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Tracy Boyington wrote:
>
> John Posada wrote:
> >
> > Tracy...ya gotta set some type of guidelines.
> >
> > When you set the parameters, you must use a figure that you would be
> > content with. If you wait untill you come up with an offer higher than
> > anything else, you will never know what the highest is.
>
> Now, John, that's not what I said. :-) Of course you should have
> parameters. I just don't think you should necessarily reveal them to
> anyone who asks.
The problem with not exposing some of your past rates, at least in
general terms, is that previous rates tend to validate you. Most
agencies speak with so many contractors that they may not have the time
to evaluate a portfolio for each person they speak with. Besides, if
you have the policy of never letting your portfolio out of your hands,
how do you give the agency some feedback on what level you work in
without running around like a "chicken....".
Besides, they aren't asking for anything that companies don't ask for
when they ask for a salary history. For example, if I tell the agency
that my last four assignment where between $40 and $50, then they can
get a ballpark feeling that I'm "better" than someone who has worked
between $30 and $35. WAIT!!!! I don't mean that because I may make 50,
I'm automatically better than someone at $32, it means that the
companies hiring me "believe" I'm better, or why would they pay more.
When you get down to it, what harm does it do to mention rate
ranges...you're going to take the position with the rate you want, not
what you had.
--
John Posada, Technical Writer (and proud of the title)
The world's premier Internet fax service company: The FaxSav Global
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them.
HEY! Are you coming to the NJ TechWriter lunch? So far, about 10
of us are. Ask me about it.
