.

For me it would depend how quick I could turnaround the 2nd one into actually having the interview and being offered, versus how soon the 1st one need you to sign their contract.

[GillsMan]

Go Hedge fund, be a rate whore.

Whats the difference in the commute?

Negligable. They're both in London, and I live in London. Hedge Fund is closer though to be fair.

[SimonMac]

Ignore the Hedge Fund at the moment, you don't have it so its not in the equation.

[Dearnla]

Go for the money IF you land it.

[thunderlizard]

Depends how you feel about having a few weeks on the bench if the hedge fund one falls through. I'd say go for it. That £100/day difference adds up to £13,000 over a 6-monther. If you've got an offer and an interview lined up before you've even finished your current contract, you shouldn't have to wait around for something else to come along.

[escapeUK]

They would pull out of the contract without a second thought for the most trivial or reasons. That's how business works. Just imagine how you would feel if you miss out on the IB one and then they do pull out.