Contracting/Sub-contracting

Date 05-14-2014 03:12

Welcome.

That is a huge subject.
Sounds like you are wanting to leave the security of the shop environment, get out into the big ugly world of "The Road Whore", and make "the big bucks".
If so... Just start by getting your resume out there to the staffing agencies and review the offers that come back.
As far as I know, there is no play book available for this. Every gig I've ever been on had different pay, experience/prerequisite requirements, and physical conditions.
Fist piece of advice is you do not always have to have all of the prerequisites to get a particular assignment. Those are often very flexible and represent "desired expertise" and not what they will settle for to get the project staffed.
For me, it has been a "School of Hard Knocks".
Take what gig you want, lean from it, develop a core group of contacts, mentors and friends. Even though it may not appear so, you will learn new things and every new gig Will fluff up the CV/ Resume.
Lastly, I've always said... "There are 2 kinds of people in this line of work. Those who travel and those who are BROKE!!!!".
Does that answer any questions?
If not, try to present a specific issue to respond to.

By IowaCWI (*)

Date 05-14-2014 03:58

Thank you for replying. That does help me out! Do you generally submit a bid, or do they just tell you what they are willing to pay?

By Superflux (****)

Date 05-14-2014 05:31

Unless you have an established company and carry your own Errors and Omissions insurance then it is up the agency to basically make an offer and you either accept it or keep hammering out email apps. I've had very little success in demanding more that the original offer. They "claim" it is fixed or that they might submit a waiver to the client with your counter offer. Rarely (maybe once for myself) have I been able to get any amendments to it.
These headhunter outfits are paying you 1/3 to maybe at most 1/2 of what your position is billed to the client. That's just the way it is.
Good luck to you.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 05-14-2014 11:10 Edited 05-14-2014 11:13

I was working a full-time job and I started working part time on the side on my own time until I fell into something long term. I found that there were people/small companies who did not have full time QC personnel who needed help with welder qualifications, developing welding procedures and writing/developing AISC quality programs that would pass the muster of rigorous 3rd party quality audits and it just kept going by word of mouth to the point where I didn't have time to do it all and I was having to choose which projects to take or pass on.
Good Luck and get yourself out there :cool:

By IowaCWI (*)

Date 05-14-2014 16:52

Alright! I have a game plan! Thank You both for the info. :smile: