Hmm... jobstats looks interesting, but it's worth pointing out that it has stats averaged over the UK. Rates in London will be quite a lot higher than that average.

"Perl makes the fun jobs fun
and the boring jobs bearable" - me

The rates on jobstats should be treated with some caution but what they are fantastic for is showing the trends: Take your rate for the last contract you started, find it on the graphs and follow that line to find the rate now. You now have a pretty good indication of whether you should be charging 10 pounds more than last time or 5 pounds less, or whatever.

You cannot expect the figures in themselves to have much validity - most contract adverts do not specify the rate and those that do are likely to do so because the rate is extra high. Also you do not know what other skills appeared on the advert - most contracts are for a bundle of skills.

My advice for first-timers is:

1. Make sure your CV looks like a contractor's: take out the personal details and put a list of skills on the front.
2. Do not look for agencies - find the job first (jobserve is still the best) then phone the agency and tell them you want that contract.
3. If you put your CV on a distribution service expect hundreds of phone calls - get a premium rate phone number that forwards to your phone, its free and you can turn it off when you find a job.
4. Have fun, contracting is better than permiedom any day!

   -- iakobski