[Info-vax] Contract Opportunity: VMS Developer

[Scott Dorsey]

Kerry Main  <kemain.nospam at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>There are likely not going to be many software development opportunities =
>anywhere to get USD $150 (CAD $200/hr) or in other terms, CAD =
>$400,000/yr (2000 hr typical year). Big difference between minimum wage =
>and what you were asking for.

As a consultant on a contract, you get no benefits, no stability, no 
office, in fact you are paying out of pocket for many of the services
that an employer would normally provide. 

Health insurance is likely not the problem in Canada that it is here, but
in the US it adds a huge chunk onto the costs that a consultant has to pay
out instead of the employer.

On top of this, a consultant likely spends as much time doing overhead
work (like looking for jobs) as he does working, so that has to be figured
as a substantial additional cost and somebody has to pay it so it's going
to be the employer.

So expect a consulting price to be between two and five times what you
would expect to pay for an employee.  Sometimes I have seen it as much as
ten.  If this is too much for you... then hire an employee and not a 
consultant.

>Another tip - just because you sent one email to the staffing firm and =
>received no response, don't assume there was no interest (ok, actually =
>requesting CAD $200/hr would likely not receive much interest).=20

That's a more or less normal rate for a consulting programmer.  Figure that
in the end he's actually making about what a full-time employee would make
at $40/hr once he pays for the costs of doing business and general overhead.

Yes, you can hire someone offshore for a lot less, and there are cases where
that can be a win, and other cases where that can be a disaster.
--scott

-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."