Re: Rates

[Barb Philbrick <caslonsvcs -at- IBM -dot- NET>]

>I've been quoting rates for long-term assignments (6-12 months) at an
>hourly rate a little above the median for contractors as shown in the
>C&IC SIG Rate Survey for 1997. And the prospects have been kind of gagging
>on it. Should  one charge less per hour for a longer-term job?

Dear Perplexed:

I'm also a contractor. I wouldn't charge a lower rate for a longer
term job, especially if it's full-time. They are taking you out of
circulation, and when the job ends, it will probably take you a month
or two to find replacement work.

Also, do you have any guarantee that they'll keep you 6 to 12 months?
If you do, then I'd think about lowering my rates. However, if the
wind changes and they let you go, you're back pounding pavement.

I do reward long-time customers by keeping their rates at the initial
rate, even if I have started charging more for new clients. Regular
customers do save me a lot of time in marketing, sales, and so on.

You might want to make sure that the rates in the CIC-SIG survey are
appropriate for your area. Rates can fluctuate significantly. For
example, work in the Cleveland area typically pays $5 to 10 an hour
more than work in Akron/Canton, which is only 30 to 40 miles south.

Regards,

Barb


Barbara Philbrick, Caslon Services Inc.
Technical Writing. caslonsvcs -at- ibm -dot- net
Cleveland, OH