To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Vicki Brown)
Subject: Re: scary hiring
References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Vicki Brown) writes:
[...]
> (p.s. Randal is correct about the "rule of thumb" for calculating
> contracting rate)
As stated, that rule of thumb was 1000 hrs/year. I'll trust them to
know their numbers, but let me throw some others into the fray.
I've supported myself as a developer and a trainer. As a developer, I
can bill more hours per contract, per week, per quarter, than I can
typically do as a trainer. Of course, my training/development
business isn't structured the same, so my numbers will vary. But
aprapos of the training side, I've attended a bunch of "speaker"
meetings over the years (ASTD -- American Society of Traininng and
Development, and NSA - National Speakers Association), and a recurring
rule of thumb for these kinds of folks is "1/3 billable time", that
puts a 2,000 work year (40hr/week * 50 week) down to (parden the
demonic math) 666 billable hours per year. Don't even try to hold a
"per hour" discussion with a keynote speaker. Think of the expertise
required, the preparation, and the travel just to talk for 30-60
minutes. "By the hour" isn't the metric to discuss. It's too chunky.
A better way to back into the right numbers is by the quarter or by
the year. Do the back math into how much you have to clear for each
gig (keynote, training class, programming project) for an average
number of gigs/year to clear that yearly goal.
It's Venus and Mars, apples and bowling balls. If a W2 worker can't
understand why we make so much per hour, remind them how foreign it is
to us that they bill so many unproductive hours, consistently bill so
many hours, have someone else figure our payroll, research and pay for
medical coverage, file the tax forms, make travel arrangements,
negotiate cost/content for deliverables, pick up traing costs,
research and make payments on retirememt funds..... Then ask them who
really has the "cushy" job.....!!!
--
Michael R. Wolf
All mammals learn by playing!
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
