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CONTRACT RATES SURVEY

PURPOSE: As a previous contract survey participant wrote "I feel that some of
the old ethic values about keeping one's earnings private, has backfired on us
as consultants.  Many groups depend on that form of ignorance to take advantage
of the unknowing."  If you know what others in your particular discipline
receive for contract work, you can adjust your hourly rate bids with some
confidence.  You should be able to tell if your rates are low, high or right
on the mark. This survey also asks for geographic locations, in order for
the rate information to be calculated for various US regions and overseas.     
The rates of a California contractor may not be helpful to a person based in
Kansas City or London, so geographic data is important. For those doing nation-
wide and/or overseas work, this breakdown should be especially useful.
1099 and Corp will be classified separately from W-2 rates.  Specific
information results in more specific, and therefore more valuable,
information echoed back to you.  (Background/Survey Guidelines shown 
after the body of the survey.)
      
$$$CONTRACT Rates Survey$$$    September 15th, Deadline for Submissions

(If you are currently between contracts, use last contract information.) 

Please send hardcopies only, to address below.
ALL INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

1.  Specific  Job Title (ie. UNIX Systems Administrator, etc, NOT Consultant) 
_____________________________________________________________________________
2.  Number years as CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANT______# ; years in my field ________                     
3.  Industry (Specify R&D, MIS, etc., not computer) ________________________
4.  My HOURLY rates range from: (Gross; before withholding, if any)
    Low$ ________________, to High$ ________________* 
    *If non US$, use local currency and I will convert.
5.  My highest income year was in 19________.
6.  My YEARLY contract income, has ranged from an APPROXIMATE
    Low of $ __________________k, to a High of _________________k
7.  My current* contract rate (Actual $ today*) is $__________hour.
    *(If currently between contracts, use last contract information.)
8.  My *current contract is in __________________________________city/state
    ______________________________ ________county
9.  I am *currently paid Per Diem Yes ________ No ___________
10. I am *currently paid overtime @ 1x __, 1.5x ____, other _____
11. I *currently contract as: W-2 ___, 1099 ______, Corp ________
12. My expenses were paid to my *current job Yes__, No __, I'm local ___
13. Compared to 1992, my rates today are: Higher__, Lower__; Same__
14. Compared to 1990, my rates today are: Higher__, Lower__, Same__
15. I am on contract an average of ____months per year; last year __ months.
16. I am on contract now ________; available** ______________
    **(If available) Have been looking: #days__; #weeks___; #months___;
17. My biggest problem(s) in contracting have been ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
My solutions have been to_____________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
As a Contract Rates Survey participant, you will receive a free, full
copy of the results for all disciplines. (If you include your name and
street/box mailing address.) 

A survey SUMMARY will be posted to the net.
Other questions/comments will be answered individually. 
 
NAME ___________________________________________________________
CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Until _______________date.
PERMANENT MAILING ADDRESS _____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
USnail ONLY to:
BJ Wootan; 941 West Moana Lane; Reno, NV 89509
 
BACKGROUND:  In 1992, as a part of the two years of research for my
manuscript "Successful Job Search Methods for Technical Contractors
and Consultants", I published results of a survey of technical contractors
in "Contract Employment Weekly". (I am NOT connected with CE Weekly, nor
am I an employee of any shop or agency.) As part of an answer, in Survey I,
one respondent said "There are a lot of "Bear Traps" out there." 
Following up on that comment, the original survey participants received
a second questionnaire, Re: RATES and BEAR TRAPS. The "Contract Bear Traps
(and How to Avoid Them" review was published in July with 59 BTs and
solutions.  The Rates survey is still being conducted and your response
is invited, IF you are a Contractor or Consultant.

The first call for participation, published in CE Weekly, produced a
very good response, but there are so many job categories represented,
I need more participants.  My intent is to define data for each
discipline, according to industry, geographic area, experience and
method of payment (w-2, etc.), to name a few of the areas.  Please
respond to this request on paper, and/or pass it along to other
Contractors/Consultants, who might not have net access.  To repeat,
you are asked to send responses on paper, an archaic method, but
necessary in this case.  The SUMMARY will be posted to the net,
but it will not contain the details of the full printed version.     

Your name and address, should you choose to give them in order to
receive a free, illustrated copy the the Contract Rates Survey results,
is Strictly Confidential.  Anonymous replies are accepted.

SURVEY PARAMETERS: All Rates participants, who give an address, receive a
free, illustrated copy of the complete "Contract Rates Survey" results,
with thanks for their time and effort.  A summary version will be posted to
the net.  Non-participants are charged a fee, if they wish to order the
full report. This covers printing, postage, etc.  Quotes are edited for
brevity, duplication, and to delete names.  Again, individual Name,
address, financial information is CONFIDENTIAL and NEVER released.
It is the survey intent to provide information and describe practices,
without using names.

Your participation should be valuable to you in your future contract rate
negotiations.( btw: Survey I showed 47% with W-2 status; 32% were 1099 and
personal corps (unspecified as to C/S) represented 16%.  Of those 
responding to the availability question, 58% were on contract.  It will
be interesting to compare and contrast these Rate responses to those of
Survey I.)
Other questions/comments will be answered individually.
September 15, 1993 is the deadline for submissions.  Thanks, bjw