Remember, with GPT-4 around its alot easier to work with a language or technology you only have minimal exposure to. It's like having a Principal Engineer around 24/7 that you can ask questions to unblock you. So dive right in. You can also use it to practice the interview before the actual interview.
My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
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Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#12This is good entry level stuff. As a contractor in the UK exclusively for the past 20 years tho, it doesn't paint a very full picture. The most inaccurate bit is day rates. They're underestimated by quite some way in my experience. What I would say is contracting in the UK is a game with different layers. This is the basic "coder for hire" layer. There's levels above that, with contracts spanning 10 years+ and higher…
Also your number one skill is communication. If you're not liked, your services are less valuable.
Number two skill is negotiating.
The technical stuff starts much further down the list.
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#13I found the yearly take home for outside IR35 contracts is around 220 * day rate, inside is 200. I did find recently that the contract rates have gone down a lot, and the full time salaries increased - so I'm back perm after about 8 years, and am better off having done so. I found jobserve.co.uk good for contract roles though
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#14Remember, with GPT-4 around its alot easier to work with a language or technology you only have minimal exposure to. It's like having a Principal Engineer around 24/7 that you can ask questions to unblock you. So dive right in. You can also use it to practice the interview before the actual interview.
If your principal is like GPT-4, I'd consider this a red flag.
Your comment is an advanced version of "fake it till you make it". That's another red flag when I'm hiring disgustingly highly paid consultants.
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#15> Contractors can get a new role almost immediately... Perhaps inside IR35 and perhaps for a low rate. Big corps mostly do umbrellas these days.
Don't touch umbrella setups. Don't go inside IR35. Businesses either hire contractors for a liquid and expendable workforce... Or they hire high skill people who take on more liability and charge for it accordingly. Be in the second group. They don't use umbrella setups.
I found inside IR35 can be much more lucrative. It's big companies that have more money, can't hire enough perms, and just need stuff done
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#16It's depressing to see that the average day rate in London is still at around 500 pounds. I made as much in my first contract 7 years ago. Sky was offering 650 pounds a day for your average frontend react role.
I thought the times were good, but even then the old timers were talking about the good old days with some nostalgia.
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#17With a limited company generating £100k/year in revenue, I’m curious how much a contractor would earn after salary tax? (assuming no admin/accounting costs)
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#18I found the yearly take home for outside IR35 contracts is around 220 * day rate, inside is 200. I did find recently that the contract rates have gone down a lot, and the full time salaries increased - so I'm back perm after about 8 years, and am better off having done so. I found jobserve.co.uk good for contract roles though
Edit: I can't read. If only my client knew!
£220/day?!
I've not paid a developer less than 600/day since like 2015 and that is outside London too.
Some people are being taken for mugs.
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#19I found the yearly take home for outside IR35 contracts is around 220 * day rate, inside is 200. I did find recently that the contract rates have gone down a lot, and the full time salaries increased - so I'm back perm after about 8 years, and am better off having done so. I found jobserve.co.uk good for contract roles though
Edit: I can't read. If only my client knew! £220/day?! I've not paid a developer less than 600/day since like 2015 and that is outside London too. Some people are being taken for mugs.
No - take your day rate, multiply by 220. That's what you'd expect to make a year
Re: My Guide to Software Engineering Contracting in UK
#20[deleted]