. Spoke with the PR firm owner this a.m. about the "test" writing assignment and I have a few more details.
The client is a NY state agency that gave another firm their annual report to write. They're very unhappy with the results (not sure why at this point). So they've given it to the PR firm I interviewed with, and this is the test assignment the PR firm wants me to do.
There's a conference call tomorrow a.m. between the client and the PR firm, and I'll dial in from home.
After telling me what little she knew, the PR firm owner said let's talk about money. Do you have a rate in mind that you want to get paid?
Now, I don't know if she remembered telling me her usual range was $30 to $45 an hour, but I had already decided I wanted to shoot for $40/an hour. I don't need to insist on getting in at the very highest rate, but my experience should get me higher than the middle, which would be about $37/hr. So that's how i came up with $40.
After a moment's hesitation, she said that $40/hr was fine, no attempt to whittle me down or bargain, which was very nice.
I also noted when browsing their website weeks ago, in preparation for my interviews, that they actually posted the hourly rates they charge their clients. It may be a requirement to do so when you're working for federal govt clients. But she is charging way, way more to them than what she's paying me. She charges clients $125 an hour for writer/editor services. So I guess she can afford it!
So if this job goes well, I could then hope to get an offer of ongoing work to the tune of 2 days a week.
Now that my mortgage is paid off, working just 2 days a week at that rate would cover ALL my essential monthly expenses (COBRA, gas, groceries, car and homeowners insurance, property taxes and all utilities) PLUS I'd have about $700 left over each month.
OK, wait. I haven't calculated self-employment taxes in this equation, so I guess I'd have less, but STILL, if you factor in additoinal income from my real estate freelance work (averaging maybe $400 a month) and if i ended up still driving J. to work 3 days a week instead of 5 ($480 amonth) then I should still net an extra $700 a month after paying expenses.
I could actually begin to contribute to my SEP IRA, rebuild my emergency fund and even start a New Car Fund.
Wouldn't that be grand??
Got the test assignment: $40/hr Yahoo!
August 8th, 2012 at 02:16 pm
August 8th, 2012 at 02:39 pm 1344436743
August 8th, 2012 at 02:41 pm 1344436905
August 8th, 2012 at 02:46 pm 1344437168
August 8th, 2012 at 03:06 pm 1344438383
August 8th, 2012 at 03:26 pm 1344439616
August 8th, 2012 at 03:55 pm 1344441350
August 8th, 2012 at 04:12 pm 1344442340
August 8th, 2012 at 04:13 pm 1344442401
August 8th, 2012 at 04:30 pm 1344443453
August 8th, 2012 at 05:27 pm 1344446826
August 8th, 2012 at 08:47 pm 1344458858
August 9th, 2012 at 01:25 am 1344475544
August 9th, 2012 at 02:21 am 1344478907
August 9th, 2012 at 02:36 am 1344479804