What should I do?

[Guest richard]

Just had a phone call from my old school to say that my replacement has decided that he isn't going to start there now and that SIMS has failed completely so can I help them out as no one there can fix it.

 

What shall I do? On one hand I'm thinking its their tough luck on the other I suppose I could make some money of them by agreeing to help them out. They have already said when I left that they were sorry to see me go and several staff had voiced their concerns at me leaving to SMT.

 

I had a feeling that the new guy would not start as when he came in to do the hand over before I left he was saying that his current school may well offer him more money to stay put. I didn't say anything as I was a bit pissed with them because they advertised the job at £5k more than I was on after been repeatedly told that there was no more money available for me.

[_Bat_]

In my opinion its best to stay on good terms with your old employers, regardless of what your "true opinion" of them is, haha. They could help you out in the future if you are still friendly with them, if you ever found yourself in a bad situation.

[Dos_Box]

advertised the job at £5k more than I was on after been repeatedly told that there was no more money available for me.

 

I know that one very well. My advice is to charge them £100 per day. If they act shocked tell them to get a quote for a consultant. They'll pay.

[GrumbleDook]

Also check what your present employers think too ... they may not be happy about you going to work for another school, even during your holidays.

[Guest richard]

Also check what your present employers think too ... they may not be happy about you going to work for another school, even during your holidays.

 

My new employers are fine about it as they know that I'm looking to do some consultancy work as well. They are actually helping me look for clients.

[budgester]

advertised the job at £5k more than I was on after been repeatedly told that there was no more money available for me.

 

I know that one very well. My advice is to charge them £100 per day. If they act shocked tell them to get a quote for a consultant. They'll pay.

 

I would say a minimum of £200 a day. If you can find out how much they pay a day for a Cover teacher.

 

At £100 a day your only gonna cover your costs, if your doing consulting you have to be aware of the fact that you have to sort out your own tax, NI, professional insurance, invoicing, unpaid holidays etc.

 

Personally I would go more for a rate per hour say £35 with a miminmum 2 hours, if you make yourself to cheap you will be earning less than if you were working there full time and they had all the paper work aggravation.

 

If you go in at a high price you can always offer discounts. If you go in to low it becomes difficult to raise your rates at a later date.

 

And for some weird reason people will feel that you are more likely to do a better job if you are expensive.

 

Yup, that 18 months of running my own outfit was the most profitable I ever was, but just couldn't get my head into the marketing/sales/accounting stuff, and I got stuffed by my accountant and a agency I did some work for. Me bitter nah.

 

Regards

 

Budgester

[Jake]

Personally I would tell them to go shove it.

 

Especially in light of the 5k thing. Be damned if I will let someone treat me like that and then allow them to get me to come running when they realise they need me

[tosca925]

Richard,

 

go do the job for them but when you are thinking of what to charge, remember at the back of yur mind that 5k they offered someone else to do your job. I think this should inflate the price quite a bit.

 

I also see that you are from Kent so i reckon £150 a day at minimum and they do seem a bit deperate...........! so who knows.?

 

Just out of interest did they offer you the extra 5K to stop?

[Guest richard]

Just out of interest did they offer you the extra 5K to stop?

 

No they didn't as I was told that their no more money available to pay me. The funny thing is the head has just spoken to me and that she wants to discuss me coming back to the school for 2 days a week at a higher salary to manage the systems

 

They seem to have now realised how much I did for them while I was there and are now panicing because their is no one capable of doing the work. To be honest if they want me back I woould rather go back in as contractor due the problems I had in the past with the school in particular the bursar. Also it would mean that I would have an easier way out if problems arose.

[witch]

I definitely wouldnt go back on a salary - but if they are prepared to offer you the 2 days on a contract basis... They probably couldnt pay true contract rates but you could get more than you used to and you would be able to get out when you wanted to.

As for the Sims work - I agree that you should charge quite a lot - our contract support lot charge £40 per hour, so that should be a minimum

[Guest richard]

Like I said I don't want to go back on salary for them. Also I am in the middle of sorting out other things to do with my self employed stuff such as Public Liability insurance, tax and Ni payments etc and don't want to see all the work going to waste.

[pete]

£50 / hr or part thereof, extra (at least £75) for weekends and unsocial hours, even more (£100) if they've buggered something up after you told them not to. The clock starts running from the moment you step out your front door.

 

Freelance contractors recommended by Capita charge approx £1,000 a day.

 

Enjoy making them squirm.

[Guest richard]

I was thinking of charging them £150-£200 a day billed weekly. But I might give it a re-think.

[Jake]

I still say tell them to shove it

[tosca925]

I must admit, now you tell me they did not offer you the extra money it is tempting o tell them to shove it......................!

[woody]

@Richard - my advice is a mixture of what has already been said:

 

Cream then for all you can get, then when you've had enough, tell them to shove it!!!!!!!

[Guest richard]

Well I had the meeting with the head and all she wants to do is to offer a position for 2 days a week with a salary of £22.5k to £25k. She does not want me coming in as a contractor as she reckons I'm wasting my time going it on my own. She has said that I can name my terms within reason and is a waiting my reply.

[Geoff]

I believe the correct answer is 'No' then. Either you come in as a self employed contracter on a daily/hourly rate or it's not worth your time and effort.

[woody]

Is that salary pro-rata, or is that for the two days a week?

[GrumbleDook]

Well I had the meeting with the head and all she wants to do is to offer a position for 2 days a week with a salary of £22.5k to £25k. She does not want me coming in as a contractor as she reckons I'm wasting my time going it on my own. She has said that I can name my terms within reason and is a waiting my reply.

 

Have a word with your existing Head ... see if they will *sell your services* to your old school ... that way they do the admin for tax, NI, etc ... can cream alittle off the top ... and ou still get a nice bonus but know that your present school's insurance covers you for most things.

 

And if she wants to pay £22k - £25k for 2 days a week I'll go and do it ...

[pete]

She does not want me coming in as a contractor as she reckons I'm wasting my time going it on my own.

 

That's not for her to comment on and is a blatantly self-serving ploy.

 

Refuse politely. W(hy)TF would you become an employee again after you left? Let her pay Capita to fix it.

[Guest richard]

Is that salary pro-rata, or is that for the two days a week?

 

Its pro-rata