Re: About 12% on post to tech-write list

[Berk/Devlin <armadill -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

Hey Guys:

This particular "isolated example" has probably been making $200,000 per 
year (on just his "agency") plus earning a decent living doing something 
else with the rest of his time.  Assuming he didn't only invest in NASDAQ 
stocks, he can probably live pretty well on the past -- say 5 years' -- 
earnings.

And, I'd bet he DID "earn" this money on tech writers' and programmers' 
hourly wages.

MANY of the famous names in high tech REQUIRE ALL their contractors to go 
through an approved provider.  And, the approved provider is USUALLY NOT 
the person who found the contractor the job.  The approved provider is 
literally just some guy who got his company name on the list at a 
particular employer.

Basically, my experience in Silicon Valley is that this leech-like type of 
"agency" is the norm, not the exception, for high-tech contracting positions.

And, I don't console myself with the fact that the leeches are going to be 
making less because the job market is tanking.  They can afford a pay cut 
better than the rest of us too.

The current economy gives the companies that insist on these kinds of 
third-party relationships with contractors significantly MORE clout over 
job-seekers than they had when job seekers were less numerous.  IMO, in a 
tight job market, it's MORE likely that the approved providers will keep a 
significant proportion of control over jobs at some of the larger, most 
secure employers in this area.

--Emily


On Tue, 08 May 2001 21:26:37 -0700, Elna Tymes <etymes -at- lts -dot- com> wrote: