A question to IT KBers, part IV

[Street Gerbil]

Folks, I know not how to thank you enough. For everything, for insights, for advice, for puzzles to look into pre-interview, etc. Particular thanks to Jrandom, who was as supportive to me as one biker can be to another and more. Thank you Dan, from the bottom of my heart! You rule, dude!

Now one last thing. Please, help me create a database of software-related companies in Auckland. Anything goes. Just if you remember a name or a website, just post it here, ok? The season of sending out resumes has come.
Thank you guys!
-SG-

EDITED ----
As per Gremlin's notice, looking for software design firms. Do not want to peddle Vista (I hope it won't come to that).

[Gremlin]

Now one last thing. Please, help me create a database of software-related companies in Auckland. Anything goes.

You may want to clarify... Do you mean companies that develop software in-house? Coz there are also distributors... which I doubt you would be interested in.

[Cajun]

www.yellowpages.co.nz

do it yaself.

[Street Gerbil]

www.yellowpages.co.nz

Nah, they outsource all their s/w development and OGS. I know. Used to do some contract work for them.

do it yaself.

Dude, Yellow Pages do not have a heading "Companies to send a resume to if you are looking for a job in software design". They have "Computer Consultants" i.e. the whole section of people desperate to consult somebody and even ready to put in some big bucks (YP listings are expensive) towards it.
But thanks anyway. Good intention counts.

[jrandom]

Seriously, man, here's what you need.

If a job's not in that list, it's not open. I haven't seen any permanent roles open in the last couple of years that weren't advertised on TardMe.

[scracha]

Seriously, man, here's what you need.

Why do kiwi employers not advertise the salary range? Do they like wasting their time and potential candidates'?

[jrandom]

Why do kiwi employers not advertise the salary range?

Mostly because it tends to be very wide. They'll hope to get a recent grad at 55K if they can, but if they have to pay 95K for an experienced guy, they will. So they don't want to prejudice their chances either way.

It doesn't seem to hurt them, so they just keep on advertising like that.

I guess it's related to the ridiculous corporate culture of employees being brainwashed into not sharing their salary info with each other - newsflash, dumbarses, that secrecy only benefits the employer. Salary != penis size. Wise up already and start collaborating; knowledge is power.

[Street Gerbil]

Right, knowledge is power and ignorance is bliss.
What do you guys believe must be an absolute minimum hourly rate an IT contractor should be asking without hurting the offered rates for the rest?

[scracha]

Like the man sez, depends on experience and the going rate for a given skill. If you have a skill that very few other geeks have and lots of customers require then you can charge stupid amounts. If you're just a Jo Average geek like me then you can't! Simple supply and demand.

[Ixion]

Depends also on the length of the contract.And exactly what you can charge out. Travel time? Research time? Drinking time? I've had contracts where all those could be included in the chargeable hours. And ones where none of them could

I charge, for contract work, anything from $60 per hour (simple stuff, done at my convenience , for long term clients) to $180 per hour . Once or twice $240 per hour, though that wa smore a "piss off, I don't wnat this" charge.

Around $90 to $120 per hour is probably middle of the road. If a client balks at $90 per hour , make like Felix the cat and keep on walking. Unless you wnat to tkae the assignment, for experience or whatever.

[Street Gerbil]

Thanks guys! The contract is 3 months of pretty boring test management. In regards to supply and demand, if I ask too much I won't get the job and that's not a big deal. If I ask too little, I will hurt the rest of you folks by driving the price down and that's something I'd rather avoid.

[Her_C4]

Like the man sez, depends on experience and the going rate for a given skill. If you have a skill that very few other geeks have and lots of customers require then you can charge stupid amounts. If you're just a Jo Average geek like me then you can't! Simple supply and demand.

Also depends on the market. If it is dry - I personally will always be open to negotiation for the right person in a contract role.

Thanks guys! The contract is 3 months of pretty boring test management. In regards to supply and demand, if I ask too much I won't get the job and that's not a big deal. If I ask too little, I will hurt the rest of you folks by driving the price down and that's something I'd rather avoid.

As above - state your worth and add that it is negotiable perhaps. When I am looking for contractors I will cull anyone that is high and not negotiable. If they are worth it - I will try and negotiate a line midway between what I expected to pay and what is being asked.

Depending on the scope of the role - the title 'Test Management' could mean anything but if it is a true 'Test Manager' role with a reasonable sized team then you are under selling yourself IMO at the rates you outlined.

[jrandom]

... if it is a true 'Test Manager' role with a reasonable sized team

With respect to Street Gerbil, I haven't had the impression to date that that's the sort of role he should be looking for.

There's nothing worse for a career than talking your way into a job you can't do.

And if you've never actually fair dinkum led a team and successfully taken responsibility for its output, it's safest to assume that you can't.

[Her_C4]

With respect to Street Gerbil, I haven't had the impression to date that that's the sort of role he should be looking for.

There's nothing worse for a career than talking your way into a job you can't do.

And if you've never actually fair dinkum led a team and successfully taken responsibility for its output, it's safest to assume that you can't.

Yes - I am not clear on his experience - that is why I questioned the title 'Test Management'. And I agree with you, regarding talking yourself into job you can't do although most savvy employers will spot a dupe pretty quickly and where they don't for whatever reason, a contract is reasonably quick to withdraw (although not always painless IME) from on both sides these days.

NZ is a very small place and the world of IT is even smaller where reputations can be made and lost in a heartbeat.

[Street Gerbil]

With respect to Street Gerbil, I haven't had the impression to date that that's the sort of role he should be looking for.
[...]
And if you've never actually fair dinkum led a team and successfully taken responsibility for its output, it's safest to assume that you can't.

Yes - I am not clear on his experience - that is why I questioned the title 'Test Management'.

My bad. I was not clear enough. What I meant was coordination of testing for a team of developers, rather than leading a team of testers. Unless I am badly mistaken, and feel free to correct me, it is the same old OGS stuff I've been doing for the last 8 years, except from the tester's rather than developer's prospective. You know, like going over test cases and making sure they make sense, keeping the status of trouble tickets and CRs, conducting status meetings, this sort of things. Boring job, but it is short term, readily available, someone's got to do it and I've got a few bills to pay. And it leaves me enough free time to study. Feel free to comment.