Importance of Rate

It is no coincidence that IT Contractors need to go for the highest possible rate for every hour they spend because they trade in life's seconds... seconds they can never get back... so its very understandable they would ask for the highest possible rate especially if their life's precious seconds are valued at all.

Consider along with this that they only have a maximim of 24 hours each day to give toward that.

If you were to deduct (from that 24 hours) the time needed for sleep, time needed to keep up with change in their area of expertise, networking, maintaining their books, updating resumes, going on interviews and you soon see that dwindle considerably. It makes absolute sense that they can make sure every hour on the job counts.

It is also fair enough that the pay scale for the IT industry is a little higher than other expense sided service providers since research aimed at management indicates that business consistantly and persistantly looks to technology for every opportunity to directly improve their bottom line. Business would prefer to use technology where it does more, does it faster, does it with more precision, does it longer, without the high maintenance that can come with the human alternative.

Business is willing to share in that improvement with those willing to deliver it to them.

But lets look at the other side of the coin. Most of us have met contractors who are there for the gain but not for helping the business overcome its pain. They appear to have only one thing on their mind. The highest rate possible. However realistically this is not sustainable without the contractor giving something in return through shifting their expertise and innovatively applying that to areas of greatest demand. Consider perhaps, the possibility, that demanding the highest possible rate without offering some real and ongoing benefit and advantage does not help the people who are trying to represent you, namely your agent. Agents will endeavor to get you the best possible rate, the best possible deal but can only do this with people who are willing to work with them.

So to what extent is finding more benefit and advantage for the end client, that makes it easier for the agent to best place you, at the best possible rate, (dare I say) that gives you the edge... important to you as a contractor?