I was shown numbers for the last two years, but they all contain 1 or 2 giant jobs that really shouldn't be put into the norm. It masked a lot of short comings. Not to mention our path to market was awful and not planned at all. Ah well.
What do you do?
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Cad
scientia potentia est
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It is sometimes very hard to separate the money from the job. I've gotten bonus checks larger than my highest yearly salary as a software developer.
That said:
Sometimes lawyer work is great. Researching issues, writing briefs, arguing motions, trying cases. These are what I'd call "real legal work" because you really engage your legal education and knowledge of civil procedure to accomplish a task. Then there's the grunt work. Doc review. Discovery fights. Traveling. Taking/defending depositions can be tedious. Settlement negotiations, while exciting, are basically used car salesman bullshit because everyone is trying to get the best deal and nobody really wants to compromise.
As a software developer, I'd say I spent a larger portion of my time engaged in the "meat" of software work - I could spend weeks at a time engaged in heads-down development, creating modules or building a framework for my devs to fill in with modules. Finding bugs was fun to me, and I was good at it. However, even as a very senior guy, my opinion was subordinate to basic business decisions to we'd end up doing stupid shit that made no sense at times. I never had an office until I started my own company. I've done the picnic table in a warehouse thing with 100 other guys and it sucks. You get no respect as a professional and they pay you as if you're a replaceable cog, even if you're not. You really have to break out of the employee/employer mold and be a consultant to get paid what you're worth.
As a lawyer, every firm I go into we have AAA office space, we always get the exterior window offices with doors, I have a secretary that takes care of me (even though it is completely unnecessary, it's a nice perk), they cater lunches constantly, they pay for Seamless to bring us food if we're in the office past 7, etc...
It's not just the money its the little ways they treat you like a professional/pamper you.
Cad
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Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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Yeah I guess it depends on the industry. My biggest want out of an owner is the ability to put away for the lean times. Most of the companies I have done work for in the past make 90% of their profit in a short period in the spring and again in the fall and do enough to basically keep the doors open the rest of the year. A lot of people get into it and don't think ahead and go out of business shortly.
When I owned a business I didn't even want to make a profit on a lot of stuff because I knew come spring and fall turnarounds that's where the profit was it for the rest of the year. So I'm sure that would really skew numbers for someone.
Lost Virtue
Trakanon Raider
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Also consider that often, if you're going through a recruiter or job Placer they're make 40 to 60 percent of the total contract.
I'd charge triple or more. As other folks have said, you have to factor in the benefits load you're not getting compensated for (20-40% gross-up, depending). You also get a premium because it's short-term work and you have no guarantee of stability. When I do consulting work I price myself so as to return a reasonable annual salary equivalent if I bill 1/4-1/2 of annual hours.
Xequecal
Trump's Staff
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Well, it went pretty well. Since it was going to be basically more overtime for me, I asked for double my day job salary, they didn't even blink before accepting. Here's to making $1300 for less than 20 hours of work. Well, I know that's peanuts for a lot posting here, but it's a lot for me.
Cad
scientia potentia est
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Thats great bro. Start searching around and make these short term hourly deals your main job. Start juggling multiple jobs and stay busy. Triple your income. Thats how it has to be done.
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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Been on semi vacation this week, visiting my parents and checking out the possibility of the company I am with getting more involved in the petro chemical industry. That looked pretty promosing and got some leads thru contacts I had from previous work.
Then I see this morning they announced tighter controls for power plants. That is our bread and butter with carbon capture now. Not really looking forward to it.
I guess that trip was for nothing now, other than visiting parents and seeing people I haven't seen in a while. Kind of was looking forward to it. It's more profitable and faster paced which I miss terribly. Plus I would have enjoyed the weekly trips to cajun land or even Houston for the food alone.
First world problems I guess.
Then I see this morning they announced tighter controls for power plants. That is our bread and butter with carbon capture now. Not really looking forward to it.
I guess that trip was for nothing now, other than visiting parents and seeing people I haven't seen in a while. Kind of was looking forward to it. It's more profitable and faster paced which I miss terribly. Plus I would have enjoyed the weekly trips to cajun land or even Houston for the food alone.
First world problems I guess.
Heylel
Trakanon Raider
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The job I was hoping to land was filled internally, but the recruiter said they might be looking for more researchers early next year and to keep an eye out. Ah well. It was worth the effort just to force me to get a resume in order.
Time to start hunting for real.
Time to start hunting for real.
Cad
scientia potentia est
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It's mid 6-figures, pretty normal working conditions other than that. Basically a non-equity partnership. Not much different perks than I get now, Seamless Web paid for by the firm, free underground reserved parking, my secretary will be my own (no sharing), I get to pick my own office furniture. Bonus will be based on firm profits and has been 75-100% of salary in years past.
What I can't tell from here (before I start) is the quality of work they have for me, where I slot into their ranks, and how much shit work I'll end up doing vs. how much quality work and client contact I can get that advances my career.
What I can't tell from here (before I start) is the quality of work they have for me, where I slot into their ranks, and how much shit work I'll end up doing vs. how much quality work and client contact I can get that advances my career.