So I was, as I do every week, just looking through the job postings to see the types of things that are posting, what percentages of jobs are out there, and what the rates are. It is, as a consultant, very important to keep up with all those things. The reasons range from assuring that I’m not falling behind with technology to seeing who and where pressure is coming from for the project and company that I am currently working for.
Every once in a while I still see these postings that are morbidly outdated and out of touch with reality. It’s almost as if Paris Hilton is out there writing these job descriptions and setting the rates! I personally am offended to see anyone or any company out there asking for a “Senior” anything software related for $30 bucks an hour. Now don’t get me wrong or out of context. $30 is a good rate for a lot of developers out there, but for a senior .NET engineer or senior Java engineer is ridiculous. The current rates in market for an average Senior .NET or Java Engineer is about $40-$47 bucks an hour. For a company that is serious about longevity, peak performers, and concerned about getting the best of the best, the rates skip up to at least $55-60 an hour.
So to all those guys out in the field looking for work, if there are any left at this particular junction in the industry, don’t accept low ball rates. It does you and the rest of us bad and sets the perception of managers and other artificially low, because I guarantee the movers and industry experts aren’t going roll over for these low ball amounts. If you’re faced with this dilemma at this time in the industry please shoot me an e-mail and lets talk, I’m sure I can roll you into one of the friendly and competent recruiters that I know, who I know hire appropriately, scope well, and present honorable and good rates.
