>>In a market were the job market is higher than the number of people looking for jobs, your logic is okay. But as soon as it's the other way around, as it is now, you don't have a chance of finding a job if you don't lower your rates. There will be at least one other consultant as skilled as you who will lower his rates and get the job.

I agree with you Michel.

Lowering a rate from say 45 to 40 to secure a new contract is one thing - $11 per hour is nonsense.

If Ford cannot sell cars at a certain level, they do not turn around and start giving them away!

The position at the root of this thread is also interesting for several other reasons:

The surprisingly quick turnaround.
There is a general consensus on this thread that $11 per hour is derisory. One would reasonably assume that this would make filling the position a difficult and protracted task. The job was posted on Thursday February 27 and gone by close of play the following Monday March 3rd. This cannot possibly have been time to receive resumes (CV’s), arrange interviews and make a selection.

Lets assume that the Public Defenders Office falls under the auspices of Dade County (http://miamidade.gov) and compare this ridiculous rate with other positions that are currently open:

$11 per hour, for a 40-hour week and 48-week year (even contractors take holidays) works out at $21,120 per annum.

This values our 6 month VFP 7 experience, OO and Client/Server contractor at the bottom end of someone sweeping up leaves – a Park Attendant gets $19k to $26k per annum (http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18838).

The data entry Clerk can expect to make more at $21k to $34k (http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18856)

Even an experienced Toll Collector is likely to make more at $19k to $28k (http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18869).

But what do the IT positions pay?
Senior OS Programmer : $61k - $93k
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18853

Senior Systems A/P : $53k - $84k
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18851

Web Designer : $46k - $76k
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18821

Web Publisher : $42k - $70k
http://www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/jobs/pgeJobDetail.asp?id=18822